Vegans do not consume animal products. That's why cow's milk is not an option for consumption. Nevertheless, milk is needed for many dishes and many people don't want to do without it as a delicious drink.
However, that is not a problem because fortunately there are a number of plant-based alternatives. This includes milk made from almonds, soy or oats .
However, you don't necessarily have to go to the supermarket to drink oat milk; you can make oat milk yourself. All you need is oatmeal and water. So you know exactly what’s in your milk. You can do without additives.
A nice side effect is that you don't have to carry Tetrapaks of oat milk home . Also good for the environment : unlike soy, oats can be grown regionally. This eliminates the need for long transport routes. You can get oat flakes in both normal and organic quality.
In this article we will tell you why oatmeal is considered healthy and what you should pay attention to when buying it. Depending on what you want to make from the grain yourself, you can choose different types. We will then introduce you to a simple recipe with which you can easily make oat milk yourself.
However, oat flakes are not only good for drinks, but also for cooking and baking. Whether with berries, chocolate or as a patty - with oat flakes you can create delicious, healthy and vegan dishes .
What's so healthy about oatmeal?
Anyone looking for vegan alternatives to milk or yoghurt often comes across oatmeal products. Because they are great for replacing animal milk with oat milk. At the same time, oatmeal is considered a healthy food. What are the reasons for that?
Oatmeal contains nutrients that are important components for a varied diet.
Ingredients include:
- iron
- zinc
- Vitamin B1
- Beta glucan
- vegetable protein
- fiber.
So that your body can absorb these nutrients well, you should pay attention to which foods you combine when eating. For example , the body absorbs iron particularly well if it also receives vitamin C. Consuming fruit, vegetables or juice at the same time can therefore have a beneficial effect.
Pure oat flakes have another big advantage : they contain little to no traces of gluten. That is why they are well tolerated by many people who suffer from gluten intolerance.
You may have noticed in the supermarket that gluten-free oat flakes are labeled separately. This is because when grown, oats can come into contact with grains containing gluten , including wheat. This can contaminate the product.
This is not a problem for people who do not suffer from gluten intolerance. However, if you are very sensitive to gluten, it is advisable to pay attention to the labeled products.
What types of oatmeal are there?
Have you ever noticed that there are different types of oatmeal? If you take a close look at the packaging, you will usually find melted flakes as well as tender or hearty oat flakes .
They differ in the following aspects:
- Delicate oat flakes : They are also often sold as fine leaf oat flakes. Because they are cut, they are particularly suitable for making your own oat milk. You can also use them for cooking, baking or for thick drinks such as smoothies.
- Kerneled oat flakes : The so-called large-leaf oat flakes differ from the fine-leaf version in that each flake consists of a kernel. This makes them less suitable for dishes that require a fine mixture.
- Melting flakes : These are often used to prepare food for babies and young children. They soften very quickly in water because they are made from thinly rolled oat grains.
The type of oat flakes has no significant influence on the taste. The difference essentially lies in the processing.
We at Greenforce also like to use oat flakes to make our vegan products, especially our oat drink that you can mix yourself . This is gluten-free and no added sugar.
To protect nature from unnecessary chemicals, the ingredients come from organic farming .
But by purchasing it, you're not just doing something good for the environment : since you prepare the drink fresh at home, you save yourself unnecessary lugging around.
Make your own oat milk quickly and easily
Making plant milk yourself is not that difficult. Especially with oat milk, making it yourself is quick and complicated.
You only need three ingredients:
- 200 grams of fine leaf oat flakes
- 2 liters of water
- a pinch of salt
Place the water, a pinch of salt and the oat flakes in a blender. You can use the oat flakes as is or let them soak in hot water for five minutes beforehand.
Puree everything on high for about three minutes . Now take a clean wipe or a nut milk bag and use it to squeeze the mixture into a container, such as a jug.
The liquid obtained in this way is a delicious oat milk that you can keep in the refrigerator for about three days. It is best to fill this into a sealable bottle.
You can also make your own milk using whole oat grains. The difference here is that you have to soak them in water for several hours beforehand.
It's best to let them rest overnight. After straining, add water again and puree it for a few minutes. The wipe is then used again. Continue as in the recipe above.
Once you have mastered the basic recipe , you can try out other variations. For example, mix a little cinnamon, vanilla or even apple or sugar beet syrup into the ingredients before pureeing.
You should not throw away the oat mixture that remains after sieving. Plant-based foods should not be wasted either. Instead, use them to make delicious oat cream, for example.
To do this, puree the fruit of your choice and fill the fruit mixture and the oat mixture in layers into a glass. If you want, you can refine the whole thing with chia seeds . You now have a delicious dessert or a special breakfast highlight.
Cooking and baking with oatmeal
Oatmeal has many uses. Not only can you make your own milk substitute products , but you can also use them for cooking and baking. You can even conjure up drinks from it. How about a raspberry oat milk shake, for example?
To do this, mix 300 ml of oat milk with 200 g of raspberries, a chopped banana and two tablespoons of maple syrup. Then puree everything finely and put it in the fridge for an hour.
Of course, you can also use strawberries or other fruits of your choice instead of raspberries. The shake is a good refreshment, especially on hot summer days.
In cooking, oat flakes are often used to make patties. They ensure that the mixture in the pan holds together better. Beforehand, let them soak in hot water for five minutes. You can then add them to many recipes.
Pure oat patties are also ideal as vegan substitutes for burger patties. Pour 300 grams of oat flakes into a pot, add vegan vegetable stock and 400 ml hot water.
After swelling, stir well, add chopped vegetables and fry with sunflower oil. For example, zucchini, peppers, onions and tomatoes are suitable as vegetable additions.
You can also make your own cookies from oat flakes without having to add any sugar. Mash a peeled banana with a fork and mix it in a bowl with 100 grams of fine oat flakes.
Now form cookies from the mixture and place them on a baking tray lined with baking paper. It's best to shape it with your hands, but you can also use two spoons.
Bake the cookies at 180 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes . If the oven is preheated, the baking time is reduced by around five minutes. However, it is not necessary to turn on the oven beforehand. This uses unnecessary energy.
It's not just easy to make your own oat milk from oat flakes. You can use them to prepare many vegan products .