Milk is a staple in many homes and for good reasons. It pairs well with certain foods like cookies and cereals. Traditionally, milk came from animals, but today, there are other milk alternatives derived from nuts and whole grains such as oats. Almond milk, for example, is made from almonds. It is a great milk substitute, and it used to be my go-to milk; however, lately, I started using oat milk.

When I first heard about oat milk, the word that came to mind was “slimy”, and I was right because the first time I made oat milk, it was indeed slimy, though tolerable. As you can imagine, I was a little grossed out; nevertheless, I kept thinking that there must be a way to make oat milk without the slime, and thankfully, I found a way after looking it up online. To make oat milk without the slime, use cold water and ice cubes. It is as simple as that.

I generally use oat milk in my overnight oats, but it can probably be used for much more than that, so give it a try. To get you started here is my sweetened oat milk recipe. It is creamy and delicious, and I do not doubt that you will enjoy it.

Ingredients

1/2 cup gluten-free, extra thick, organic rolled oats (Old Fashioned oats are fine too)
2 cups cold water
4-5 ice cubes
5-6 Medjool dates
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
A pinch of salt

Directions

1. Put the oats, the water, and the ice cubes in a high-speed blender.
2. Set your kitchen timer for 30 to 40 seconds then blend the oats for that duration of time
3. Strain the milk through a milk bag into a clean bowl.
4. Rinse the blender cup.
5. Pour the milk back into the blender cup, add the dates, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Blend until the dates dissolve.
6. Pour the milk into a glass bottle and store it in the refrigerator for up to a week.
   

Additional Notes

I usually make my oat milk on Mondays and by Saturday, it is still good. You can strain the milk before pouring it into the glass bottle, but I don’t usually do this because I like the consistency and creaminess it has after the final blend.

When you are ready to use your oat milk, simply pour it into a bowl and add your cereal or pour some into a glass and drink it like a milkshake. I usually use gluten-free, organic, extra-thick rolled oats, but you can use old fashion oats. What about quick oats? I have never used quick oats.