I love breakfast, make no bones about it.
Mostly because it involves coffee. And let's be honest with each other – Coffee rocks. For those of you who don't drink it… start. Because God gave it to us and it's wonderful.
Anyway, back to breakfast. One of our favorite choices for breakfast is oatmeal. It's healthy, simple, and wonderfully delicious. While oats don't exactly scream of an innovative and cutting edge meal, it's important to appreciate them for their humble goodness. Plus, they don't have to be the soggy, bland version you may be used to. Kick up the goodness with various toppings: maple syrup, peanut butter, apples, raspberries, cinnamon, flax seed, coconut, walnuts, almonds, and so-on and so-forth.
We recently began soaking our oatmeal, after I read Lindsay Edmond's blog post on the benefits of soaking here. So, onward and upward to oatmeal!
Soaked Oatmeal
Soaking for 24 hours is ideal, but do what you can!
Step One: In a mason jar (or bowl, doesn't matter) cover 1 1/2 cups oats with roughly 1 1/2 cups water until the oats are just covered.
Step Two: Add two tablespoons of your chosen acid medium (lemon juice, kefir, yogurt, or whey). This will help break down the phytates in the oats and allow for easier absorption of the all the nutritional goodies the oats have to offer! You can use the yogurt you made earlier this week from my homemade yogurt post! (Everyone made that, right?… Hello?… Anyone?)
Step Three: Add nuts to the jar, if you like. Soaking is great for nuts too!
Step Four: When you are ready to eat, heat the oats in a pan with an additional cup of water and cook for roughly 5 minutes until it looks done to your liking. We always add a pinch of salt at this stage.
Step Five: Top with the goods. Whatever goods you may desire. Our staples are coconut, vanilla extract, maple syrup, whole milk, and flax.
Don't let it fool you – oatmeal can be decadent. Rich. Fancy. Like creme brulee.
Okay, well, maybe not quite that fancy.
For other great meal ideas, no matter what your dietary restrictions, check out the meal planning service I use: Real Plans.
I’m going to try soaking our oatmeal and bread. How much acid medium do you use? I looked for a soaked whole wheat bread recipe on here but could not find one. Do you have any tips for that? I’m greatly intimidated by this process.
I totally do – it’s one of my most popular posts to date! http://theelliotthomestead.blogspot.com/2011/07/soaked-whole-wheat-bread.html Don’t be intimidated – you can do it!
Oh, and I use about two tablespoons of yogurt or kefir or one tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar. Hope this helps!
Thanks so much!! Now that you’ve responded I realized if I had just scrolled down a liiiittttle further I would have seen the recipe listed. Hehe…I’m a tad impatient.
I did it!! I made soaked whole wheat bread and it wasn’t nearly as bad as I was anticipating. It was delicious and the best looking loaf of bread I have made in a long time. It looked like I bought it at Panera. Yay me! Thanks for all your help!
Do you leave the soaking oats on the counter or put in the refrig?
On the counter!
Just wondering when you cover the oats with water and yogurt, do you mix it all before letting it sit? or leave the water on top to soak through?
I stir it.
Ok, so I tried soaked oatmeal for the first time today…I was really excited to be eating a healthy breakfast, but it tasted like lemons. I’m assuming that whatever medium you use will affect the taste somewhat, but should it be overpowering even after I add butter and a little maple syrup? No way my kids will eat it. I am just getting started with traditional food, so I used what I had…which was “real lemon” juice from concentrate….maybe that was the problem? (I realize it isn’t ideal). Please help! I need to convince my family that this new way of eating is a good and delicious idea.
I made your yogurt last night and have made the soaked oats….yay! Should I put a lid on it while it is on the counter? And how long can it stay on the counter? We are planning on eating it tomorrow.
I usually just drape a towel over the top and leave it out for 12 hours to soak.
I like to use 1 tablespoon of raw apple cider vinegar when I make mine. You can definitely taste it in the finished product but I love it! It makes the oatmeal so complex. I just put it on the counter in a mason jar over night. I also like to use whole oat groats – I just love the texture of the whole oats. If its a little too “poppy” for you, you can pulse the whole oats in a blender a few times to grind them up.
Hi, LOVE your site and your amazing cookbook by the way! Do you drain the water after soaking the oatmeal or no?
Nope!
hmmmm… I grew up eating plain ol’ oatmeal but added brown sugar and milk… which made it awesome. But this is very interesting and encouraging! You guys make oatmeal actually look fun and diverse! yummy I will try. 🙂 thanks
btw, can you do a blog post about not being afraid to try new things? hahah… it’s just that after two failed attempts, I am terrified at making bread. But I really want to make bread! And yogurt! And all this cool stuff! But I just immediately don’t think I will be successful. Maybe it’s like, the fear of spending money on ingredients only to have it turn out poorly. I know that’s the only way to learn but it’s just hard to commit. lol, this is the only thing in my life I’m dramatic about. That and having to own a hammock.
We eat oats 365 days a year and never ever get tired of them; but I have never soaked them before last night. I followed your method and they were so delicious. My way has been to add to the freshly cooked oats (unsoaked), pumpkin seeds blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, apples or banana. My husband tops his with whole milk but I top mine with soy as I follow a WFPB diet.
Thanks for providing us your breakfast oats method, I will cooking them your way again and again! 😋