Buckwheat!

No, not Billie Thomas of Our Gang/Little Rascals. I mean buckwheat groats. I made kasha last year and my husband enjoyed its roasted nutty taste. High in protein and niacin, buckwheat has magnesium, manganese, phosphorus and copper. Here are some Buckwheat recipes:

RECIPE
Kasha Or Buckwheat Groats
Ingredients

* 2 tablespoons butter
* 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
* 2 cups quail broth, or fresh or canned chicken broth
* 1 cup kasha or buckwheat groats, preferably medium grain
* 1 egg, well beaten
* Salt to taste if desired

Preparation

1.Heat butter in a saucepan and add onion. Cook, stirring, until wilted. Add broth. Bring to boil, then lower to simmer.
2.Put kasha in a nonstick skillet and add egg. Stir to blend and cook over gentle heat, stirring all over the bottom, until grains of kasha are coated with egg but grains remain separate. Cook until grains are slightly toasted and lightly browned.
3. Pour the simmering broth over kasha. Add salt and cover tightly. Cook about 15 minutes over very low heat or until all the liquid has been absorbed and grains are tender. If necessary, continue cooking 5 minutes longer or until grains are tender.

YIELD
6 servings


----------------------------------
Chocolate Chip Cookies with Buckwheat Groats
Makes 20

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buckwheat groats (kasha)
6 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped into chip-sized chunks

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. In a mixer or bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and two extracts until well-combined.

3. In a small bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, salt and buckwheat, and add to the butter mixture, beating to incorporate. When combined, add the chocolate and stir to combine.

4. Drop 2 tablespoon-sized balls of dough onto ungreased cookie sheets, 3 inches apart. Bake for 6 minutes, then reverse the sheet pan in the oven and bake for an additional 6 minutes. The cookies should be still slightly pale in the center and golden brown on the edges.

5. Cool the cookie sheet on a rack for 5 minutes, then transfer to the rack directly with a spatula.
-------------------------------
2 ts Safflower oil;

2 Shailots; chopped

1 cl Garlic; minced

1 Celery stalk; sliced

1/2 c Sliced mushrooms;

1 Egg white;

Pinch salt & pepper; 1 c Buckwheat groats;(kasha)

2 c Chicken broth;

1 tb Pine nuts/sunflower seeds;

In a non-stick saucepan, heat oil and add vegetables. Cook, stirring, over medium heat about 5 minutes. In a small bowl, beat egg white with salt and pepper. Stir into saucepan. Stir in groats, then add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and cook 10 minutes until tender. When liquid is absorbed, add pine nuts and fluff with a fork. Garnish with parsley
-------------------------------
Buckwheat Groats with Noodles

Ingredients

* 1 cup buckwheat groats
* 1 egg
* 1 cup uncooked bow tie pasta or uncooked gluten-free egg noodles (or other short, flat noodle)
* 2 cups chicken stock, brought to a boil
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 quart water
* 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 3 tablespoons corn oil or chicken fat
* 1 1/2 large onions, chopped coarsely

Directions

1. Beat the egg in a small bowl. Add kasha and stir until every grain is well coated with egg. Place in a medium saucepan over medium heat and stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the egg begins to dry and the groats separate. Some of the groats may stick together and/or brown slightly.
2. Pour boiling chicken stock over the kasha. Mix in salt and pepper and stir thoroughly. Cover and cook over low heat for 10 to 15 minutes or until the kasha has absorbed all liquid. Remove from heat.
3. In a separate pot, bring water to a boil and cook the pasta until done. Drain and set aside.
4. In a skillet, heat the oil (or schmaltz) on a medium flame. Saute the chopped onions until thoroughly browned. Add the onions and noodles to the pot of kasha, and adjust salt and pepper to taste.