Buckwheat, which is actually not in the wheat family at all, has somehow gotten a bad rap over the years. I personally have avoided it basically just because it had the word "WHEAT" in the name itself. Actually it is "NOT" on the list of gluten free flours we must avoid if gluten sensitive, or if you have celiac disease. It is in fact, not even in the grass family, which I now have to avoid because of allergies.
It's hard enough when being sensitive to gluten, or allergic to wheat, because that eliminates a lot of baking flours for our use. Yet to be allergic to grasses also sets a whole new game into effect. Most gluten free flours with which with we bake fall into the family of grasses. Like oats, sorghum, rice, amaranth, cornstarch, etc. There are not many left on the table for those of us who also have grass allergies. Yet that will be another post for the future.
Buckwheat however is a pseudocereal. It has been grown as a crop in China dating as far back to 5,000 to 6,000 years ago. A crop with an end use like a cereal, but is not in the grass family. It is a seed that is consumed as cereal grains but doesn't grow on grasses. Other common pseudocereals are quinoa and amaranth.So it is not only gluten free but also not in the grass family! It is a great cereal option for those of us who like a nice warm bowl of cereal for breakfast or even a light late night snack. I must admit I was skeptical to give it a try as I grew up loving cream of rice or cream of wheat on a cold winter day. Cream of wheat is definitely in the wheat family. Cream of rice is in the grass family! It is a loose, loose, situation for me! Or so I thought.
So I ventured off course this morning and gave cream of buckwheat a try. I was amazed at the taste and texture! Is was a cross between the texture of oats, and the taste of oats and rice all rolled into one. With a warm mellow sweetness that I fully enjoyed. The earthy taste was ever so slight and it didn't have the grittiness cream of rice usually has. Also I tried macadamia nut milk for the very first time also which had a smooth silky texture, not nutty at all!
Oh by the way....Macadamia nuts are actually not nuts at all, but a seed! Kind of like the fact that a tomato is not actually a vegetable at all, but actually in the fruit family. Yet be aware that if you have nut allergies you could possibly also be allergic to macadamia nuts as well....Funny world, hu?
I used unsweetened plain macadamia nut milk as I like the natural taste of foods. I find almond milk to be to nutty of a taste for my liking lately. I want my milk to taste like milk, not a vanilla sunday :] Either way I found the cereal to be everything I had hoped for and more. I used the "pocono heart of buckwheat" brand and will probably stick with their brand, as as the saying goes, "Why ruin a good thing"! Right?
I will be doing much more research over the course of weeks to come as I am working on a gluten free, grass free, flour blend with which to bake with. Oh, did you also know SUGAR is in the grass family also??????? Allulose to the rescue! Well I guess I have dropped enough bombshells on you for today , so with that I will close.
Until next post ,
Sharon
Philippians 4:19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus...
No comments:
Post a Comment