Overnight Oat Groats

meet daphne.

daphne eats oatmeal every day.

even if it means eating this, on a train, cooked with hot water from the snack bar. you do what you have to do to get your oatmeal fix.

she doesn't even remember a day when she didn't eat oatmeal.

daphne LOVES oatmeal.

i'm not going to challenge you to eat oatmeal everyday,

but i am going to challenge you to try whole oat groats.

oat groats are not this

or this

but this

They are the real deal. They are delicious, unprocessed, less expensive and more nutritious. They make a wonderful hot breakfast cereal, but they are also great as a substitute for other grains. I often use oat groats in place of barley in soup. You'll most likely find them in the bulk bins at your local health food store.

I must admit, I'm a little baffled by the steel cut oat craze. Why are we paying to have our oats cut? Why not eat the whole oat groat? It's less processed, cheaper and better for you. What in the world is an oat groat? When I say oat groat, most people don't know what I'm talking about. So let me explain. Oats start as an oat groat; steel cut oats are the oat groat that has been cut into pieces, and rolled oats are the oat groat that has been rolled, most often steam rolled. Anytime, we cut into a grain and store it for a period of time, we loose a significant amount nutrition that is available in the whole berry form. Oat groats are the least processed form of oats. The great thing is that whole oat groats cook up into a creamy, wonderful porridge overnight in a slow cooker - which means you have a steaming hot breakfast ready to go in the morning. That's a win in my book! Oat Groats also reheat easily for breakfast throughout the week.

Slow Cooker Oat Groats

6 servings

• 1 ½ Cups Oat Groats

• 3 Tbsp. Whey, Raw Buttermilk or Kefir, or 1 1/2 Tbsp. Raw Apple Cider Vinegar

• Water

• 1 tsp. Vanilla

• 1/2 tsp. Salt

1. Soak oat groats in 3 cups of water and 3 Tbsp. whey, on your counter, for 12-24 hours. At this point, you cover the container and place it in the fridge, soaking liquid and all for up to a week, or cook right away.

2. Before cooking, drain the soaked oat groats through a very fine mesh strainer, a strainer lined with a kitchen towel, or a nut milk bag. Rinse well with cool water.

3. Combine oat groats, 6 cups water, salt and vanilla, if desired, in a 3 quart slow cooker.

4. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Oats are best after 6 hours, but I sleep longer than 6 hours. A slow cooker that has an automatic warm feature after a set amount of time is ideal, otherwise, just cook them for 8 hours.

5. Serve with raw milk, maple syrup or honey, fruit and nuts if desired.

Flavor Variations

Add coconut, or almond extract for a portion of the vanilla

Add 1/4-1/2 cinnamon

Tropical: 1/2-1 tsp. Coconut extract in place of the vanilla, top with sliced bananas, coconut chips, chopped soaked and dehydrated nuts, and a drizzle of maple syrup.

Apple: Garnish with chopped apples, chopped soaked and dehydrated nuts, 1/4-1/2 tsp. cinnamon, and a drizzle of maple syrup.

Berry: Mixed berries, chopped soaked and dehydrated nuts and a drizzle of maple syrup.

TIPS

How to make oats even more healthy and digestible

• Eat oats in their whole form: oat groats

• Cook low and slow. This gives them time to naturally break down and become more digestible. A slow cooker is ideal for this.

• For the best texture and digestibility, soak the groats.

• Eat with a healthy source of fat such as organic, raw milk.

• Include a side of a fruit high in vitamin C.