I love being up early, even on a Monday morning. The house is quiet, the birds are singing, and I have time alone. And sometimes, you’ll find me in the kitchen, getting a hearty breakfast ready. Usually, I wait for the weekend to make waffles but today I decided I wanted to try a new waffle. I’ve been eating more buckwheat lately. And I have to say I love this slightly nutty pseudo-grain. Even though its name contains the word ‘wheat,’ buckwheat isn’t in the wheat family, nor is it a grain. While wheat has kernels of grain, buckwheat has groats. But they’re actually seeds. Believe it or not, buckwheat is related to rhubarb! So I’m not sure why someone called it buckwheat…
But it acts like a grain, minus the gluten. It’s great as a breakfast cereal, delicious in muffins and even in waffles! Plus many studies are showing it can help reverse diabetes, reduce obesity, lower cholesterol and help with constipation. Because buckwheat is a high-fiber super food! One cup of buckwheat has more fiber than a cup of oatmeal, 2 slices of bread, or a cup of corn. It’s a way to fill up without filling out.
So, I thought, “Why not buckwheat waffles?” My family’s enjoyed brown rice waffles and oat waffles. Why not buckwheat? So this morning, I came up with a quick and easy batter, filled up 2 of my waffle makers, and made about 10 waffles for my husband, son and myself. It was enough to fill us up–with some unsweetened applesauce and fresh blueberries on top! What could be better on this sunny morning than to have a plateful of Sunny Buckwheat Waffles?
Buckwheat Health-Bite
While the name “buckwheat” might make you think this is another kind of wheat, it isn’t a whole grain at all. It’s a seed. So this makes it a wonderful option for people with celiac disease or those who have an intolerance for wheat. But even if you don’t need to follow a gluten-free diet, you’ll love all the health perks that buckwheat gives you–better digestion because of its high fiber content, easy on blood sugar levels, and studies are showing that people who eat buckwheat regularly have lower cholesterol and triglycerides. Why not give it a try?
Sunny Buckwheat Waffles
Ingredients
- 1 cup buckwheat flour
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup sunflower seeds ground to a coarse flour
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 ripe banana
- 1/4 cup arrowroot or tapioca flour opt.
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients in the order given. You can add additional water if your blender needs it to keep on processing. I've made the batter with and without the arrowroot powder. Both ways it comes out light and crispy. So it's up to you.
- Pour into a preheated nonstick waffle maker. I cooked ours for 8 minutes. Remove from the waffle maker and serve warm. Add unsweetened applesauce and fresh fruit on top for a hearty breakfast.
