Buckwheat nutrition is real, so load up on kasha

Never had traditional kasha? Now’s the time, because buckwheat nutrition is real, easy, and about to be trendy.

What is buckwheat, anyway, and how can I get in on the buckwheat nutrition movement that’s about to pop? I’m about to walk you through all that, but consider yourself already in the cool kids club if you’ve been eating kasha or buckwheat pancakes since the olden days. Buckwheat is actually a fruit seed and not what we’d technically consider a grain (huh? who knew!?), and is more closely related to the rhubarb family than anything else. Even better, it’s available year round in most climates, and offers chefs and food lovers a unique flavor profile that’s unmatched by other ‘grain-type’ foods. Unlike other grains like quinoa or millet, there is a an easily-reworked, versatile flavor component that offers subtle earthy, nutty, and sweet notes.

kasha varnishkas with buckwheat

Oh, and the price of buckwheat is typically very low, so the many buckwheat nutrition benefits are easy to access for all points on the financial food pyramid.

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So let’s get to the buckwheat nutrition facts for a second:

• It’s gluten free! That means it’s totally legit for the finicky AND trendy eaters in your life (yup, even the vegans!).
• It’s loaded with manganese, which is essential for bone building and collagen production. OMG, #foreveryoung.
• It’s a good source of fiber.
• It’s a great natural source of copper— and copper isn’t an easy one to work into your diet.
• The nutritional makeup of buckwheat makes it a great choice for weight loss diets.

A few of my favorite ways to cook it:

• Toasted, quinoa-style as a side dish. Start by toasting your buckwheat in a pan with an egg and a small amount of olive oil. Add any type of stock to it to soften the kernels, let it absorb. Add fried mushrooms and onions– voila!
• Serve the traditional Kasha Varnishkas dish that’s popular in many Ashkenazi neighborhoods around the world.
• PANCAKES. Need we say more? Buckwheat pancakes are the reason happiness still lives in this world.
• These buckwheat breakfast cookies. #YASSS

Buckwheat pancakes [ via ]

If you’re trying to cut back on your meat consumption, using a mixture of ground beef and savory buckwheat as a taco filling is an easy way to keep all the flavor and texture while still reducing saturated fat and cholesterol. It’s also an easy grain to toast, add honey and almonds to, and create a celiac-friendly granola.

Have a favorite buckwheat tip or preparation that we missed? Feel free to share it in the comments section below!