Buckwheat porridge - rich in niacin, fiber, magnesium and manganese, can be a deeply nourishing and warming breakfast treat. Any porridge makes a fantastic breakfast provided you tolerate grains well (if you don't, don't worry. See these 10 reasons to go Grain-free). This buckwheat porridge recipe, like my soaked oatmeal recipe, is largely sweetened by the dried fruit you mix into it with a little addition of molasses for its trace minerals and deep flavor. Recently, I served buckwheat porridge with a wild apricot compote. Of course, you can use any natural sweetener of your choice (check out these naturally sweetened desserts).
Not precisely a cereal grain like wheat or barley, buckwheat is classified as a pseudocereal. Pseudocereals are not grasses like grains, but broad leaf plants whose seeds can be ground into flour or used in the kitchen in ways similar to classic cereals. Pseudocereals tend to be more nutrient-dense than grains and those prone to food intolerances are less apt to react to pseudocereals. Other pseudocereals include amaranth, quinoa and chia.
Buckwheat is rich in fiber, niacin, manganese and magnesium it is also a good source of the amino acid tryptophan which is well-known for its calming properties - particularly the post-turkey haze of Thanksgiving. Buckwheat is also rich in rutin which has anti-inflammatory properties and is thought to improve circulation.
