Method: Heat milk, stir in buckwheat and cook until it thickens. Add cream cheese, eggs and salt. Put in a greased baking dish and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Brush top with sour cream and melted butter. Bake at 350 degrees until brown crust has formed on top (about 45 minutes). Slice and serve with melted butter and sour cream.

Read more ...

This is so easy, tasty and healthy! Oh did I forget to mention affordable?

serves 4

• 4 c water or stock
• 4 T butter
• salt

Bring to a boil. In the meantime mix:

• 16oz / 2c whole buckwheat
• 1/2 c sesame seeds
• 2 eggs, beaten

Method: Mix the eggs and buckwheat until the grains are coated. In a hot, heavy bottomed pan, dry toast the egg-coated buckwheat and sesame seeds.

Read more ...

This is delicious alone, with Toasted Sesame Buckwheat or with rice.

serves 4

Soak a bag of dried chickpeas until they are nearly sprouting. This may be 3 days in cold weather, or overnight in warm. Rinse the beans often while they are soaking. You can also add whey to the soaking liquid. This helps to get rid of the enzyme inhibitors.

Bring the chickpeas to a boil. Remove any scum from the surface. Drain the chickpeas and bring to boil again. (You can repeat this if you like a few more times.) Put the pot back on the stove, turn it on low, covered and allow to simmer slowly until the chickpeas are very soft.

• 1 large onion, sliced
• pinch of turmeric
• 1/2 c diced pork sausage or bacon
• coconut oil, lard or butter as necessary

Saute the above ingredients in a heavy bottomed pan until they begin to caramelize.

Add:

• pinch hot chili powder
• chick peas
• 1/2 pound of green beans, cleaned and cut into inch long lengths
• 1 can of tomato puree or crushed tomatoes
• 1 T ground coriander
• 1 T five spice powder
• pinch of freshly ground black pepper
• 1 T ground ginger
• splash worchestershire sauce
• salt

Method Turn the heat way down and allow this to simmer 5-10 minutes covered to cook green beans and marry the flavors.

Read more ...

These beans are to die for when served with fried plantains and sour cream.

This recipe makes enough to last two people 2-3 days and the taste improves with time.

1 bag of dry black beans soaked overnight or longer. Rinse the beans whenever you think of it and cover with fresh water. You can also add whey.

Place soaked beans into a pot, cover with water and bring to a boil. Strain the beans, add fresh water and bring to a boil. Repeat this as many times as you think of it. When you have done it a couple times, turn down the heat and allow the beans to simmer gently for a few hours or until they are very soft. For more information about the soaking and cooking process for beans please see All Hail The Legume.

Prepare:

• 1 large onion, sliced
• 4-5 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 c bacon or pork sausage, diced
• 1 inch ginger, minced
• sprinkle of turmeric
• sprinkle of hot chili powder

Method In a heavy skillet, saute the onions and bacon in a good amount of fat, preferably lard or coconut oil. Add in the turmeric and chili powder, allow the onions to caramelize slightly. Add the garlic and ginger and beans. Add water if necessary. Mix over low heat to allow flavors to mingle.

Season with:

• ground coriander
• ground cumin
• dried oregano
• salt and black pepper to taste

Mix. Let beans cook another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent them from sticking on the bottom.

These are really delicious and can be used as a dip with sour cream, or served with sour cream and fried plantains as they do in El Salvador.

It also works well if you substitute pinto beans for the black beans.

Read more ...