Soaking Oats

If you've been reading Nourishing Traditions, and you want to soak your oats, it's really quite easy to do. (I learned how here on Just Making Noise's blog).

Why soak them? According to Nourishing Traditions author, Sally Fallon, all grains contain phytic acid (and oatmeal is particularly high) which is a substance present in the bran of all grains that inhibits absorption of calcium, magnesium, iron, copper and zinc. Soaking (and also sprouting) helps to neutralize phytic acid.

Now I am in the habit of having some on the go all the time. Here's how I do it...

1: Warm 4 cups of water in saucepan on the stove (don't let it boil). It should feel like bathwater.

2: Pour 4 cups of oats (the slow-cook kind) into a non-metal bowl.

3: Add the warm water to bowl of oats.

4: Add 8 Tbs of Whey.

I use my left over whey from making yogurt. Just put the whey in a mason jar and keep in the fridge.

5: Mix it up and put a plate on top to keep the mixture clean.

Let it sit for 24 hours. Don't even think about it!

This is my whey, and jar of oats... and ceramic bowl.
(And that's my helper in the background!)

All mixed up.

Covered and ready to stick in a corner on my counter.

When finished, you can spread it out on parchment paper that has been rubbed with a bit of coconut oil and bake it in the oven at 250 F for 2 hours.

Turn it over with a spatula and cook another 2 hours.

(I find, I can loosen the oats from the parchment paper by running a spatula between them and then I can lift the oats as one big piece and flip it over.) When it's dry on both sides, it's done. If it's still "rubbery" cook it a little longer.

Afterwards, just break up into chucks and put them in the blender to grind into flake-size pieces.

Soaked, dried oats used for cereal.

Here is an example of some of my oats when soaked and dried. I keep them in a glass gar in the cupboard.

I use these "Soaked and Ready Oats" as they are called on Just Making Noise's blog as Cereal.

For use as Homemade Cereal, I add some chia seeds, some sliced almonds and pour cold milk over it all. Let sit for 1 minute and the consistency is like store-bought cereal.

I also use these oats in Mirko's Lunch Box Cookies.