Last week I wrote about lentils, a legume many Americans are unfamiliar with. This weak is about a little-known grain: Buckwheat.

Unlike wheat, buckwheat is gluten-free. It is packed with high-quality, easily digestible plant protein, containing all eight essential amino acids. It has fiber and the minerals magnesium, manganese and copper. With very little fat, there are plenty of carbs for energy, B vitamins and vitamin E.

Diets high in buckwheat have been shown to help with diabetes management and cardiovascular health. Rutin and quercetin, two phytochemicals found in buckwheat, help reduce high blood pressure and lower cholesterol.

Buckwheat has been a popular grain in northern and central Europe for many years. It originated in Siberia and then traveled to China, where it was cultivated more than a 1,000 years ago. It did not arrive in Europe until the Middle Ages, and became widely established in the cuisines of Finland, Russia, Poland, the Ukraine, Austria, northern Italy and France.

Buckwheat Salad (Provided photo — Yvona Fast)

Kasha, or roasted buckwheat groats, is a common side dish among Eastern Europeans. Russian bliny are buckwheat pancakes; Ukrainian hrechanyky are rolls made with buckwheat flour. French galettes are thin buckwheat pancakes resembling crepes. In Japan, soba noodles are popular, and manju is a small buckwheat cake.

Buckwheat is not a true grain but a seed, so it does not contain gluten. It is also one of the few commercially grown crops that doesn’t require chemicals in the field or in the processing plant.

Whole white buckwheat is light in color, naturally dried and has a mild flavor that makes a good alternative to rice, pasta or potatoes. It’s also good in place of oatmeal as a breakfast cereal.

Hulled, roasted buckwheat kernels are known as kasha and are more widely available. The kernels are darker, with a slightly scorched aroma and a nutty, earthy flavor. Buckwheat flour is used for pancakes, breads and other baked goods.

Buckwheat makes a great side dish replacing rice, pasta or potatoes. It is good in soups, salads and casseroles.

For added crunch, sprinkle raw buckwheat over a salad, soup, or chili.

It makes a good substitute for breakfast oatmeal. Try it in baked oatmeal and granola recipes. Raw buckwheat groats can be stirred into hot oatmeal or cold cereal for extra crunch.

Store groats and flour in covered containers in a cool, dry, dark place. Rinse before using and cook at a simmer, one part buckwheat to two parts broth or water until all liquid is absorbed, about 16 minutes. If you want the grains to remain separate, coat the kasha with beaten egg and roast in a heavy skillet for a couple minutes, stirring continually. Otherwise they will become mushy.

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Buckwheat Salad

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Ingredients:

1/2 cup buckwheat groats

1/2 cup water or broth

A pinch of salt (if using water)

1 cup green beans (cooked, raw for extra crunch, or frozen thawed)

2 cups sweet diced bell peppers (red, orange and yellow)

1/2 cup diced sweet onion

1/2 cup fresh minced parsley

1 clove garlic

1 avocado, diced (1/2 cup avocado chunks)

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

For the dressing:

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt or salt

Directions:

Place buckwheat, salt and broth in small saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower heat to a simmer and cook 5 minutes until liquid is absorbed. (You don’t want the grains too mushy for a salad)

Add remaining ingredients and stir. Stir in dressing ingredients.

Taste, and adjust seasonings.

Serves 2 or 3.

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Buckwheat Apple and Cranberry Muffins

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Ingredients:

2 tablespoons cooking oil or melted butter

1 egg

1/3 cup maple syrup

2/3 cup milk

1 cup cooked buckwheat

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 unpeeled apple

1/4 cup cranberries

1/4 cup raisins

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In bowl, beat together egg, oil, maple syrup and milk. Stir in cooked buckwheat groats. In a smaller bowl, mix together flours, baking powder, salt and cinnamon; fold into the batter. Core and dice the apple; cut cranberries in quarters. Fold into the batter.

Oil the muffin pans well, or line with paper muffin liners. Fill 2 / 3 full. Bake for about 20 minutes at 375 degrees F, till the tops are golden brown.

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Author of the award-winning cookbook Garden Gourmet: Fresh & Fabulous Meals from your Garden, CSA or Farmers’ Market, Yvona Fast lives in Lake Clear and has two passions: writing and cooking. She can be found at www.yvonafast.com and reached at yvonawrite@yahoo.com or on X, the social media plaform formerly known as Twitter: @yvonawrites.

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