Photo by K.C. © 2010 Kristin Conroy

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Buckwheat, also known as kasha, is a highly nutritious food.  Right now I’m experimenting with less commonly used grains for my breakfast cereal.  Oatmeal is a little too gelatinous and soupy for my tastes.  I prefer a heartier, chewier, and more flavorful choice.  Kasha satisfied my requirements delightfully.  My experimental recipe resulted in an easy breakfast cereal that was nutty, earthy, and had lovely depth of taste.  I’m naming it Breakfast of Champions!

As I do with most grains, I double the recipe so I’ll have leftovers for the week.  If you choose to do this, add a little water, milk, juice, or oil (depending on your use for it) when you reheat the kasha.  Note:  Don’t soak this grain!  And don’t add kasha to cold water and bring to a boil (as you can with other grains), it won’t cook properly.

Recipe

makes 2 servings

1 cup kasha

2 cups filtered water

½ to 1 tablespoon Grade B maple syrup

handful of nuts and/or seeds

couple dashes cardamom

couple dashes cinnamon or apple pie spice

Boil 2 cups water.  Rinse kasha in a fine-mesh strainer and check for any unwanted material.  Add 1 cup kasha, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.  Start checking on the kasha halfway to three-quarters of the way through–there’s a fine line between slightly moist kasha and stuck-and-burning kasha.  When the kasha is done cooking, turn off the heat.  Stir in maple syrup, nuts/seeds, and spices.  Enjoy!

Other ways to spice up your breakfast kasha:  raisins/walnuts/raw honey, coconut milk/shredded coconut/dried fruit.