Glimpse into Foodie Friday - week 27 - buckwheat

Being intolerant to so many different foods as I am, it is possible to slip up now and again and miss something that you can or cannot have. This has been the case for me with buckwheat. Somewhere along the lines, I had thought that I could not have buckwheat due to the FODMAP content, but my mum discovered recently that I was wrong. So I bought some activated buckwheat and gave it a trial. It seems to have been a success and I can indeed tolerate it! This makes me happy to be able to add another food to my can-eat list! It is crunchy, which is an exciting texture change in my diet, and the flavour is quite versatile. I have eaten it sprinkled on coconut yogurt with fresh fruit, and have made toasted muesli/granola with it, and hope to make cookies with it soon. 

Buckwheat is not actually a wheat, even though the name might suggest this. It is a fruit seed, so it is actually a good alternative for people avoiding gluten and wheat. It has been shown to have beneficial effects on cholesterol and blood pressure, it can maintain blood flow and protect against heart disease, and some cancers and illnesses. It is high in vitamins and minerals such as magnesium, manganese, copper, and phosphorus. Buckwheat contains a high quality protein, containing all eight essential amino acids. It balances blood sugars and keeps hunger at bay for longer than wheat or grain alternatives. 

It is gluten, dairy, nut and egg free, contains only tiny amounts of fructose and very low amounts of fructans. Being on a low fructose/FODMAP diet, it can be easy to not ingest enough fibre. Buckwheat is high in beneficial insoluble fibre. Subsequently, these benefits make it a great food to be eaten by people on a restricted diet. 

This website provides some other interesting details: http://www.fineli.fi/food.php?foodid=161&lang=en

Today I thought I would bring to you the recipe I created for buckwheat, quinoa and mixed seed granola. 

I have never been a fan of cereal with milk, so I have been looking for alternative ways to eat my granola. You can of course soak it in your preferred milk or milk alternative if that is what you like. I have enjoyed mine with coconut yogurt, a splash of rice milk, and fresh kiwi fruit, bananas and berries. This morning for breakfast, I blended one fresh banana with a large handful of frozen raspberries, a few good shakes of cinnamon and a big splash of rice milk, and then stirred the granola into it. This was absolutely delicious and I can not wait til breakfast tomorrow to have it again!

This recipe creates a huge batch which can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge. You can use activated seeds and nuts if you have access to them or the time to do the process. This allows for easier digestion, but is not essential. 

Buckwheat, quinoa and mixed seed granola

2 cups quinoa flakes

2 cups activated buckwheat

3/4 cup coconut flakes 

1/2 cup pepitas 

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1/4 cup chia seeds

1/4 cup sesame seeds

1/4 cup LSA (ground linseed, sunflower seeds and almond meal)

2 tsp ground ginger

2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1/3 cup chopped dried cranberries

 

4 tblsp coconut oil

2 tblsp rice syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract

Optional: 

1/2 cup pecans (or preferred nuts)

1 - 3 tblsp raw cacao

1/3 cup of preferred dried fruit (e.g. pineapple, blueberries, strawberries)

1/3 cup of dark chocolate or raw cacao nibs

1 tblsp nut butter

1 tblsp rice milk

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. 

Mix all dry ingredients, except the fruit.

Mix all wet ingredients.

Stir together til well coated.

Spread the granola evenly over a lined tray or two.

Put in the oven for 30 minutes til golden, stirring every ten minutes to prevent burning.

Let it cool completely, then mix in the dried fruit and/or chocolate.

I hope that you enjoy this as much as I am! I plan to bring you more buckwheat recipes as I experiment more with it.