Buckwheat is …. drumroll please… a “pseudocereal”! - A seed, that is used like a grain (kinda like quinoa). Since it’s already funky and different, might as well assume that there are also many good things that will instantly take any recipe you swap it into SUPER!
(PS please excuse the extremely average images... but you get the idea. When I have an oven again best believe I'll be taking some better-than-test images)
Notebooks out:
This Buckwheat Loaf is:
NATURALLY GLUTEN FREE therefore easier to digest, less likely to elicit an allergic or immune response or aggravate the gut / body in any way. Aka, its gentle.
PROTEIN! Buckwheat contains all nine essential amino acids making it a complete protein.
FIBER particularly insoluble fibre, which feeds the gut microbiome (a ‘pre-biotic’), and helps everything move along smoothly in there (if you know what I mean). High fibre and low GI also means it can help stabilise blood sugars and regulate mood and energy
NUTRIENT-DENSE Ancient grains’ and these pseudocereals tend to be less large-scale grown and processed, therefore they are in their most natural, nutrient-rich state. Buckwheat is naturally a great source of magnesium, potassium, iron, B-vitamins, rutin (an antioxidant polyphenol - good for inflammation & lowering blood pressure), lysine (one of the components of keratin and collagen, so good for tissues, immune, and skin), just to name a few!
So why isn’t everything made with buckwheat??
The frequent issues with buckwheat can be:
Gooeyness: especially when subbing out regular flour, using buckwheat flour alone as a direct swap actually doesn’t really work. Combining flours (as in this recipe where almond flour is used) helps the batter stay light, as well as getting the bicarb/soda quantities correct to ensure the loaf (/whatever you’re making with the flour) doesn’t turn out as a brick.
Taste: not really something I can help with, you either like it or you don’t,, but, in the form of a freshly baked loaf theres not much to hate (especially when you top it like this).
But I am one of the lucky ones that does enjoy the nutty taste, AND has mastered using it so it’s not solid, stodgy, and gross.
There’s just something about home-made bread…
This loaf is an old, many-times-made recipe, that became somewhat of a staple at home. I’d make 1 or 2 batches, slice them both up, and we’d enjoy one freshly baked and the leftovers and the second would go into the freezer (once cooled) to be toasted and topped at any given time.
(I’d highly recommend you do the same:) more Chef Tips for this recipe at the bottom, or click here to jump.)
MENSTRUAL PHASE -SPECIFIC:
MACROS:
Carbohydrates (low GI): mostly a high fibre, resistant starch, that fuels the body with easily digested glucose molecules (without any discomfort) steadily released into the bloodstream.
Protein: As I touched on up there, buckwheat contains all 9 essential amino acids making it a complete protein. Eggs in this recipe add to the protein content, as do the almonds.
Fats: Almonds, coconut oil, seeds; all the healthy fats great for the heart, skin, & hormones!
COOKING STYLE:
Freshly baked bread. Name me a more comforting, menstrual, homey, loving, nourishing thing…
INGREDIENTS / NUTRITIONAL PROFILE:
Buckwheat = I’ve definitely boasted all the praises of buckwheat highly in the beginning of this blog, but I’ll go again, and how it specifically relates to the Menstrual Phase: rutin which I spoke about earlier, has been shown to offer significant protection against blood clot formation. So if you’re in pain as a result of clots, try adding a little buckwheat to your diet! Quercetin (another flavonoid highly present in buckwheat) inhibits the release of histamine, thus reducing inflammatory response. So all round, basically, buckwheat can really help with cramps. (Among other things; jump back to top here).
Sunflower seeds = contain a wealth of nutrients that can help balance hormones in a number of ways including metabolism and inflammation reduction. Vitamin E, a phytoestrogen that acts like oestrogen in the body, which can help if you are sensitive to oestrogen withdrawals and low energy in this phase. Selenium; a trace mineral that helps the liver detoxify oestrogen - perfect to clear hormones in the early stages of the cycle after they have all dropped off to baseline. Magnesium; can help ease symptoms ie cramps, muscle soreness / aches etc.
Flax seeds = not only bind the batter together (replacing the gluey gluten in regular bread), flaxseeds are rich in fibre, omega 3’s, lignans, all of which help to REGULATE; blood glucose levels, insulin, mood, energy, hormones (esp. oestrogen), bowels. They’re just pretty great really.
Buckwheat Loaf:
Makes a large loaf of 10-12 slices
Ingredients
1 cup buckwheat flour
1/2 cup sunflower seeds (ground to coarse flour) OR almond flour
2 tbsp extra sunflower seeds (whole)
1/4 cup flax seeds, ground
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp Himalayan salt
4 eggs
1 cup almond milk
Method
Preheat the oven to 180’C and grease or line a loaf tin with baking parchment.
Start by using a coffee grinder or milling blade of a bullet blender to grind the sunflower seeds to a coarse meal/flour, then. place into a large mixing bowl with the remaining dry ingredients: the buckwheat flour, whole sunflower seeds, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, ground flax and salt.
In a separate small bowl or jug, whisk or blend together the eggs and almond milk, and pour and into the dry ingredients whilst stirring.
Mix to a well combined batter, with no lumps, and no dry ingredients left dry.
Allow the mixture to sit and ‘set’ for 5-10 minutes. This is so the flax seeds absorb some of the liquid and the ‘dough’ / batter will become thicker.
Once the mixture has thickened slightly and is less runny, pour into the (lined) loaf tin, sprinkle a few extra sunflower seeds on top and place in the oven to bake for 30 minutes; until risen, a seam should appear along the crispened top, and a knife comes out dry when inserted.
Remove the loaf and place on a wire rack to cool before slicing. Enjoy warm & freshly baked, toasted, (french-toasted..!), or allow to totally cool and store in a zip seal bag or sealed container to enjoy for 1-2 days, and/or freeze.
CHEF TIPS:
As I’ve said already, slice and FREEZE any bread that isn’t eaten after day 1. It’ll stay good in the freezer for at least a few months, to pop into the toaster at any time!
Adding a teaspoon of cinnamon adds a subtle softness to the loaf, and makes especially moorish if you’re more of a sweet-topper (ie almond butter and banana, or tahini and grilled pears).
Buns don’t work as well for this recipe as you need to pour the batter, though using large muffin molds could give you a buckwheat burger bun!
Add more / a variety of seeds inside the loaf for added texture and healthy benefits
French-toasting is a good idea, as is alongside soups.
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