Because I want to add more variety in the gluten free whole grains we consume, I thought it would be fun to try out a few recipes with buckwheat. Buckwheat, contrary to how it sounds, is not a wheat product. In fact, it’s not even a grain. It’s actually a seed, but it can be used like a grain. It’s naturally gluten free. Buckwheat has been shown to lower bad cholesterol and raise good cholesterol. It has lots of great health-promoting properties, so it’s easy to see why I would want to add buckwheat to our diet.
For this recipe, I decided to try it as a hot breakfast dish paired with yummy cinnamon apples. I started out by toasting buckwheat over medium-high heat in my cast iron skillet for roughly 5 minutes while constantly stirring so it wouldn’t burn. I then added it to some water to cook. While that was cooking, I put some butter in my skillet and added the chopped apples topped with cinnamon. Once it was all done, I put the buckwheat and apples in a bowl, drizzled with a bit of honey, and added some canned coconut milk for a delicious breakfast.
Toasted Buckwheat with Cinnamon Apples Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 cup buckwheat
- 2 cups water
- 1 apple, chopped
- 1 Tbsp. butter
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- honey (optional)
- coconut milk (optional)
Directions:
- Add buckwheat to a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat. You will not be using any oil/fat for this part. Stir the buckwheat constantly for 4 to 5 minutes until nicely toasted. Do not walk away while these are toasting or you could end up with burnt buckwheat groats.
- Add two cups of water into a saucepan and bring it to a boil.
- Add one cup of roasted buckwheat, cover the pan, and reduce heat to low and simmer for fifteen minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and let it stand covered for ten minutes.
- While the buckwheat is finishing, add butter to pan.
- Once the butter is melted, reduce heat to medium and add in the apples and cinnamon. Cook until the apples are tender.
- Stir together the apples and buckwheat. Top with honey and add milk, if desired.
Notes:
This recipe makes 2 to 4 servings depending on your desired serving size. Want a savory dish instead? Just omit the cinnamon apples and use broth instead of water. Add some of your favorite veggies to make a complete dish.
