Creamy homemade oat milk
Making your own plant-based milk is simple, easy, and much cheaper than buying store-bought brands which come in packaging and often contain additives, preservatives, and sweeteners. Buy your ingredients from bulk bins or in compostable packaging and make it zero waste. This recipe yields approximately 1 litre of creamy homemade oat milk that can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days.
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- 100 g oats ((I like to use thick rolled oats from the bulk bin at my local health food shop – you can also use quick, GF, or steel cut oats))
- 750 ml cold water ((preferably distilled, filtered, or spring))
- 1/2 tsp salt ((pink himalayan or organic sea salt))
Optional flavour variations
Sweet
- 2 pitted dates ((or other 30g other zero waste natural sweetener))
Chai Spice
- 2 pitted dates ((or other 30g other zero waste natural sweetener))
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp ground gloves
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
Choco
- 2 tbsp cacao powder ((high quality and ethically sourced))
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
Strawberry
- 100 g fresh strawberries
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
Method
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Add the oats to a bowl and cover with the water, stir to make sure there are no dry pockets and leave to soak (preferably overnight, or for at least 30 minutes).
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Once the oats have soaked, add the mixture to a blender with any additional flavourings of your choice. Blend for about a minute until creamy.
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Strain the mixture into a large mixing bowl using a sieve, cheesecloth, nut milk bag, upcycled cotton fabric, or a tea towel, whatever you have to hand. Store the milk in the fridge and add the remaining pulp to smoothies, use it to make granola or cookies, or create your own zero-waste facemask.