Green Lemonade

Over the past week, I’ve really been enjoying the versatility of buckwheat. My interest in this crunchy little seed peaked recently during a visit to my favorite neighborhood brunch spot where I enjoyed it in a bowl of mixed granola, with just a splash of creamy almond milk and a drizzle of good honey.

Buckwheat, interestingly, is not a grain and is in fact not related to wheat at all (despite its name). It is actually a fruit seed related to rhubarb. These days you see many health beauties gobbling down buckwheat in part due to the rising popularity of gluten-free diets (buckwheat is in fact gluten-free) and veggie-centric diets (buckwheat is a complete vegetarian protein, containing all essential amino acids, in correct proportions, to support a healthy body).

Buckwheat is extremely versatile and is often embraced together with other health beauty (and gluten-free) favorites including such “ancient grains” as amaranth, quinoa and millet. These beauties believe that gluten, a protein found in wheat, inhibits your body’s natural rejuvenation work. As a result, you may experience sluggishness and low energy over time.

Buckwheat Recipe Ideas

Here are a few popular ways to enjoy buckwheat. I highly recommend trying it in a crunchy granola!

• Steam it and eat it like rice

  Hulled buckwheat seeds, also known as buckwheat groats, are very often steam-cooked and prepared as an alternative to rice.

  

• Toast it and serve it up in a granola

  Many beauties often toast up buckwheat groats in a skillet with a little coconut oil or butter and sprinkle it on cereals (for a little added crunch), yogurts (as an alternative to sugary granola) and salads (for a little pop). Toasted buckwheat groats are also a popular ingredient in crunchy homemade granolas.

  Give this homemade buckwheat granola a try, it’s a current favorite of mine:

  • 1/4 cup toasted buckwheat groats (place 1/4 cup of buckwheat groats in a skillet for 1-2 minutes over medium heat until just browned and fragrant)
  • crunchy walnuts and almonds (buy unroasted walnuts and almonds and toast them in a skillet with a little coconut oil)
  • 1/4 cup chopped dried fruit (I like raisins and apricots)
  • 1 cup cubed fresh fruit (such as apples)

  

  • Dehydrate it and eat it in a raw cereal or use it in a raw granola

    Raw food beauties will often soak (usually overnight) and then dehydrate raw buckwheat groats and enjoy them in a cold cereal. They are also wonderful in a raw granola too.

    

  • Bake with it

    Beauties embracing a gluten-free diet also use buckwheat flour (made from ground buckwheat groats) in baked treats including muffins, pancakes and breads.

  • Purée it in a cereal

    Buckwheat groats are also often soaked for 20-30 minutes, rinsed and then blended to make a creamy, breakfast cereal. This blended cereal is eaten cold, with a touch of milk, and its quite popular during the warm summer months, topped with fresh fruit like peaches and strawberries.

  • Sprout it and toss it in a salad

    Buckwheat is also one of the most popular seeds to sprout, with sprouts available for eating in just 36-48 hours. I enjoyed this article on sprouting buckwheat.

  
  

  Learn More

  I enjoyed these articles on buckwheat, you might too.

  • Learn more about buckwheat
  • The Low Down On Ancient Grains
  • Is Gluten Bad For You?