Sprouted Buckwheat Granola
The best thing about buckwheat is that it’s not wheat at all! Actually, it’s a great gluten free substitute. The fruit seed of a plant similar to rhubarb, buckwheat has many health benefits. It is a high in lecithin, which boots brain power, along with selenium, another important nutrient that protects brain function. It also contains all eight essential amino acids and is a great source of bioflavanoids, calcium, magnesium, iron and B vitamins.
There are many ways to prepare buckwheat, but what could be better than crunchy, sprouted buckwheat granola? I use a dehydrator, but If you don’t have a dehydrator, no need to fret, you can still prepare the buckwheat in an oven.
The Recipe:
3 cups sprouted buckwheat
1 cup shredded coconut
2 Tbs. chia seeds
2 Tbs. raw honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp sea salt
Lets start at the beginning. First, you will need raw buckwheat groats as opposed to kashi, which is toasted buckwheat. Rinse and sort through the buckwheat discarding of any broken, or un-hulled pieces. Put the buckwheat in a bowl and pour 6 cups of clean water over it. Stir it briefly until all the buckwheat sinks to the bottom and allow it to soak for a few hours. Next, drain the buckwheat and put it into a sprout bag. If you do not have a sprout bag a colander can ge used. Rinse the groats 2-3 times a day while massaging the groats in the bag or swishing them gently in the colander for 2 days. Sprouting the buckwheat allows the seed to come to life and activates live enzymes.
After the buckwheat has sprouted, put it in a bowl and add the honey, vanilla extract and sea salt. Mix thoroughly until the buckwheat is evenly coated. Next, spread the buckwheat thinly over a dehydrator tray or cookie sheet. Place in the dehydrator and allow it to dehydrate at 105 degrees for 8 hours. Alternately, place the cookie sheet in the oven and set the oven to the lowest temperature possible. Keep a close watch to be sure the buckwheat doesn’t burn. Cooking times will vary depending on temperature. The live enzymes will be lost if heated above 118 degrees, but it will still be a nutritious substitute to packaged cereals. Next, put the buckwheat back into a large bowl and add the coconut and chia seeds. Other nuts, seeds and dried fruit can be added if desired. Store the granola in a glass jar with a lid.
Enjoy your sprouted buckwheat granola over raw milk yogurt (view video recipe) or with delicious walnut coconut milk (view video recipe).