In my childhood buckwheat was omni present in many meals – buckwheat with milk and sugar for breakfast (kasha), buckwheat sautéed with meat, buckwheat with mushrooms and sour cream. It is very popular in Eastern Europe.
When I move to the U.S. one of the things I couldn’t find in grocery stores was exactly buckwheat. A few years ago healthy eating advocates started talking more and more on buckwheat health benefits and nowadays it is easy to be found in stores. Close relatives of buckwheat are quinoa and amaranth. Buckwheat has nothing to do with wheat (as its name may suggest), therefore it is gluten-free. It is also rich in minerals like manganese and copper, contains fiber and relative good amount of protein if compared to other grains. Among the health benefits of buckwheat are: improved blood sugar control, better heart health and better metabolism.
Buckwheat is a pseudocereal, meaning it is cooked as most cereals but doesn’t grow on grass.
Buckwheat
Buckwheat noodles, or soba is a traditional Japanese dish, where noodles are served cold with a variety of dipping sauces or broths. It is underrated in the U.S., and people mostly think of ramen noodles as a Japanese specialty. However soba is much healthier.
Buckwheat Noodles
Soba noodles are best enjoyed cold and right away, it is not recommended to refrigerate and reheat them. Follow instructions on the label precisely, avoid overcooking and rinse well after it’s done.
This is one of the recipes I like. Lots of vegetables + savory miso sauce. So here we go.
Soba Noodles
