Ep 79 News from Only Oats
Let’s start the blog with the show notes for this Episode –
On this episode I chat with Mike Marshall, Chief Operating Officer at Only Oats. Most of us are familiar with the bright blue 1kg bags of oats – rolled, quick, steel cut and flour. Only Oats was a major sponsor of the State of Celiac events held by the Canadian Celiac Association in Toronto in May, Celiac Awareness Month. Mike tells us why Only Oats is no longer Avena Foods, what has changed in the company and what has stayed the same. He gives us a lesson on how Only Oats is using Purity Protocol to maintain a celiac safe product. Mike also tells us of new stores currently, and soon to be, stocking Only Oats. As well, he teases us with a few new products in the works using the trusted oat source. For more on my personal story with oats, check out my blog at www.acanadianceliacblog.com
You can find the Only Oats website at www.myonlyoats.com
Instagram and Facebook at @onlyoats
Twitter at realonlyoats
Sue’s Websites and Social Media –
Podcast https://acanadianceliacpodcast.libsyn.com
Podcast Blog – https://www.acanadianceliacblog.com
Facebook – @acanadianceliacpodcast
Twitter – CeliacPodcastCA
Email – acdnceliacpodcast@gmail.com
Baking Website – https://www.suesglutenfreebaking.com
Instagram – @suesgfbaking
YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUVGfpD4eJwwSc_YjkGagza06yYe3ApzL
(search Sues Gluten Free Baking)
Email – sue@suesglutenfreebaking.com
Other Podcast – Gluten Free Weigh In – https://glutenfreeweighin.libsyn.com
My Thoughts –
I feel I must come clean – I have a bit of a love affair with Only Oats. After listening to this episode of the podcast, I do sound somewhat obsessive. Here’s my story –
When I was diagnosed, more than 23 years ago, I wasn’t given much information on the safety of oats. I read some conflicting information and remember distinctly getting very sick driving home after taking my daughters to a swimming lesson. While they swam, I had a Quaker Oats bar. I read the ingredients, no wheat, but it wasn’t wheat that was the culprit. You often long more for what you can’t have, and this was the beginning of me missing oats.
Fast forward to when the CCA was working closely with a gentleman from the Canadian Government, who they affectionately called “Dr. Oats”. It was at a CCA conference that Dr. Oats announced that if oats were grown carefully, harvested carefully, transported and processed carefully, we should be able to eat them. This was revolutionary, I could hardly believe it. The hurdles were many and they were set high. I wondered if anyone would ever be able to commercially produce oats to meet these rigorous standards. I tried oats from Ireland which were “said” to be safe. These were the first oats I’d had in years. They were wonderful. Although I never got sick from eating them, I realized that they were not as safe as they should be. I try to err on the side of caution when it comes to gluten, so it wasn’t until a small company from Montreal, Cream Hill Estates, started to supply “safe” Canadian oats, that I was able to really indulge.
When I operated the Celiac Kids Camp in Ontario for five years, I remember waiting until the last day to offer the campers oatmeal for breakfast (Cream Hill Estates had graciously donated some). Most had never eaten it before (unless they were return campers). We talked about why it was “safe and special” and then they decided if they wanted to try a small bowl. Everyone did and they all loved it – imagine a group of kids loving oatmeal for breakfast.
I had my bakery when I started enjoying gluten free oats, but I couldn’t bring the oats, or anything made from them into the bakery. The laws designating which grains contained gluten had not caught up with the new safer oats.
Things are so different now, Cream Hill Estates is no longer in business, Only Oats is a trusted leader in safe oats, Canadian laws now allow some oats to be labelled gluten free, and I’m enjoying every bowl, muffin and cookie made with Only Oats. I’ve had the pleasure of working with Only Oats in the past, at a health food trade show, and I’ve kept in touch with them over the years. Now, when they are anxious to introduce new products, they asked me to help them. I love baking with oats, I’m thrilled to be part of their team, and excited for what lies ahead for Only Oats.