Yesterday was a good day of getting back to the day-to-day routine of life. There is no doubt the inevitable letdown after a trip, but none-the-less, I am a creature of habit and enjoy the small tasks at hand each day.
After all, there was bread to be baked. And deodorant, toothpaste, and face cream to be made. There was also rabbit feed to buy and worms to be fed.
There was also granola to be made. Sweet, sweet, granola.
I haven't bought a box of breakfast cereal in years and granola is the only reason why. It's essential for me to keep it on hand – it's the quick & easy snack (or meal) when we're in a rush or need a little extra something alongside our eggs in the morning.
Which is always. What can I say? I like a big breakfast.
I've posted two granola recipes on the blog – this one (mind you, I now add three tablespoons of cinnamon to it!) and this one. While I loved the soaked granola that I often make, I also do love my original granola recipe. Couple that with the fact that I often make these cookies and it only seems right for me to keep soaked oats on hand for such occasions.
Oats are one of the grains highest is phytic acid, which blocks minerals absorption in the gut. In order to help break down the phytic acids, we soak or sprout our grains before consumption, as presented in Nourishing Traditions. Man, I love that book.
I also love having soaked oats on hand.
So let's rock it.
Soaked Oats
You will need:
– Organic, rolled oats
– Filtered water
– Yogurt, lemon juice, whey, or apple cider vinegar
Step One: Add desired amount of oats to a large mixing bowl. Add a cup of filtered water and stir to combine. If needed, add another cup and stir again. We do not want the oats completely submerged in water. The idea is simply to wet the oats until they are all slightly damp. Stir a little bit of water in at a time until you've reached the desired wetness.
Step Two: Add in 1 tablespoon of yogurt, lemon juice, whey, or vinegar for every cup of oats that was added to the bowl. For example, my granola recipe calls for 6 cups of oats which means I use 6 tablespoons of yogurt to soak in with. I tend to favor yogurt because it adds a nice flavor to the oats. Mix to combine.
Step Three: Cover the oats and allow them to soak for 24 hours.
Step Four: Spread the oats thinly on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and place in the oven on the lowest setting until completely dry (about 12 hours). This step can also be completed in the dehydrator, which is what I typically use.
Every so often, get your hands in there and break up the small chunks of oats to ensure they get completely dry.
Once they're dry, the oats can be stored as normal until they are used. This is a great way to make sure you always have properly prepared oats on hand for cookies, breads, muffins, last-minute oatmeal, or granola.
Not that any of us would ever procrastinate or anything.
Ahem.
That being said, guess what I'm NOT trying to procrastinate on?
This year's garden!
As the good Lord would have it, a reader of mine (whom I've never met) volunteered a small piece of her land to me to use for a garden in trade for freshly made bread.
Land for bread, people!
More on this to come. But you can be sure that I've been a busy little beaver planning the patch.
Not to mention we pick up the rabbits this weekend!
Let the homesteading, and oat soaking, begin!
For other great meal ideas, no matter what your dietary restrictions, check out the meal planning service I use: Real Plans.
How to soak plain oats.
To make granola. And cookies. And other deliciousness.
- Organic (rolled oats)
- Filtered water
- Yogurt (lemon juice, whey, or apple cider vinegar)
- Add desired amount of oats to a large mixing bowl. Add a cup of filtered water and stir to combine. If needed, add another cup and stir again. We do not want the oats completely submerged in water. The idea is simply to wet the oats until they are all slightly damp. Stir a little bit of water in at a time until you’ve reached the desired wetness.
- Add in 1 tablespoon of yogurt, lemon juice, whey, or vinegar for every cup of oats that was added to the bowl. Mix to combine.
- Cover the oats and allow them to soak for 24 hours.
- Spread the oats thinly on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and place in the oven on the lowest setting until completely dry (about 12 hours). This step can also be completed in the dehydrator, which is what I typically use.
- Once they’re dry, the oats can be stored as normal until they are used.
Before drying them, could you just throw them in a pot and make oatmeal?
Yeah for a garden!
Totally!
Also, do you do the same thing for steel cut oats?
Yep! It works great for both.
I’m also curious about steel cut oats, I’m soaking mine now according to your method but confused about if I should cook them, they are really really hard, but not sure if cooking them drying would return them to the same dry state? (would love to eat some but worried about how hard on the digestion they are in this state)
I’ve been soaking oats for a little while now, but I’ve never tried drying them after soaking them. You’ve inspired me 🙂 I’ve got a batch in the oven right now. Hopefully they’ll dry well in there. Can’t wait to experiment with them more! Thanks!!
I know this post was from a while back, but I just wanted to say how much I appreciated this information. I found your blog because I was doing a search to see if it was possible to soak AND dehydrate oats… and lo and behold, it is possible! I already made our favorite granola with the soaked oats and it was great, now I’m on to my second batch. I love your blog and subscribing right now!
how do you store the granola?
When the oats are soaking are they left in the fridge or out on the counter? Out of sunlight and such things like that?
Out on the counter – I usually just drape a hand towel over the top.
Trying it now! You know what would be so helpful, a picture of what then oats should look like when wet and right when you start to dry. I think i may have added too much water. Im grateful for the recipe thank you for sharing!
Can you use regular white vinegar in place of the apple cider vinegar?
Thank you!
All the directions for soaking say to use filtered water. Is this necessary?
I prefer it that way because most unfiltered water actually has a LOT of additives.
We don’t have the Berkey but does the filtered water from your fridge dispenser work well as filtered water? What dehydrator do you use? Thank you!
Our fridge water is bad, so we don’t use it. I prefer to use my Berkey water! I use an old dehydrator that I picked up for free from a friend!
Thanks so much for your blog. Quick question… is it unnecessary to drain or rinse the oats after soaking? Otherwise, where do the harmful acids go? Sorry if it’s a silly question, I’m new to this!
No need to rinse the oats, the acid is being broken down in the soak. Safe to eat once soaked
What temperature do you put your dehydrator on to dry your oats, nuts, etc??? I recently had a bad turnout after dehydrating my nuts and wasn’t sure I am doing it on the right temp for the right length of time since the temp will change the time needed.
So I just soaked and dehydrated a batch of oats in the oven (dehydrator is out of our price range and we don’t know anyone who will give us one!), but I’m wondering: now what? I wanted to use them to make soaked granola, but your granola recipe says to mix in other ingredients when soaking the oats and THEN to dehydrate. So now I just have very dry, crispy, plain oats. What to do with them?? Can I just make oatmeal with this batch, or should I attempt granola, and how? What do you do with your plain, soaked oats??
Just mix in all the other ingredients now – no biggie! I often will store the soaked and dehydrated oats in my refrigerator for when I want to mix up granola.
Brilliance. Shear brilliants. Soak and dehydrate ahead of time! YES! Now I don’t have to depressingly put off making cookies because I forgot to soak the oats! You just made my whole life. Well, my whole oat life 🙂 Thank you!
Would this be a way to create some quick cooking oatmeal for the road? My husband is a pilot and wants to take more healthy food with him while he’s traveling. Could I soak and then dry out the oats and they still cook quickly in a microwave?
Some really interesting questions in these comments! Does anyone ever bother to answer them? I see many have gone un-answered here for months.
Hello there
I’ve soaked oats before like this but my oats didn’t look at all like oats… they all broke into little pieces. Why do yours look the same as before you soaked yours ????
Does soaking and dehydrating oats destroy nutritional value?
So even if soaking it in yogurt you can let it sit on counter over night, then eat it as oatmeal in the morning?
Soaking more than 24 hours? Ok not ok?
Thanks so much!!
Hi Shaye! Do you need to soak oats still if they’re sprouted? Also, once you’ve soaked the oats and want to use them to make granola, do they need to be drained? And I assume you just go ahead and use them (even if they’re wet) as you would dry, unsoaked oats and they’ll cook and crisp just fine in the oven?