Making your own non-dairy milks are some of the most cost-effective swaps you can make. Oat milk is also a cheaper option compared with nut milks. Give it a go or try half-half with your favourite nuts.
Makes 4 cups (roughly 1 litre)
Ingredients:
1 cup porridge oats*
4 cups filtered water
Optional Extras:
1/4-1/2 tsp vanilla powder
A small handful of dates for a touch of sweetness
2-4 tbs cocoa powder (for chocolate milk)
Method:
Add all ingredients to a blender and blend for 45-50 seconds until smooth. Don’t blend for longer than a minute as this has a tendency to create a ‘slimy’ texture.
Strain through a very fine nut milk bag/cotton cloth. This should be very fine for the best oat milk texture – even a clean cotton T-shirt would work well as this has a very fine weave.
The best oats to use for this are regular porridge oats. Quick cook oats are more processed and tend to create the slimy texture and oat groats (or other less processed varieties) don’t create the desired creaminess.
Shake before use. This will keep for 3 days in the fridge, but best consumed as soon as possible. If using over cereal or in baked products, you may find you can use less oats and not even strain them as the oat pulp won’t be an such an issue.