The Oatsville Post - Oats, Groats, Cats, Dogs and More!

Oat field, credit: Ronny K, Pixabay.

Oatsville—sounds like Mayberry's sister town.

I love oats. I don't think using old fashioned oats gets enough press except for use in cookies.  I remember a relative years ago thought I was incredibly weird for using oats as a breakfast cereal instead of just eating a packet of the quickie, Quaker, coarse sand-like stuff we used to eat as kids (you know, the one with a dash of apple cinnamon flavoring). Oatmeal has also been a victim of the low-carb revolution, although from what I've read, one of the most popular low-carb diets, Atkins, only limits oats in phase 1. I admit, though, that I don't want to overdo carbs either so I rarely eat the serving size called for on most containers.

As to shelf life, I've found varying info on the internet. According to Honeyville, a #10 can of regular rolled oats with an oxygen absorber will last 10-15 years.  We've packed our own in mylar bags with oxygen absorbers sealed in buckets.  We plan on checking them in 5 years.  USA Emergency Supply states here that they've known of oats lasting 25 years in storage.

Oat Bran

I like oat bran as a breakfast cereal even better than oats. My favorite topping is vanilla yogurt and homemade apple butter. Again, I'm unsure of storage capacity for oat bran. Honeyville sells 50# bags of oat bran which they state last sealed for 1 year under ideal storage conditions.

Raw Oats

Raw oats in the morning is another favorite. It's recommended they be soaked first to deter any digestive discomfort (not to mention the crunch factor). If you live near a health food store, you might be able to find them there. You can also sprout hulless oats and hulled groats to use in baked goods and raw food. Sprout People is a good online source, and they have instructions for sprouting them here.

For one serving of raw oats, I sort through 1/4 to 1/2 cup to pick out any stones or dirt and soak in water overnight.  Use about twice as much water as oats.  In the morning, I drain any leftover water off. I add a small amount (about 3 tablespoons) of milk to a blender and then add the drained oats. Add 1/2 of a large banana or 1 small banana, cinnamon, sweetener of choice, a dash of vanilla and blend until smooth. Some other things I've added are peanut or almond butter, chia seeds and maca powder.  You can substitute water or an alternative milk for cow's milk.  Raw oatmeal is versatile just like the regular kind and can be prepared to your taste with your favorite fruit.

Overnight Oats

Overnight oats (sans blender) have become hugely popular as a quick breakfast or snack. My favorite recipe is as follows:  Mix 1/4 cup dry oats, 2 dashes of cinnamon, 1 teaspoon chia seeds, dry sweetener of choice (or liquid when putting in liquid ingredients but more on that below) in a small canning jar. Layer on top of this 1/4 cup water or milk and 1/4 cup unsweetened Greek yogurt. If using liquid sweetener such as Stevia drops or jam in place of sugar, place it in the jar at this time.  Add a small amount of nuts, granola and fresh or frozen fruit on top. Cover and keep in fridge overnight up to 3 days (give or take) to soften the oats. Take out in the morning and enjoy as is or microwave for about 40 seconds.

As a Meat Extender

Oats can be used as meat extender in meat loaf.  People who want to avoid using soy products such as TVP may find this especially useful as well as anyone who wants to save a few pennies. I've substituted up to 25% of the ground beef with oats. I didn't soak them first as the juices from the meatloaf work fine for this.

Oat Flour

Oat flour can be used in baking and in vegan food such as TVP "meatballs" in place of bread crumbs. I also use it in making dog biscuits up to replacing 25% of the all-purpose flour called for in a recipe.

Gluten Concerns

Oats don't naturally contain gluten, but they can become contaminated when grown and processed in facilities that process gluten-containing products. Oats also contain avenin, a protein similar to gluten. The Celiac Disease Foundation discusses this topic further here. For those of you concerned about gluten, there are companies providing customers with oats that aren't processed with gluten products, i.e. wheat. Some of these are Bob's Red Mill, Arrowhead Mills and GF Harvest.

Cats and Dogs Love Oats (well, mine do anyway)

Happy cat with cat grass, photo credit: Alexas_Fotos, Pixabay

Have you seen those packets of cat grass seeds in stores. Guess what, it's oats! Cats love oat grass. I sprout some using an Easy Sprout sprouter and then place them on a soilless medium to grow much like the method demonstrated by Sprout People here. 

My dog loves oats too! After soaking overnight, I mix oats, peanut butter, and yogurt together and place in a Kong toy. I place this in the freezer anywhere from several hours to a day. It's a great dog-occupying tool.  A safely occupied dog makes for a happy pupper home.

My happy pupper, Bridget.

© P.J. Deneen