At last, oats that people with celiac disease or gluten intolerance can enjoy, too! Each farm delivery we receive is sampled hundreds of times and tested with an R5 ELISA gluten test to ensure the absence of gluten. Advanced color-sorting removes undetected impurities. Finally, the oats are packaged in our 100% gluten free facility and tested for gluten again to ensure their purity. Thick Rolled Oats (and we mean nice and extra thick!) are uniquely "Kiln Toasted." These extra chewy oats produce extremely satisfying robust European-style cereal and yeast breads. Oats as we know them today originate from the wild red oat, a plant with origins in Asia. Originally cultivated for medicinal purposes, they were used as animal feed for a long time before humans deemed them fit for consumption. Oats helped fuel the civil wars in Scotland and have deep roots in Great Britain, Germany and Scandinavia. Today oats are widely accepted as nutritional powerhouses for dietary fiber and protein. Oats contain a special type of fiber that is especially good for the reduction of cholesterol called beta-glucan. Beta-glucans also aid in the support of the immune system and can help regulate blood sugar. They are also wonderful for soothing irritated skin when used in baths. Ask the person next to you to name all the ways we can eat oats, and "as oatmeal porridge, for breakfast" – would be the likely answer, followed quickly by "oatmeal cookies, granola, and granola bars." But that's only the beginning. There are many ways you can cook with oats. They make a great crispy coating; they extend meatloaf and burgers, while enhancing their juiciness; or they can make a savory side dish.