Home-made Recipe for Oat Milk - nutritious and zero waste

Hey everyone! Recently I asked you on my Instagram profile what milk do you prefer your coffee with - dairy or non-dairy? The odds were even for both options.

Let's talk more about the benefits of non-dairy milk and why it's said to be better for one's health and the planet.

You've probably heard the saying that no other species, except humans, drinks the milk of their mother after the few months to a year after birth. And that't true because milk is naturally an animal product meant to strengthen baby cows and goats and not to pleasure humans. Actually, dairy milk is a very risky choice for your health since it often leads to numerous diseases and is rich in cholesterol and hormones. Not to mention the cruelty of the dairy industry and production which support in any case is better to avoid. If you want to learn more about that, you can check out this article.

Non-dairy milk on the other hand is a healthier alternative, since it's often rich in vitamins, fibers and is also natural. It's easier to digest that dairy milk and contains even more calcium for bone strengthening, plus it's lower in calories and fats! No doubt, there are also cons to it, like for example the artificial ingredients in store-bought milk or the amount of resources used (water) for the production of almond milk.

The common ground seems to be preparing your non dairy milk at home, which is not difficult at all!

I actually preferred to share with you the oat milk recipe instead of any other non-dairy alternative because it's the most universal one and a huge perk is that it's great for people with allergies or intolerances, because oat is naturally free from lactose, nut, soy and gluten.

Nevertheless, this recipe can serve for a basis for any other nut milk recipe.

I can't help but notice that prices of vegan/bio/hipster oat milk in the grocery stores are insanely high.

I'm saying it now that I know the true value of oat milk since it costs only one cup of oats to make 1l milk on your own. Sounds good for your wallet, right?

But it's good for the planet as well. Because by making it yourself, you're avoiding the disposal of numerous milk packaging. The only packaging that's being used is the one from the oats so if you buy them in bulk it would be a totally zero waste alternative!

And it's also better for your health: oats are very rich on fiber and vitamins B and D which on one side help in lowering the cholesterol and on the other support strengthening the bone structure. Preparing it yourself also has the benefit of skipping any harmful ingredients that are usually included in store-bought milk, such as gums or sugars.

So, let's get to the point. You'll need:

Blender

Cheese cloth

1 cup of oats

4 cups of filtered water + more for soaking

pinch of salt

1 teaspoon of honey (depends if you like it sweeter)

vanilla extract (optional)

Firstly, you need to soak the oats in water for at least 30 minutes. Then drain the oats, dispose of the used water and put them in a blender together with four glasses of filtered water. In my case I used only 2 because the capacity of my blender is limited, but this makes the taste of the oats more intense the liquid more dense. So it depends on your taste. Add a pinch of salt, together with the honey. Of course, you can choose any other sweetener such as dates or maple syrup. Optionally, you can add vanilla extract for more flavour. I didn't do this step but that's because I prefer a clearer flavour of the milk.

Blend the mixture for several minutes until it's very smooth. Afterwards strain the mixture in the cheese cloth or any other cloth you have that can serve this purpose. Once you've strained well, don't dispose the rest that's left on the cloth, it can be used in other recipes such as smoothies and it's very rich in fiber.

Transfer the liquid into a glass bottle or a jar and store in the fridge.

And there you have it! A very healthy and zero waste alternative that goes great with coffee and cereal, but can also be used for pancake batter or whatever you choose!

I hope this recipe is useful for you. Share your experience and tastes in the comment section - do you agree that non-dairy is better for your health and the planet? Have you tried making any non-dairy milk at home? Leave your thoughts below :)