{"id":4430,"date":"2010-02-02T10:37:27","date_gmt":"2010-02-02T15:37:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/asweetlife.org\/?p=4430"},"modified":"2015-12-30T07:22:37","modified_gmt":"2015-12-30T12:22:37","slug":"bring-on-the-buckwheat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/?p=4430","title":{"rendered":"Bring On The Buckwheat"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

As a child, I don\u2019t think I ever thought of buckwheat<\/em> as food.\u00a0 To me, Buckwheat was the character in the television show The Little Rascals<\/em> that I watched at my grandmother\u2019s house, and nothing more.\u00a0 I sat on my grandmother\u2019s flowered couch (which was covered in flowered bed sheets), and she fed me chicken noodle soup and something called kasha<\/em>, which, about a decade later, I learned was – in fact – buckwheat.\u00a0 And then it would take another decade or so \u2013 and my husband\u2019s diabetes diagnosis \u2013 for me to learn that buckwheat wasn\u2019t just one of those foods, like borscht, chopped liver, and gefilte fish, that no one expect my grandparents ate, but actually a delicious and incredibly healthful food.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Don\u2019t let its name fool you – buckwheat is a seed, not a grain, which is why the flour doesn’t act like regular wheat flour in cooking. Milled buckwheat yields a powder that is far more absorbent than wheat flour, almost like a nut meal.\u00a0 Buckwheat is gluten free, and according to this study, it has four times more iron than rice flour, three times more calcium, over nine times more magnesium, and nearly six times more potassium.\u00a0 Buckwheat is also a very good source of manganese and dietary fiber, and the protein in buckwheat is a high quality protein, containing all eight essential amino acids.<\/p>\n

Studies have indicated that consuming buckwheat may combat high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Also, good news for us, buckwheat has a low gylcemic index and should not cause a rapid soar in blood sugar levels.\u00a0 According to WHfoods<\/a>, \u201cThe nutrients in buckwheat may contribute to blood sugar control. In a test that compared the effect on blood sugar of whole buckwheat groats to bread made from refined wheat flour, buckwheat groats significantly lowered blood glucose and insulin responses. Whole buckwheats also scored highest on their ability to satisfy hunger.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cooking and baking with buckwheat is easy, and Mike and I do it all the time.\u00a0 Below you\u2019ll find excellent buckwheat recipes.\u00a0 First, a chicken and buckwheat stew, which is a winter staple for us.\u00a0 And second, a recipe for buckwheat apple cinnamon muffins.<\/p>\n

Buckwheat Chicken Stew \"\"<\/a>
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ingredients:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

1 chicken (4 pounds), divided<\/p>\n

2 medium onions, chopped<\/p>\n

2 celery stalks, sliced<\/p>\n

1\/2 cup olive oil<\/p>\n

3 cups buckwheat groats (roasted)<\/p>\n

1 cup dry white wine (optional)<\/p>\n

8-9 cups water<\/p>\n

Salt & pepper to taste<\/p>\n

Preparation:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

In a large pot (I prefer a wide pot to a deep one) saut\u00e9 the onions and celery in the olive oil until the onions start to soften (3-4 minutes).<\/p>\n

Place the pieces of chicken in the pot, lower the flame, and cook for 10 minutes. \u00a0Stir occasionally.<\/p>\n

Add the buckwheat and mix it in. Add the water, salt, and pepper, and bring to a boil. \u00a0Lower the flame and let it cook for about 45 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and the buckwheat is soft. Add the wine when most of the water has been absorbed.<\/p>\n

Serves: 4-5<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Buckwheat Apple Cinnamon Breakfast Muffins<\/strong><\/a> (inspired by Comfy Belly\u2019s Upside Down Apple Cake<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Preparing these muffins gives off one of the most comforting smells in the world \u2013 apples and cinnamon simmering in butter.\u00a0 When I make them my sons always appear in the kitchen.\u00a0 \u201cWhat are you making?\u00a0 Can I have some now?\u201d they ask.\u00a0 And I spoon out a few of the apples from the frying pan for them.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Not only do these muffins smell great, they are also nutritious, thanks to the combination of buckwheat flour, almond flour, apples, and yogurt.\u00a0 There is no sweetener of any sort in the recipe, so if you must have a sweet element in your muffins then I recommend adding dark chocolate chips to the batter.<\/p>\n

I like to have these in the house for the mornings that are especially rushed.\u00a0 My sons will happily eat them for breakfast.\u00a0 (You can warm them in the oven, halve them and then spread butter, jam, or cream cheese on each half.)\u00a0 I often grab one on my way to the gym, and find it gives me plenty of energy to get through a strenuous hour-long workout.<\/p>\n

Ingredients: <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

4-5 apples<\/p>\n

6 tablespoons of salted butter<\/p>\n

2 teaspoons cinnamon<\/p>\n

\u00bd cup plain yogurt (I use 3% fat yogurt)<\/p>\n

1 teaspoon of vanilla<\/p>\n

2 eggs<\/p>\n

1 teaspoon baking soda<\/p>\n

1 cup almond flour<\/p>\n

1 cup buckwheat flour<\/p>\n

Optional additions: diced walnuts or other nut, dark chocolate chips<\/p>\n

Preparation:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Preheat oven to 350<\/p>\n

Peel the apples and chop them into small pieces.<\/p>\n

Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a large frying pan and add the chopped apples.\u00a0 Sprinkle the apples with 2 teaspoons of cinnamon and mix thoroughly so that the apples are all covered in butter and cinnamon.<\/p>\n

Simmer the apples until they are very soft (about 15 minutes).\u00a0 Stir regularly.<\/p>\n

When the apple-cinnamon mixture is soft, remove from frying pan, and set aside to cool.\u00a0 Meanwhile, in a large bowl blend eggs, yogurt, and vanilla, and 3 tablespoons of melted butter.<\/p>\n

Using a hand blender or a food processor, puree the apple-cinnamon mixture.\u00a0 Add the puree to the bowl and blend well.<\/p>\n

Add the dry ingredients \u2013 almond flour, buckwheat flour, and baking soda \u2013 to the wet mixture.\u00a0 Mix well.<\/p>\n

Spoon batter into buttered muffin pan.<\/p>\n

Bake for 18-20 minutes.<\/p>\n

Makes 12 muffins.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n


\n<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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