Soluble oat or barley flour and method of making utilizing a continuous cooker

A method for preparing a beverage containing a soluble whole oat or barley flour comprising:

• hydrating and heating to 140° F.-160° F. a whole oat or barley flour starting mixture to form a uniform free flowing wetted material having a moisture level of about 28 to about 30% by weight, wherein the whole oat or barley flour starting mixture comprises about 80 to about 95% by weight whole oat or barley flour, sugar, and at least one antioxidant;
• adding the hydrated whole oat or barley flour starting mixture to a low-shear extruder, wherein the extruder barrel temperature of about 140° F. to about 250° F.;
• extruding the whole oat or barley flour starting mixture and heat at a screw seed of 200 to 300 rpm to obtain a dough having a temperature of 212° F.-260° F., and to gelatinize and dextrinize the dough within the extruder;
• granulating the dough exiting the extruder to form the soluble oat or barley flour having a particle size of 50 to 250 microns;
• and
• adding the soluble whole oat or barley flour to a beverage, wherein the soluble flour is added to provide a beverage having 1 to 25% by weight soluble fiber based on total weight of the beverage.