February has been such a busy month so far. To kick it off, the Pats won the Superbowl…again. A few days later was the Chinese Lunar New Year. My roommate and I had a bunch of friends over to ring in the year of the pig with hot pot. And it’s been so busy at work as we’re coming up on National Poison Prevention week in March. Then this past week was Valentine’s Day. My boyfriend and I had such a nice night in with heart-shaped brie cheese plate, beef ragu and pappardelle, and champagne. It was just what we wanted.
But woof, it’s been so busy. And I am so happy for this three day weekend we have. I spent the day at yoga, and then lunch with my boyfriend, and just woke up from a nice long (but necessary) nap.
But enough about me and my busy life. Let’s get onto this Oat Milk Hot Chocolate. More importantly, let’s talk oat milk.
What is Oat Milk?
Oat milk is a trendy dairy-free alternative milk. It is made by blending together oats (either rolled or steel-cut oats work) and water. To naturally sweeten it, people will add in dates or maple syrup.
It has a thicker, creamier texture compared to other dairy-free milks like almond or coconut. This is because oats absorb more water and can in turn make the oat milk have a dense texture. The thickness of the oat milk can be controlled by how much water is added when blending the oats and also the temperature of the water used to blend. This is really what separates oat milk from other milks, because it’s thicker texture allows it to be more easily frothed or steamed (like real milk) and can be an excellent addition to lattes or coffee.
Why am I making the switch over to Oat Milk?
In addition to Oat Milk’s wonderful creamy texture, it is cheaper to make and more environmentally friendly than other alternative dairy-free milks. These are the two reasons why I am making the switch to oat milk, and giving up my weekly carton of almond milk.
In the past, I have tried making almond or cashew milk at home. It is very expensive to keep buying almonds or cashews in bulk to make milk at home. Oats are way cheaper than nuts, and makes a milk that I enjoy drinking more than nut milk. Also, I would end up throwing away the leftover blended nuts from making the nut milk, which just felt so wasteful. When making oat milk, I keep the leftover blended oats for my oatmeal breakfast. Oat milk is cheaper to make and less wasteful.
Also, Oat milk is way better for the environment. Oats require six times less water to produce than almonds, according to this New York Times article. I am really trying to do my part in being more environmentally friendly this 2019 and drinking oat milk instead of almond milk is definitely a good start!
What are the different variations of Oat Milk?
You can make oat milk all different ways. I have made vanilla oat milk by blending oats, water, dates, and vanilla extract. I have made a cinnamon oat milk by blending oats, water, dates, vanilla extract, and cinnamon powder. The variation I would like to try next is strawberry oat milk, which consists of oats, water, dates, and strawberries.
You can add oat milk to your coffee, matcha, teas, cereal, baked goods, and smoothies. It can be frothed, steamed, or served iced.
A Quick Note About Heating Oat Milk
The texture of oat milk can change when heated up. It can become thicker and gelatinous in texture. Therefore, in this process of making my Oat Milk Hot Chocolate, I heat the water up at the start of making the oat milk. But if you are to store it in the fridge and reheat it, it can become too gelatinous in texture. Some people are okay with this but I would add more water or heat it until slightly warm if you would like to avoid the gummy-texture from occurring.
Oat Milk Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
- 1 cup Oats rolled or steel cut
- 4 cups Hot Water just before it begins to boil
- 4.5 tablespoons Cacao or Cocoa Powder
- 8-10 Medjool Dates chopped
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Instructions
- Place all ingredients into a high speed blender. (Since you’re blending a hot liquid, you may have to do this in smaller amounts, and start slow to avoid blender blunder. I remove the center insert to let the steam escape and place a kitchen towel over the insert, holding down the lid, while blending. Or you can use an immersion blender.)
- Blend for about a minute or less (blending for more will result in a gelatinous texture)
- When done blending, pour the liquid through a fine mesh strainer and allow the hot chocolate to drain through
- Pour into individual cups. Top with whipped cream, marshmallows, or any other desired toppings.
- Serve and enjoy!
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