Buckwheat

Buckwheat is confusingly named, because it is a gluten free food and is not related to wheat. Technically, it isn’t even a grain. Buckwheat is a pseudocereal that is high in minerals and has a good balance of carbs and fiber, with a low glycemic index. This food is used in many traditional European and Asian dishes.

It has a nutty and toasty flavor that can sometimes veer towards the bitter. For this reason, the flour is often used to provide more of a wholemeal taste to gluten free baked goods. The addition of buckwheat to gluten free flour blends lends a hearty flavor that is well rounded. The end result of a baked good made with buckwheat is light and tender, but more complex than less nutritious starch-based goods. Buckwheat rounds out rice, corn, and cassava flours in a really pleasant way. Buckwheat can also be used in raw foods diets because it can be consumed without cooking, although it’s best digested when soaked or sprouted before eating.

Buckwheat flour is affordable and can be purchased online, or you can buy buckwheat groats. Just make sure you buy certified gluten free buckwheat, because much like oats, it’s often grown in shared fields with gluten-containing grains.

Soba noodles are a traditional buckwheat food that usually contains some wheat flour, but these specific noodles are gluten free because they’re made with only buckwheat and sweet potato starch. Other common buckwheat foods include whiskeys and honey. Buckwheat honey is darker and has more depth of flavor than wildflour honey.

Buckwheat recipes:

• Raw porridge from Food 52

• Raw granola from The Colorful Kitchen

• Cinnamon pear oat pancakes from Strength and Sunshine

• Buckwheat mushrooms from Mom’s Dish

• Salted chocolate buckwheat cookies from Food 52

• Vegan danish strawberry tart from The Smoothie Lover

• Vegan flaky pie crust from My Pure Plants

• Rosemary lemon scones from Hormones Balance

• Pumpernickel sourdough from Healthy Taste of Life

• Blinis with avocado cream and buckwheat crunch from Green Kitchen Stories

Gluten free versions of traditional buckwheat recipes:

• Kasha from Natasha’s Kitchen

• Poffertje (Dutch mini pancakes) from The Healthy Happy Wife

• Memil tteok (steamed buckwheat cake) from The Spruce Eats

• Memil muk (spicy Korean buckwheat jelly) from Oijee (make sure you use gluten free gochujang in this recipe)

• Soba-cha (buckwheat tea) from Just One Cookbook

• Schwarzplententorte (buckwheat cake with jam) from Polenta e Baccala

• Varnishkes from Gluten-free Nosh

• Buckwheat galettes (crêpe bretonne) from A Baking Journey

• Ajdovi žganci(Slovenian spoon bread) from Slovenian Roots

• Kuttu ki poorifrom Veg Recipes of India