I rediscovered buckwheat recently. I hadn’t had it in a while. A friend gave me a container of homemade lentil soup (one of my all time favorites!) and I decided to make some buckwheat to have with it. I was reminded all over again how much I really like this grain! While it was absolutely delicious in the lentil soup and the combination of whole grain and legume created a complete protein, I decided to make some instead of oatmeal a few mornings later. Again, I was pleasantly surprised by not only how delicious it was, but also by how satisfying and filling.

It happens to be one of the healthiest grains imaginable: high in protein – contains all eight essential amino acids; high in minerals especially magnesium so it’s very heart healthy; rich in healthy fiber which makes it a great food for any one wanting to lose weight or balance blood sugar; is a prebiotic which feeds the good bacteria in your gut and a great source of B vitamins and antioxidants! That’s what I consider a super food!

Here’s my basic recipe:

1/2 cup of buckwheat groats
1 cup of water (or broth or a combination if this is a savory dish)
(the ratio is twice as much water as buckwheat)
pinch of natural, unprocessed sea salt
1 tablespoon kefir or unsweetened yogurt

Combine the buckwheat with 1 tablespoon kefir and enough water to cover. Cover and allow to soak* on the counter overnight.

Drain and combine with 1 cup of fresh water and a pinch of sea salt. Bring to boil. Cover and reduce heat to medium low and simmer 30 minutes. Then shut heat and allow to sit for 15 minutes to fully absorb liquid.

If desired, use in soups, as a side dish instead of brown rice or pasta or combined with roasted vegetables.

I also use it as my breakfast cereal grain and add stevia, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves, chia seeds, chopped walnuts and almond milk. It’s absolutely delicious!

*For me the soaking is essential. I found when I simply cooked it without soaking overnight, it tended to have a slimy texture that I didn’t like.