I have seen and read about soaking grains for some years now. I always thought it sounded good, but never got into it. Since I’ve been brainstorming about breakfast again, I was trying to figure out how to make oatmeal work better for our family. Some of the kids have said they don’t really like it, partly because it “hurts their bellies”. When I came across the idea of soaked oatmeal yesterday, the lightbulb turned on! Yes, maybe that is the answer! (God is so faithful!)
“Keeper of the Home” has a great article that I recommend you read about soaking oatmeal. In it she describes why you should soak oatmeal:
Soaking is a crucial step, especially for a grain such as oatmeal, which contain more phytates than almost any other grain. If not soaked, over time these phytates can lead to mineral losses, allergies, and irritation of the intestinal tract (source: Nourishing Traditions).
The article also has instructions as to how to soak your oatmeal. Here is what I did for our family of seven.
In a large pot put:
2.5 cups of rolled oats
5 cups of water
Mix: ~1/4 t apple cider vinegar with 1 T milk to make soured milk (I usually make soured milk rather than buying buttermilk).
Pour into pot and stir.
Leave pot on the stove overnight.
The next morning, turn the pot on and cook the oatmeal at medium-high heat – a soft, rolling boil – until oatmeal is cooked. This only took about 5 minutes or so.
Add 1/3 cup of brown sugar and top with whatever toppings you like. I put out chopped pecans, fresh blueberries, cream, cinnamon sugar, and dried fruit.
The photo above is what the oatmeal looked like after cooking! It was so creamy! We loved the texture and taste. The vote was unanimous! Everyone liked the oatmeal so much better than “usual”, and it did not cause belly aches. Yay for soaked oatmeal!
We love soaked oatmeal!!! I use lemon juice for mine. I also noticed that soaking it really gives me a whole morning of nutrients instead of feeling like I have to eat again in an hour!
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