Oats are no joke. No longer mere breakfast fodder, they’re the biggest thing since soy, almond, and cashew combined. Where other alternative milk once struggled to gain a foothold, oat milk strides confidently forward, breaking down the doors that previously separated plant-based options from the mainstream menu. It’s not just the cream in your coffee, or milk in your cereal, either; everyday it seems, this old dog is learning new tricks.
Excelling at each culinary test, sweet or savory, you’re liable to find oats in your ice cream, oats in your butter, and even oats in your tacos. Each innovative application is bolder than the last and exponentially more successful. The only thing surprising about the meteoric rise of oats is that it took so long in the first place.
Rich and creamy once blended, it satisfies without the need for expensive, potentially allergenic nuts, fatty oils, or added thickeners. Neutral in taste, it’s the silent partner to any featured flavors, no matter how subtle. From a sustainability standpoint, few crops can beat it for efficiency and yields, even for a bad harvest. It’s no wonder the world has fallen in love with this humble grain.
What does surprise me are the random holes in the market where oats haven’t yet sprouted. While the dairy cases are practically lined with oat straw and husks, the aisle of dressings is utterly barren by contrast. Conventional blends of mayonnaise and mysterious emulsifiers still reign supreme, seemingly untouched by the shift towards plant-based improvements. For me, it’s just one of many reasons to leave the bottles on the shelf and whip up your own dressings at home.
Green Goddess dressing is one of my favorite toppings for an equally verdant bowlful of vegetables. Bright, zesty, bold, and herbaceous, it simply tastes bracingly, invigoratingly fresh. Perfect for spring and summer, especially as tender herbs proliferate. Usually I start with avocado as the base, but now that I’ve found oats, I’m happy to dice those buttery fruits as rich, chunky toppers instead.
The list of healthy hashtags for this one could fill a novel; vegan, gluten-free, sugar-free, soy-free, fat-free, corn-free, and so on, and so forth. In spite of all that it excludes, it doesn’t lack a single thing when it comes to taste or texture. Naturally thick and creamy yet incredibly light on the palate, it’s the best of all words, without making any compromises.
I, for one, welcome our new oat overlords. Even if they are bent on world domination, we may just be better off under that kind of innovative, adaptive, all-inclusive leadership.
Oat Milk Green Goddess Dressing
Lusciously creamy, vibrantly zesty and herbaceous, this unbelievably simple dressing owes all its richness to the power of oats. No oil necessary to bring together this bold and brilliant blend!
Ingredients
- 2/3 Cup Quick Oats
- 1/2 Ounce Fresh Parsley, Roughly Chopped
- 1/2 Ounce Fresh Chives, Roughly Chopped
- 1/2 Ounce Fresh Dill, Roughly Chopped
- 3/4 Cup Water
- 1/4 Cup Lemon Juice (From About 1 Medium Lemon)
- 1/2 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
- 1/4 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
Instructions
- Pull out your blender and place the oats and fresh herbs in the canister. Pulse briefly to begin breaking them down. With the motor running, slowly stream in the water and lemon juice, continuing to puree on high speed until completely smooth and creamy. Add the garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper, blending once more to incorporate.
- Serve right away or save in an airtight glass container in the fridge for up to a week. Since the oats tend to absorb liquid as they sit, you may need to add more water to adjust the consistency.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 17Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 102mgCarbohydrates: 3gFiber: 1gSugar: 0gProtein: 1g
All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on BitterSweetBlog.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimations.
Well this is fascinating! I am familiar with oat milk, but this is wild to me! Love the recipe.
Thank you! I’m so happy to share a new way to approach such a common ingredient. :)
What a great version of that dressing:) I love oats! I make oat milk and overnight oats on a regular basis, and sometimes a version of an old Finnish recipe , of a fermented oat pudding. In Finland , where I come from, oat is everywhere; in non dairy products, sort of a meat substitute , ice creams , breads, you name it. The fermented oat pudding is really great, and as i could not find an English version of the recipe, I translated it here, highly recommended, it is so good:)
Fermented Carelian Finnish oat yogurt or Kiesa
1 liter of water
2.5 dl organic oat flakes
1 dl of prepared fermented oat yogurt OR 1 lactic acid bacteria capsule
In addition, for example, sweetener, , salt, berries
Let the oatmeal soak in water and leave overnight at room temperature. The next day, strain the flakes and pour the liquid into a saucepan. You can use soaked flakes in porridge or bread dough, for example.
Bring the liquid to a boil and cook until the mixture thickens to a jelly-like shape. You have to mix it constantly until
it thickens. Allow to cool to 50 degrees. Then add the contents of the lactic acid bacteria capsule. Mix until smooth. Cover the container and leave to ferment overnight. Oat yogurt is ready the next day. Add sweetener, salt or berries to the surface , for example. Store oat yogurt in the refrigerator and use within a week.
Wow! This recipe is pure gold. It’s been a while since I made yogurt and really need to get back into the habit. Thank you so much!
How interesting, Hannah. I have homemade granola almost every morning so I’m certainly an oat lover. :-)
janet
You and be both! I’d like to think we were hip to the trend before it was cool. ;)
Of course we were! Who would think otherwise? :-) I have been making the granola, my uncle’s recipe for many years, so I might have been.
While I tend to use a light vinaigrette dressing on my salads, this does sound like it would be good.
Loving the vibrant colour of this one
This is such a great recipe, I can’t wait to try it. Thanks!
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