Whole Grains – Cooking with Buckwheat
Over the years, cooking for a large family has been a great challenge. Trying to keep them healthy with food that tastes wonderful is not always easy. We have had many disasters, especially with buckwheat. Every time we mentioned the word, there was a loud chorus of wailing and groaning at the very thought of any thing buckwheat! Well… that was until we perfected the buckwheat pancake.
Buckwheat is a wonderful substitute for wheat and although it has a strong flavour of its own, it can be spiced up to be quite delicious. These pancakes are now a family favourite and can be served with a combination of toppings like honey, maple syrup, fresh yoghurt, lemon juice and sliced fruit in season. They will keep you going all day without feeling that you’ve had rocks for breakfast.
Buckwheat’s protein content is 11.7% and it possesses a good balance of amino acids. Low in calories, buckwheat is a rich source of fiber, iron, phosphorus and potassium.
- 2 cups organic buckwheat flour
- 1 cup arrowroot powder
- ½ cup organic raw sugar
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons vanilla essence
- 3 heaped teaspoons baking powder
- 2 cups water
Place all the dry ingredients in a bowl. Whisk in the wet ingredients to make a smooth pancake batter. Use a 1/3 cup scoop to pour some batter onto a nonstick frying pan and cook on moderate heat until bubbles form and pop and the edges begin to firm. Using a flat spatula, gently flip the pancake over and cook on the other side for a minute or two. Serve with natural maple syrup, fresh yogurt and fruit in season. A squeeze of lemon is great as well.