All About Buckwheat

 
Buckwheat has been something of a staple in my diet for quite a few years, as it is a tasty, high-energy, gluten free food which is so easy to incorporate into many exceptionally satisfying raw vegan recipes for any occasion. Despite the rather deceptive name, buckwheat is neither related to wheat nor grain — it is actually a highly nutritious fruit seed related to rhubarb and sorrel!

 

I recently noticed a great deal of feedback from readers, students, and attendees of Lorax Community events regarding some of the work I have done over the years with buckwheat.
The most recent influx of messages seems to have generated from some fabulous new weekly Twitter hashtagging events (#VeganRecipeHour on Thursdays & #VeganDIY any day), in which my recipe for raw/vegan apple cinnamon buckwheat porridge was featured as part of the #rawbreakfast theme.
 
As such, this post is not only my latest contribution for the new collaborative Veganic Homesteading & DIY blog, but also a very grateful greeting to all of my new readers from the #VeganRecipeHour event! =)

Along with sharing data and a few tips relating to nutritional and health properties of this miraculous fruit seed, I will also show you some basics of a very simple procedure to which we may refer time and again for application to various formulations along the way. Once you realise how valuable and exceptionally versatile an addition to one’s diet this inexpensive treasure can be (and how simple it is get into a groove of working with it), buckwheat may very well become a staple in your kitchen as well!

Buckwheat Health Benefits

Sprouting Buckwheat

I always soak raw buckwheat groats by covering them in a large jar of spring water, generally overnight (though I have left them to soak for more or less time – 5 hours minimum, 24 hours max) in most cases.

After soaking, strain off the water and rinse thoroughly before leaving the soaked groats in the strainer (sitting in a bowl situated below to catch liquid) to sprout. The groats within the strainer should be covered with a tea towel, and then left to sprout in a warm spot (on the table or counter) for about a day. After around 24 hours, little sprouts will have begun to form.

These sprouted groats may then be left to sprout a bit more, used in creamy recipes (such as the aforementioned porridge or similar parfait), or simply spread out upon a dehydrator sheet and placed on the rack to dry at 93ºF for around 7 hours.

Following the dehydration process, your buckwheat groats should bear a texture somewhat similar to that of puffed rice. You may then incorporate these into recipes calling for crispy or cereal type ingredients.

Alternately, it may also be ground into a fine flour using a Vitamix or similar high-speed blender. This flour is one of the staple ingredients in my kitchen, mainly for use in my gourmet raw vegan pizza and pie crust forumulations.