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Video: How to Cook Oatmeal (the RIGHT way)

by Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist on January 23, 2012

in Breakfast,Recipes,Traditional Preparation of Grains,Videos



Instant Oatmeal is NOT a Healthy Breakfast!

Do you eat oatmeal out of convenient, ready to use packets thinking this is a healthy start to the day?

Reality Check: Ripping open a package of instant oatmeal, pouring it in a mug with some water and nuking it in the microwave for a couple minutes is NOT a nourishing breakfast!

Don’t get me wrong here – oatmeal can and should be a healthy breakfast!

How you cook the oatmeal, however, is the critical step that most people completely miss and which determines how much nourishment and benefit you will actually derive from the experience.

Preparation also determines how long the oatmeal will fill you up.  What good is a bowl of oatmeal if you are hungry again and ready for a donut fix by 10am?

Preparing your oatmeal the traditional way as practiced for centuries by ancestral societies will take a little planning on your part, but you will be greatly rewarded with a much more nourishing, digestible breakfast that will stay with you all the way to lunchtime!

Traditional peoples knew through observation that grains were very hard to digest and caused health problems over time for those who consumed them without careful preparation.

Throwing out those boxed breakfast cereals that are at least twice as expensive per serving and toxic to boot and replacing with a simple, nutritious bowl of porridge will also help your food budget considerably with no loss in pleasure or enjoyment particularly on chilly winter mornings!

TIP:  I’ve had people email me to complain that soaking oatmeal for at least 7 hours or overnight causes the oatmeal to taste sour, but I’ve found that soaking in water plus lemon juice produces a delightful and slightly lemony porridge that is not sour at all and absolutely pops with flavor!

In this brief video, I show you exactly how I prepare my morning porridge the night before.  You can also soak a big pot, cook it up the next morning and then refrigerate leftovers for a fast warm-up on the stove on subsequent mornings.

Soaked Oatmeal

Ingredients

2 cups rolled organic oats

2 cups filtered water

4 TBL lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, or yogurt

1 tsp sea salt

Instructions

Mix the oats, water, and lemon juice in a pot.  Cover and leave on the counter (NOT in the refrigerator) for at least 7 hours or overnight.  If you have trouble digesting grains, feel free to soak for as much as 24 hours.

When soaking is complete, bring 2 additional cups of filtered water to boil with the salt and add the soaked oats mixture.  Cook for 5 minutes.

Traditional oatmeal is best served with liberal amounts of butter and/or cream for optimal assimilation of minerals. A natural sweetener, nuts, raisins or other fruit may be added as desired.

Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist

Picture Credit

 

 
 
 

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{ 94 comments… read them below or add one }

Julie January 23, 2012 at 10:19 pm

Do you rinse the oats before you cook them?

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Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist January 23, 2012 at 10:54 pm

I don’t rinse mine.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist\’s last post: Video: How to Cook Oatmeal (the RIGHT way)

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Bonnie January 23, 2012 at 10:33 pm

Are rolled oats stored in bulk bins Ok to buy? Are they likely or not to be rancid like brown rice stored in bulk bins?

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Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist January 23, 2012 at 10:54 pm

If oats are rancid, you can smell it really easily. At least I can! But, best to buy in sealed bags or a sealed bucket. Large buckets can be purchased through local grain co-ops if you use a lot of oats.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist\’s last post: Video: How to Cook Oatmeal (the RIGHT way)

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tin January 29, 2012 at 11:37 am

Please tell me what oats smell like when they’re rancid? One of my biggest concerns with eatings grains is that they’re rancid before I even start the process of breaking down the anti-nutrients. Thanks!

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Teresa January 23, 2012 at 10:50 pm

I soak 3 cups oats overnight and then make a baked oatmeal with eggs ( also raisins, nuts, cinammon, vanilla. Coconut oil, etc) we eat it almost every morning with fresh fruit and yogurt( heated up in pan with butter) it’s the best breakfast ever!

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Theresa January 24, 2012 at 1:02 pm

That baked oatmeal sounds really good. How many eggs and how long do you bake it for? Guess I’m really asking for your recipe! I have a ton of oatmeal and would like to use it. After getting negative info for oatmeal in general, I am relieved to find that I can soak it and use it. Thanks!

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Teresa January 24, 2012 at 4:52 pm

Soak 3 c oats with water to cover & 6 tablespoons lemon juice overnight( lg bowl)
Add the following:
5 eggs (beaten til smooth)
1/4t salt
Cinammon
Nutmeg
Sucanant or maple syrup to your liking
Vanilla
Raisins
Walnuts
Dries fruit- optional
1/4 cup melted coconut or butter
App 1 cup milk
Stir well and bake in buttered casserole dish on 350 until set
You can cut off a square each morn and heat up with butter- serve with fresh fruit/yogurt

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Theresa January 25, 2012 at 2:05 am

Thanks, Teresa. I will be making this for breakfast tomorrow. Sounds delish!

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Jennifer February 2, 2012 at 9:23 am

Sounds really good. Thank you for sharing your recipe Teresa!

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Mikki January 25, 2012 at 11:01 am

Teresa, if this is from Jenny’s Nourished Kitchen, it is indeed one of the best ways I’ve ever had oatmeal and my family thinks so too. My hubby and son just cut it the next day cold and eat it like a muffin. It packs well too and we took it on our last road trip and had it with yogurt for breakfast. I’m having a houseful of guests soon and I’ll bake a huge pan for everyone. They all love it and what a great way to begin the day! Tip: besides soaking the oats overnight, I prep what else I can, so it’s easy to mix since it takes about an hour to bake.

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Aimee January 23, 2012 at 11:00 pm

Thanks for the reminder, I will do this now for breakfast tomorrow! I remember your blog from November 2010 regarding grains and cavities, and that using a medium with calcium such as yogurt or kefir does not work as well as an acidic medium as lemon juice, vinegar or liquid whey. I have tried lemon juice in the past and my son finds the taste to be too sour. If I were to use kefir, would that have the sour taste even though it may not work as well, and how much would I use, 2 tablespoons per 1 cup of oats? Thank you :-)

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Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist January 23, 2012 at 11:16 pm

Yes, the taste would be sour using kefir. Try different ones and see which produces the best taste for your taste buds.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist\’s last post: Video: How to Cook Oatmeal (the RIGHT way)

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Mikki January 25, 2012 at 11:03 am

No sour taste from soaking in liquid whey and water.

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Sandi January 24, 2012 at 1:24 am

Sarah, I’m baking our next batch of oatmeal with sourdough starter mixed in the night before. Sourdough is supposed to be the number one souring method, right? I’ll let you know how it turns out. We don’t eat a lot of oats, but I’m working on a sourdough granola, too for when we do have them.

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Sarah January 24, 2012 at 1:28 am

I had my 8 year old do tonight! It saves time, teaches him how to do it, and he remembers what we are having for breakfast eliminating one question for the : )! Why have I never thought of using the pan that I am going to cook it in instead of a separate bowl? I love to find ways to save on dishes.

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Sarah January 24, 2012 at 1:29 am

oops that was supposed to be one question for the day! It is getting late.

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Gabriela Guthier January 24, 2012 at 4:22 am

I have been mulling over the question of how to best prepare oatmeal all winter. So happy you answered it! By the way you look beautiful in this video. Healthy and vibrant!

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Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist January 24, 2012 at 8:06 am

My secret is BUTTER! :)
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist\’s last post: Video: How to Cook Oatmeal (the RIGHT way)

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Ariel January 24, 2012 at 3:44 pm

LOL, Sarah, that’s my reply whenever anyone asks me why I look so healthy!

That, or raw milk! ;)

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Allison January 24, 2012 at 9:26 am

Perfect timing! I soaked oatmeal last weekend for the first time and did think it tasted too sour. I used ACVingar to soak it with though so next time, I will try the water/lemon juice.

Thanks again for all the wonderful info you put out on this blog!
Allison\’s last post: Mom Snydrome: Example 1

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Nicola January 24, 2012 at 9:38 am

My 2 year old & I have porridge for breakfast most days. We do not like it made with water though, we prefer milk. Is it ok to substitute the cup of water for milk? Thanks

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Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist January 24, 2012 at 11:28 am

You need to soak it in water with an acidic medium not milk. You can add milk after it is cooked if you like.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist\’s last post: Video: How to Cook Oatmeal (the RIGHT way)

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Natalia January 24, 2012 at 1:56 pm

What I did, was soaking them in water and whey, but then adding a cup of milk to cook. I also added some raw heavy cream and homemade raisins pure before serving and oatmeal didn’t taste sour at all. It was the best oatmeal ever! The cream makes it some much better!

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Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist January 24, 2012 at 4:04 pm

Sure, that approach would work fine.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist\’s last post: Video: How to Cook Oatmeal (the RIGHT way)

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Billie January 24, 2012 at 9:01 pm

I’d love to know what you all think about oats and tooth decay. My 2yodd has some severe decay, 2 teeth worn to the gums. Thanks to changing her diet the other teeth are beautiful. In Ramie Nagel’s book he basically warns to stay away from oats if you have decay. I’ve taken so much out of our diet and we do miss oats. I’d love some input…thanks!

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Bobbie January 27, 2012 at 6:58 pm

I would also be interested in the answer to this question. I was wondering the same thing.

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tin January 29, 2012 at 11:41 am

Even if one’s child doesn’t have tooth decay, I can’t imagine it’s good to have oats every day. If it’s not good when you do have cavities, why would it be good when you don’t have cavities except maybe very infrequently.

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Katie January 24, 2012 at 10:37 am

Hi Sarah, I prepared my oatmeal last night with lemon juice and it was nice to have breakfast ready this morning. I was wondering if it is a problem to use steel cut oats instead of rolled oats?

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Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist January 24, 2012 at 11:29 am

You can use steel cut if you like, of course.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist\’s last post: Video: How to Cook Oatmeal (the RIGHT way)

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Kelli January 24, 2012 at 11:06 am

I always use whey and I have never noticed a taste from it.
Kelli\’s last post: Beef Tongue: Not So Offal (Guest Post)

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lisa January 24, 2012 at 4:28 pm

I agree, in my experience whey produced the least sour oatmeal.
lisa\’s last post: Thinking About Coconut Oil…

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Mikki January 25, 2012 at 11:05 am

No sour taste from soaking in whey to me. I didn’t like the smell or taste of some of the soaked flour recipes from NT using buttermilk or yogurt. The whole house smelled kinda sour after baking!

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Sandra January 24, 2012 at 11:13 am

I am eating a lot of oatmeal now. Sarah, you are right! Before I could never eat it becausse my blood sugar would sink like a rock. I tried soaked and did’nt like the sour taste of vinegar. I then tried the yogurt. It is fantastic with no blood sugar problems. Is it true that yogurt does’nt work as well as vinegar for soakin? I hope not.

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Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist January 24, 2012 at 11:30 am

You can use water plus 2 TBL yogurt/cup of oats as the acidic medium for soaking and it is just as effective as whey, cider vinegar or lemon juice. Yogurt is not as effective by itself though.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist\’s last post: Video: How to Cook Oatmeal (the RIGHT way)

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Sumaya January 24, 2012 at 11:14 am

Do you roll your own oats? I read somewhere that it’s best to buy whole oats and roll them at home to have them as fresh as possible. I don’t have an oat roller and no money right now for one. Am I losing out much on the nutrition by buying already rolled oats?

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Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist January 24, 2012 at 11:31 am

I buy organic rolled oats from a grain co-op.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist\’s last post: Video: How to Cook Oatmeal (the RIGHT way)

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Cathy January 24, 2012 at 11:23 am

I usually buy the steel cut oats from Trader Joes which require more water ( 1c of oats and 4c of water), should I increase the amount of lemon juice (or whey, etc..)?

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lisa January 24, 2012 at 4:32 pm

I don’t want to speak for Sarah, but it seems to me you still use the same amount of water/acid for soaking as recommended in the recipe, but increase the water when it comes time to cook.
lisa\’s last post: Thinking About Coconut Oil…

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Cathy January 24, 2012 at 10:50 pm

Thanks!

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HealthyHomeEconomist (@HealthyHomeEcon) (@HealthyHomeEcon) (@HealthyHomeEcon) (@HealthyHomeEcon) January 24, 2012 at 11:27 am

Video: How to Cook Oatmeal (the RIGHT way) http://t.co/bo8fb0r1

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Ildikó Nagy (@CeriumCom) (@CeriumCom) January 24, 2012 at 11:57 am

How you cook the oatmeal, however, is the critical step http://t.co/cdBgWxZq

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Kate @ Modern Alternative Mama January 24, 2012 at 12:10 pm

My research, and experiments, have shown that oats don’t release much phytic acid because they are low in phytase. They need the presence of some other grain (like wheat) that is high in phytase in order to actually break down the phytic acid. Also, dairy foods shouldn’t be used for soaking because high calcium levels inhibit the process. I got this information from Amanda Rose’s White Paper.

I can tell if I don’t soak oats properly, my kids react as if I’d done nothing. If I add a small amount of wheat flour and use lemon juice, they do just fine. Although I don’t like oatmeal…lol. I use the soaked oats to make granola for us.
Kate @ Modern Alternative Mama\’s last post: Getting Healthy – Clutter

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Magda January 24, 2012 at 12:15 pm

I read that, too, Kate. You’re supposed to use freshly ground buckwheat to soak with the oatmeal (I never had freshly ground but used a couple of tbsps of buckwheat flour with my oatmeal when soaking). Can’t recall if you can use anything else (I couldn’t use wheat as I’m gluten-intolerant).
Magda\’s last post: So very sorry…

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Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist January 24, 2012 at 4:02 pm

I can tell if my oats aren’t soaked as I sometimes get a bit of a stomach ache from the anti-nutrients that weren’t broken down. Not too mention my stomach gets very bloated within about 1 hour.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist\’s last post: Video: How to Cook Oatmeal (the RIGHT way)

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Soccy February 20, 2012 at 10:56 pm

Kate: do you know the ratio needed of wheat per cup of flour? And the ratio of lemon juice per cup of oats? There is so much information out there that keeps contradicting itself Thanks so much!

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Sandra January 24, 2012 at 12:12 pm

I am just starting to soak grains. Oat meal was my first. I was wondering if you have had any exsperience with grinding grains with the kitchen aide mixer. I had and the grain is course and I don’t know what it is suppose to look like.

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Laurel January 24, 2012 at 12:28 pm

My understanding is that most oats have been heat-treated, so soaking by itself may not do much good to degrade the phytic acid. I really don’t make oats much anymore, but I used to grind a small amount of buckwheat in a coffee grinder and add to my oats before soaking, to ensure that adequate phytase was present. Then I followed the same soaking method as Sarah. My oats always turned out great, especially with lots of butter and cream and a little honey!

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Mary Kate January 24, 2012 at 12:31 pm

Hello,
I cannot remember where I have read about the soaking of the oats. I have started to do that with the raw yogurt and water…but it also said to rinse the oats. So, I have been rinsing the oats and then use the raw milk to cook( but not on high heat). It does make for a nice creamy oatmeal. Is it wrong to rinse? Am I rinsing away any nutrients??
Thank you for your help.

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Sarah January 24, 2012 at 12:33 pm

This is exactly how I’ve been making my oatmeal for years… glad to know I’m doing it “right”!
For so long, though, I would eat my oatmeal for breakfast (with plenty of butter, crispy nuts, etc) and it would not keep me full for long – after a couple of hours I would be ravenously hungry – hungrier than I would have been if I had skipped breakfast entirely! But my new favorite breakfast that sticks with me till well into the afternoon: soaked oatmeal, 1 heaping tbsp peanut butter, half a sliced banana and just a tiny drizzle (1/2 tsp or so) honey. Yummy, cheap and very filling!

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Peggy N January 24, 2012 at 1:15 pm

When you soak your oats with an acidic medium, does it matter what type of pot you soak it in? I can’t remember why but I always soak mine in glass and then transfer to the stainless steel pot in the morning. I have tried whey, kefir and yogurt and buttermilk, our favorite is lemon. The oats come out smooth and fluffy…WAY better than any oatmeal I have had.

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tin January 29, 2012 at 11:45 am

I would never use stainless steel to soak anything with an acidic medium. I’d soak in glass and cook in glass (I also bake everything in glass.)

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hobby baker January 24, 2012 at 1:19 pm

We love our oats, but I can hardly get the kids to eat them if they are soaked. I grew up with old fashioned oats cooked only for three minutes and foam skimmed while cooking. So we like our oats to have a lot of tooth to them still. I found I could almost get away with soaking if I used the thick cut rolled oats that Bob’s sells. Does skimming foam give us any benefits? (It has to remove some impurities.) I can’t stand gummy, soft oats but I do like baked oatmeal. I’m the only one though, *sigh* I’ve toyed with the idea of soaking the thick oats and then dehydrating and using like quick oats to see if I can keep them firm. Do you think that would work? Otherwise, I just cook our thick oats for 5 minutes, skimming, and serve with coconut oil and raw milk.
hobby baker\’s last post: Soy Free Mongolian Beef at last

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Peggy Sutton January 24, 2012 at 1:32 pm

I’m so excited to let you know that we received our new oat roller yesterday and To Your Health Sprouted Flour Co. will now be offering our sprouted oats rolled and ready for making oatmeal, granola, or cookies. No need to soak prior to cooking!

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Naomi January 24, 2012 at 1:58 pm

Peggy, I was just about to ask my question regarding sprouted oats when I read your post! I came into possession of some whole grain raw sproutable oats by Legacy Valley. I have sprouted and dehydrated them and they are ready to use, but I noticed that the grains are very small, and I’m not sure how they will roll out. Legacy Valley suggests cooking them whole, just like rice (they are about that size) for about 45 minutes. Do you have any advice about this, and/or are you familiar with these particular oats? Thanks for your (or Sarah’s or anyone else’s) feedback here.

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Naomi January 24, 2012 at 2:37 pm

Well, I just rolled a serving of the sprouted oats, and cooked them up and they are so delicious! After rolling I only needed to cook about 10 minutes or so, maybe less (I didn’t time it, I was busy doing other things). They rolled out very crumbly, looking much like your store-bought instant oats, but if I use the next larger opening on my flaker, the grains just slip through whole. I don’t mind though; these oats have lots of good chewy texture.

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Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist January 24, 2012 at 5:21 pm

Hi Peggy, thanks for chiming in! Your products ROCK!
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist\’s last post: Video: How to Cook Oatmeal (the RIGHT way)

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tin January 29, 2012 at 11:48 am

Peggy – I’ve used your sprouted grains in the past and they were (are) a suburb products and you’re awesome to talk to, too!

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Rachel January 24, 2012 at 2:07 pm

Loving your blog and information! I am pregnant and cant believe that I have thought my diet was best for the baby, especially since we eat almost all organic.

I am wondering one thing. It has been a week or so of switching to raw milk, raw butter and more eggs, etc. Is it normal to feel kind of, well, crappy? Its really hard to wake up, and I feel really groggy and foggy. I feel better sitting or lying down, because standing makes my head feel pressured. Is this detoxing from all the processed foods? Do I need more sleep to help my body through the change? Should I be switching over while I am pregnant?

Any help is appreciated!

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Ariel January 24, 2012 at 3:55 pm

How far along are you? If you are in your first trimester, it’s very natural to feel icky, regardless of diet (in fact, my mother always swears that the sicker she was the first three months, the larger and healthier the baby was born).

If not, you may be detoxing. When we switched over to raw milk, we felt all the better, but we had already eliminated processed foods from our diet a while before.

Also, your body may not be adapted to all of the fat, especiallt if you have previously been eating a low-fat diet.

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Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist January 24, 2012 at 5:20 pm

You could be getting some die off symptoms from the probiotics in the raw dairy. I switched to raw dairy while I was pregnant .. just go slow :)
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist\’s last post: Video: How to Cook Oatmeal (the RIGHT way)

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Rachel January 30, 2012 at 3:08 am

Thanks for the info. I am in my second tri, and never got morning sickness in the first, so I know its not that. I will go slower. Feeling better already too.

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Barry January 24, 2012 at 4:22 pm

Sarah,

Would you please comment on Kate’s post above? Is it necessary to add wheat or buckwheat to help reduce the phytic acid? Is yogurt ineffective because calcium impedes the process?

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Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist January 24, 2012 at 5:00 pm

No it is not necessary to add wheat or buckwheat. A simple soak as I show in the video is sufficient. Yogurt is fine if it is used with water … yogurt by itself doesn’t work as well.

It is important not to complicate this stuff too much. A simple soak with an acidic medium is what our grandparents did and it was fine. People have gotten away from this with instant oatmeal and such. Trying to achieve perfection in reducing anti-nutrients in the soaking process is not necessary. Phytic acid is not the only anti-nutrient .. there are many other benefits to soaking besides reduces phytate content.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist\’s last post: Video: How to Cook Oatmeal (the RIGHT way)

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Bree January 24, 2012 at 9:13 pm

Thanks for this concise response Sarah. After reading Cure Tooth Decay I felt a bit overwhelmed as so much of his info on grains seemed contrary to what Dr. Price found. Also it seems every ‘real food’ blog has a million and one things to say on grains and none of it is the same. I appreciate this blog so very much!!

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Laura G. January 24, 2012 at 4:33 pm

Just a tip, if you own a rice cooker you can prep everything in it the night before and set it for the time you want it ready the next morning. We do this regularly in the winter and it’s nice to wake up to a hot breakfast.

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Linda January 24, 2012 at 6:13 pm

I have been soaking oats following the recipe in Nourishing Traditions. She says to soak in warm water. You didn’t mention warm. Does that make a difference?

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Kerstin January 24, 2012 at 6:53 pm

I still have a ton of instant oatmeal. Can i soak that as well or do i need to throw it out?

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Suzanne Geddes (@cummingharvest) January 24, 2012 at 8:23 pm

I think I’ll try this, but with some Organic Steel Cut Oat Groats from Goodness Gracious! Granola http://t.co/n4yUtJhv

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Lucy January 24, 2012 at 9:30 pm

I’m in Australia and we have oats most mornings. In winter it’s cooked, however in summer which we have a lot more of, we have cold oats. I soak them overnight and then in the morning we just have yoghurt (homemade), fresh fruit salad and a mix of crushed Sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, almonds, linseed and chia. I have to admit I don’t soak the nuts and seeds first and I should be, but we just crush them and sprinkle them on top. It is a delicious breakfast and sticks pretty well so we don’t get hungry too soon!

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Fiona January 24, 2012 at 11:14 pm

I soak my oats overnight, usually with whey added or yoghurt. I do find that it’s a bit sour, but that’s overtaken by the cream and maple syrup I add! Yum!

I am interested, though, in what others have said about the low level of phytase in oats, and that soaking may not be enough to neutralise it. I haven’t heard that before, but it makes me wonder if I should be adding something else.

I honestly don’t seem to get digestive problems from grains (at least not obvious ones, like stomach upset) but I am concerned about the damage from the anti-nutrients anyway, as I believe that issues can crop up years down the track if you’re not careful now!

Incidentally I was reading a new magazine yesterday with the butter vs margarine debate… there was a nutritionist who recommended margarine (BLECH) and stated that butter has much higher levels of dangerous trans fats than do margarines! Sounds ridiculous to me… and I wish the so-called experts would stop propagating the nonsense that “margarine made with Canola or safflower” is healthier than butter!! It’s no wonder so many well meaning people are led astray…

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Sarah January 25, 2012 at 12:17 am

Trying not to panic! We received orders for California. I hope to find other sources of milk that will be less than $15 a gallon! I expected to pay more but not that much more. There is no way that we can swing that. I want to feed my family well but ouch!! I see a lot of soaked beans, soaked rice, and lots of cheese in the future!

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Mikki January 25, 2012 at 11:15 am

Are you out of California? I didn’t know it was legal to order raw milk and ship it out of Cal. We are lucky here to having buying clubs, Organic Pastures drops off at locations, usually homes, and can be picked up and it’s dollars cheaper. If your family likes yogurt, buy a good quality pasteurized, non homogenized whole milk like from TJ’s, or here in Cal we have Straus’, which is grassfed, not sure about TJ’s and culture that into keifer or whey, then drink less of the raw milk with meals or snacks. Jenny from The Nourished Kitchen told me as long as you get some raw milk and raw cheeses, you get those benefits and then your homemade yogurt not from raw milk gives you the great probiotics and grassfed benefits. Just don’t drink the pasteurized uncultured! And don’t ever buy or drink ultrapasteurized!

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Sarah January 25, 2012 at 4:19 pm

I am sorry for being unclear. My husband is in the Coast Guard and we are moving to Humboldt County this summer. Thank you for the information. I am eyes and ears wide open for any tips or information for good food sources for where we are going. Thank you very much for the suggestions.

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Jen January 25, 2012 at 5:41 pm

I remember reading that Rami Nagiel advised against buying store-bought oats such as Bob’s Red Mill because they are subjected to high temperatures during processing resulting in a dead food that is hard to remove phytates from and is similar to pasteurized milk. Do you think that organic rolled oats bought in bulk at health foods stores such as say, Whole Foods are subject to the same treatment? I’m hoping this is only a process certain brans follow.

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Nancy January 26, 2012 at 9:07 am

I made the soaked oatmeal with lemon juice last night and cooked it up. My boys found it too sour. We added butter and a sweetener. Now I have a pot of oatmeal that no one wants to eat. I was wondering if anyone has a recipe I can make this into. I like the baked oatmeal recipe above, but I already cooked ours with the water. Thanks.

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Meg January 26, 2012 at 10:42 am

Like you, Sarah, we are long since done with boxed cereal and don’t believe that little packets of anything for the microwave barely qualify as ‘food.’ (Look around: most of what is available in the supermarket barely qualifies as food.)

And like you, we also prep oatmeal at night for a quick, nutritious breakfast in the morning. It only takes a moment and it’s well worth the moment spent. But I only buy organic rolled oats to grind and use in baking. We use organic steel cut oats for breakfast porridge.

I put a cup of the oats into a heavy pot with a tsp of salt, a heaping TB of cinnamon and four cups of water. I bring the water to a boil, stir, turn off the heat and cover. In the morning we stir the oatmeal and serve. Sometimes we add hot milk, sometimes not. Sometimes we add dried fruit, chopped fresh fruit, chopped nuts, whatever. Sometimes not.

Love your website and will return often. Thanks for the good work!

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sandybt January 26, 2012 at 9:16 pm

I wonder if it would be even better to soak some rolled rye flakes along with the oatmeal? According to Rami Nagel in the article “Living With Phytic Acid” on the WAPF website, soaking oats does not reduce phytic acid at all, which is the main reason we soak grains, right? However, he suggests that because rye is rich in phytase, which oatmeal is not, the rye can facilitate the soaking process of other low-phytase grains it is mixed with.

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Terri January 27, 2012 at 1:20 pm

I am really trying to enjoy soaked oatmeal and tried this version using the lemon juice. I am guessing it is an acquired taste. It is very lemony sour and salty to me. I am having a hard time with the flavor. I may try it again, but rinsing the oats after soaking and then cooking them. I know I won’t be able to get my hubby to enjoy these so now I have a pot of oats I may have to feed to my chickens……I keep trying soaked oatmeal to get used to it but so far not too good to me.

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Danielle January 29, 2012 at 12:32 am

I am using Santa Cruz organic Pure Lemon Juice (pasteurized) to soak my oats. Will this be the same (good) result as fresh squeezed lemon juice? Thanks!

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Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist January 29, 2012 at 12:43 pm

Fresh squeezed would be best, but the organic lemon juice is fine too.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist\’s last post: When Breast Cancer Isn’t Bad News

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Danielle January 29, 2012 at 1:39 pm

Thank you! The lemon juice didn’t go over well with my 4 and 1 year old. (I didn’t mind it). I know raw yogurt would be better, but will organic store bought yogurt work as well?

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Kerin January 31, 2012 at 9:09 am

Tried this for breakfast… my girls and I think it’s quite sour. I’m also not so thrilled with the texture. Could I cook it with less water, so it’s a thicker consistency? Also, could I use half the lemon juice, or would it not be enough to properly soak the oats?

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Kellie@ Nutritional Therapy Coach January 31, 2012 at 7:24 pm

Love oatmeal… Can’t get enough. I love steel cut oats but don’t always have the time in the morning so will bring them to a boil for 1 minute at night and remove them from the heat and cover, then in the morning just heat up and it’s ready to go in just a couple of minutes. Quicker than instant Quaker Oats, and much healthier… Thanks for sharing :)
Kellie@ Nutritional Therapy Coach\’s last post: Many Chronic Issues Are Related to Food

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Shannon February 1, 2012 at 7:20 am

I tried soaking oatmeal using yogurt but eating oatmeal prepared this way gave me the worst gas pains I’ve ever had in my life. Twice. Am I doing something wrong? I put the oatmeal in water on the counter with a spoonful of yogurt overnight and cooked it in the morning.

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Charity February 5, 2012 at 8:36 pm

I added salt to my soaking oats!! Is that bad?

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karen February 9, 2012 at 5:09 pm

I was just wondering why u don’t refrigerate the oats ? And do you also do this with quinoa also ? Thanks

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New to this February 15, 2012 at 1:33 am

So, what do you think about this article:
http://info.breadbeckers.com/phytic-acid
It addresses many things including soaking oatmeal…

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Stephen Kunin February 17, 2012 at 11:15 am

I would appreciate a reply to : Should Soaked Oats be rinsed? It seems that getting rid of the anti nutrients is the idea and consuming them by recooking the oats in the same water is not good???
I also add Spelt flour to help the process.
Love the site!
Steve K

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Naomi April 13, 2012 at 8:08 am

I tried unsuccessfully to find your article about granola, so I will use this one to ask my question. I think you mentioned in that post that even if you soak oats and dehydrate them, they still need to be cooked sufficiently and that NO granola is healthy. I found some sproutable oats, sprouted them, and dehydrated them, and roll them for breakfast oatmeal. Now I’m wondering how much cooking constitutes enough? Will baking them in cookies (or granola) where there isn’t much or any liquid be enough cooking? Do they need to be cooked in a liquid? Thank you!

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MrsD April 24, 2012 at 10:19 am

oh my heavens…just tried it….this is delicious! I really enjoy the lemony taste and find I don’t even need a sweetener with my oatmeal this way. Yum! I’ll be making this over and over :o )

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Ginny April 29, 2012 at 3:17 pm

Sarah, I actually soak about a weeks worth of oatmeal, and rice for that matter, then store it in the refrigerator for later use. Do you see a problem with this?

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Paala May 5, 2012 at 12:36 am

Thanks for the video on soaking grains. I really appreciate it. I was searching for some good info on why soaked was better than not. I hope you don’t mind that I linked your page in my latest coconut date oatmeal post. http://doublethink.us.com/paala/2012/05/04/date-coconut-oatmeal/

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Michele May 9, 2012 at 9:12 am

We have been enjoying our steel cut oats (4c water to 1c oats) cooked overnight on “warm” in a 1 1/2Q mini-crock pot. What is your opinion of cooking this way? Will the lemon juice aid when cooked in this manner?

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