Buckwheat Cakes
Buckwheat Cakes
Buckwheat cakes are a delicious and healthy way to fortify yourself for a productive morning. Properly prepared with an ancient soaking technique, this breakfast is a veritable treasure trove of available nutrients. Following this simple recipe is a nutritional tutorial explaining the health benefits of each ingredient and procedure.
Soaked Buckwheat Cakes
1 C. freshly ground buckwheat flour
1 C. freshly ground whole wheat flour
2 C. buttermilk, kefir, or yogurt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 t. sea salt
1 t. baking soda
2 T. melted butter
Soak combined flours in buttermilk, kefir, or yogurt in a warm place for 12 to 24 hours. Stir in other ingredients and thin to desired consistency with water. (Stir constantly while adding ingredients, and add baking soda last, per Papa’s fluffy pancake technique.) Cook on a hot, oiled griddle or in a cast-iron skillet. These pancakes will cook more slowly than either unsoaked whole grain flour or white flour pancakes. The texture will be chewy and the taste pleasantly sour. Serve with melted butter and maple or sorghum syrup, or raw honey. (With this recipe I made ten medium-sized pancakes.)
Let us take each ingredient and technique, and consider its contributions to our health. I think it’s very important for women to carefully consider the food they prepare for their families. We have a great responsibility to nourish our family and guard their health, while recognizing the providence of God in bringing sickness or health. The study of nutrition also happens to be vastly interesting!
What is buckwheat? Interestingly, though buckwheat is often referred to as a grain, it is actually a fruit. The name “buck wheat” or “beech wheat” was given because of the triangular seeds, which resemble the beech nut, and its use as a cereal grain.
What are the health benefits of buckwheat?
Many Americans are developing serious allergies to wheat and corn, the two most common grains in the Western diet. It is conjectured that the frequent consumption of these grains may contribute to the problem. Why not enliven your grain intake with something different—like buckwheat?
Buckwheat has various health benefits—in addition to a fine taste. Buckwheat is high in fiber, rich in omega-3 fatty acids, and abounding with flavanoids, particularly rutin. It also contains the eight essential amino acids. It is a significant source of magnesium and also includes the minerals phosphorus, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper, and manganese. Buckwheat is gluten-free and helps to lower glucose levels, blood pressure, and cholesterol.
Wheat is a familiar grain, favored for its delicate texture and sweet taste.
What are the health benefits of wheat?
Wheat is a naturally good source of B vitamins, including folate, and the minerals iron and zinc. Whole wheat provides plentiful fiber and some of the essential amino acids.
Those with gluten intolerance find wheat difficult to digest. Soaking (discussed later) alleviates these symptoms for some people, by breaking down the gluten and other difficult-to-digest proteins.
Why choose whole wheat?
The following demonstrates the documented percentage of nutrient losses of refined wheat flour compared to whole wheat.
✦B6 82.3%
✦Zinc 77.7%
✦Magnesium 84.7%
✦Iron 75.6%
✦Calcium 60.0%
[These figures come from studies by Schroeder (1971) and Czerniejewski (1964)]
The stripping and bleaching of the refining process removes most of the fiber, and negatively affects the protein, vitamins, and minerals. Even enriched flour only replaces some of these nutrients, and not entirely. After refining, flour is little more than empty calories.
Also, refined carbohydrates play a primary role in obesity. In his book In Defense of Food, Michael Pollan writes, “The energy density of these refined carbohydrates contributes to obesity in two ways. First, we consume many more calories per unit of food; the fiber that’s been removed from these food is exactly what would have made us feel full and stop eating. Also, the flash flood of glucose causes insulin levels to spike, and then, once the cells have taken all that glucose out of circulation, drop precipitously, making us think we need to eat again.”
It is best to grind your own grain. If this is not possible, look for tightly sealed containers of the freshest whole grain flour you can find. Use the flour within a week of opening the package; seal it tightly after use and store in a cool, dry place; it will keep even longer in the freezer. Better yet, eat grains cooked in their whole form.
Why grind your own grains?
Once grain has been ground, the protective hull has been broken, exposing the delicate wheat germs and oil to the air. Rancidity occurs if the flour is not protected or used soon. In fact, that’s where store-bought whole wheat bread gets its bitter flavor!
Vitamins and minerals are said to dissipate once the grain has been ground. There is heated debate over how much is lost and under what circumstances. Some claim that up to 45% of these valuable nutrients are lost in the first 24 hours; up to 90% lost in the first 72 hours.
Freshly ground flours simply smell and taste better—much better! The flavor of the finished product in incomparable: substantial and complex when compared to the insipid and pasty white flour goods that require sugar and flavoring to be palatable.
Look for organic plain whole cream-top yogurt. (Certainly, do not use ultra-pasteurized yogurt.) Stonyfield Farms sells quart containers; look for it in the health-food section. Cream top yogurt refers to yogurt made with unhomogenized milk. You may notice a thick layer of cream has risen to the top of the container. Simply mix this in with the rest of the yogurt.
Why choose plain yogurt?
Plain yogurt does not contain sweeteners, flavoring, or coloring that might interfere with the integrity or health of your soaked grain. Actually, plain yogurt is the best choice for all your yogurt needs. Add raw honey and fresh fruit for delicious eating.
Is whole milk healthier for you?
Despite the modern phobia of fat, fat is essential to vibrant health and is particularly crucial in the proper development of children. Removing milk fat also hinders your body’s absorption of the fat soluble vitamins A and D, the protein, and the calcium. In fact, without the butter fat, the nutritional benefits of milk are largely unaccessible to our bodies!
Not only should we be worried about what they are taking out of our skim and low-fat milk, but we should be concerned about what they are adding. Because removing the fat negatively effects the creamy texture of milk, thickening additives are included, usually powdered milk, which contains oxidized cholesterol. Sometimes antioxidants are added to compensate. Studies demonstrate, however, that milk proteins bind and hinder antioxidants!
Note: Since growth hormones and other undesirable chemicals tend to accumulate in the fat (of milk or meat), it is worth your trouble to look for organic whole milk when possible.
What is homogenized milk?
In unhomogenized milk the fat naturally rises to the top as a thick creamy layer. Briefly, homogenization uses a high pressure and filtration process to break up these fat globules into particles so tiny that they no longer float but remain suspended throughout the milk. This process is not required by law nor does it have any health benefits. It is simply a matter of convenience and personal taste and texture preference. Actually, I find raw, unhomogenized milk superior in both taste and texture! It’s the only kind of milk I enjoy drinking.
Are there any health risks associated with homogenization?
The issue is still debated. Some suggest that homogenization may play a role the increase of milk allergies. Mary G. Enig, Ph.D. writes, “The process actually increases the surface area of the fat molecules. When the old membrane is lost, the new one contains a higher concentration of casein and whey proteins. This can be attributed to the higher incidence of milk allergies or lactose intolerance.”
What is wrong with ultrapasteurized milk?
Raw milk (unpasteurized) from clean, healthy cows is always best, but I have a special warning about ultra-pasteurized milk. This milk has been heated to such high temperatures that it is virtually dead: all of the healthy vitamins and enzymes have been obliterated. Actually, this pseudo-milk can keep for months without refrigeration. Bacteria and bugs are smarter than we are. They know that that milk has nothing to offer them in nourishment, so they leave it alone.
The milk companies have to add synthetic Vitamins A and D to this denatured milk. Although the appearance of the molecular structure of synthetic vitamins is identical to that of their natural counterparts, their function in the body is different and in some cases, has even been shown to be harmful.
Mix the flours and yogurt together and soak in a warm place for 12 to 24 hours.
Why soak your whole grains and flours?
Every culture that has eaten grains has prepared it with a soaking or fermenting technique. This ancient process is based on very fundamental knowledge of nature. Think back to your elementary science lessons! Grains are seeds (incidentally, so are legumes and nuts). Seeds are designed to pass through the digestive system relatively undigested. Phytic acid and other anti-nutrients are part of a seed’s defense, protecting it from hungry creatures until it can be planted. Seeds also contain enzyme inhibitors to prevent premature germination; these will hinder enzyme activity in your digestive system.
How can we unlock the nutritional benefits of grain? Remember those science lessons! To germinate, seeds need moisture, a slightly acidic environment, warmth, and time. Mimicking these conditions will neutralize the phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors in the seeds, and multiply the nutrients in preparation for growth. We can prepare a similar environment by soaking our whole grains in water with an acidic medium added (such as cultured milk) at room temperature for 12-24 hours. (The ideal time may vary from grain to grain.)
What happens during the soaking process?
In her cookbook Nourishing Traditions, Sally Fallon elaborates: “All grains contain phytic acid… in the outer layer or bran. Untreated phytic acid can combine with calcium, magnesium, copper, iron, and especially zinc in the intestinal tact and block absorption… Soaking allows enzymes, lactobacilli, and other helpful organisms to break down and neutralize phytic acid in grains. The simple practice of soaking cracked or rolled cereal grains overnight will vastly improve their nutritional benefits.
“Soaking in warm water also neutralizes enzyme inhibitors, present in all seeds, and encourages the production of numerous beneficial enzymes. The action of these enzymes also increases the amounts of many vitamins, especially B vitamins.
“Scientists have learned that the proteins in grains, especially the gluten, are very difficult to digest… During the process of soaking and fermenting, gluten and other difficult-to-digest proteins [also, tannins] are partially broken down into simpler components that are more readily available for absorption.”
Add the free-range eggs, unrefined sea salt, baking soda (I successfully substituted aluminum-free baking powder), and real butter.
Why choose free-range, pastured eggs?
When we raise animals to live their natural lifestyle as God designed them, we reap the benefits in increased nutrition. Compared to the official U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) nutrient data for commercial eggs, eggs raised from hens on pasture may contain
✦1/3 less cholesterol
✦1/4 less saturated fat
✦2/3 more vitamin A
✦2 times more omega-3 fatty acids
✦3 times more vitamin E
✦7 times more beta carotene
Why choose sea salt?
The following is an excerpt from Nina Planck’s book Real Rood.
“Typical commercial salt... is an industrial leftover. First the chemical industry removes the valuable trace elements and heats it up to twelve hundred degrees Farenheit. We get what’s left: 100 percent sodium chloride, plus industrial additives, including aluminum, anticaking agents to keep the salt pouring smoothly, and dextrose, which stains in purple. Salt is then bleached. Consuming pure sodium chloride strains the body, upsetting fluid balance and dehydrating cells.
“Unrefined sea salt is 82 to 84 percent sodium chloride, and the rest is other good stuff: calcium, magnesium (about 14 percent), and more than eighty trace elements including iodine, potassium, and selenium. These nutrients have vital functions, among them maintaining a healthy fluid balance and replenishing electrolytes lost in sweat. We need trace elements in tiny amounts, but a deficiency is serious... Today commercial salt contains iodine to prevent thyroid disease, but the body absorbs natural iodine in unrefined salt more easily.”
Should I be concerned about aluminum in my baking powder?
In the past there have been great concerns about a possible correlation between aluminum intake and Alzheimer’s. Recent studies, however, dismiss this connection.
Bakers do complain about the tinny taste of baking powder with aluminum. Rumford’s is a very popular brand of aluminum-free baking powder. Baking soda does not contain aluminum.
Is butter good for you?
Read Fallon and Enig’s key defense of this ancient food in Why Butter is Better.
After cooking your pancakes to an even golden brown, serve warm. Eschew maple-flavored pancake syrup. Instead, choose Grade B formaldehyde-free (organic) maple syrup, or raw honey. Serve alongside fresh fruit, such as ripe berries. Enjoy the taste and health of your breakfast!
Ingredients in Aunt Jemima’s Original Pancake Syrup
corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, water, cellulose gum, caramel color, salt, sodium benzoate and sorbic acid (preservatives), artificial and natural flavors, sodium hexametaphosate
Ingredients in Maple Syrup
boiled-down sap from the sugar maple tree—refreshing simplicity!
Why choose grade B maple syrup?
While the label “Grade B” may seem to hint at inferiority, the dark, robust Grade B syrup offers greater health benefits than the more refined Grade A. Grade B syrup contains more of the minerals zinc, manganese, potassium, magnesium, iron and calcium; a darker color indicates more minerals present. Actually, Grade B maple syrup contains twice as much calcium as Grade A! B vitamins are also present in maple syrup in trace amounts. [Reference]
How is formaldehyde used in maple syrup production?
The Nibble reports in an article about maple syrup.
“Years ago, formaldehyde was fairly common in maple syrup production. When farmers tap trees, the taphole closes naturally after 4 or 6 weeks. Farmers would place formaldehyde pellets into tapholes to keep the holes from closing so the sap would continue to flow; it’s a lot less work to drill a hole only once during the season, after all. At the end of the season, any remnants of pellets, which dissolved gradually, would be removed, and the holes would then close. I’ve also read that formaldehyde pellets would reduce bacteria in the collected sap and result in a lighter-colored syrup, which many Americans prefer. Since the 1990’s in the U.S. and slightly later in Canada, the use of formaldehyde in maple syrup production has been strictly forbidden, but reports on the prevalence of its use are contradictory. L.B. Maple Treat, a Canadian producer, states that producers (at least in Canada) are subject to regular government inspection without advance notice, and “as far as we know no one uses formaldehyde any more.” However, some organic producers and several websites claim that there’s ‘an alarming presence’ of the use of formaldehyde. Organic producers of maple syrup are subject to stringent inspections, and it would be exceptionally difficult, if not outright impossible, for them to use formaldehyde without being caught or having its presence detected.”
Why choose raw honey?
When honey is heated or pasteurized, its delicate aromas, yeast, and the enzymes responsible for activating vitamins and minerals in the body are partially destroyed.
Honey contains small amounts of iron, potassium, and B vitamins. Recent studies at the University of Illinois and Clemson University show that honey is also a good source of antioxidants. A rule of thumb: the darker the honey, the more potent it is as an antioxidant. There are exceptions, however. Light sweet clover honey is high in antioxidants, while dark mesquite honey is low in antioxidants.
My goodness! I had intended this tutorial to be brief, but research kept me adding more and more good information. I learned too! I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and are equipped to make better decisions about your daily diet. My next projects are homemade yogurt and an Equadorian quinoa casserole. Would you be interested in joining me for another nutrition session?
COMMENT ON THIS POST BY SENDING AN EMAIL TO THE HANDMAIDEN.
ELISSA said...
Thanks so much for this incredibly detailed post! I can't wait to try this delicious looking recipe!!
I will most certainly have try soaking my grains! When I worked at the Sue Gregg booth at the homeschool convention several summers ago, I got asked many times if I soaked my grains, and I had no idea what they were talking about!
My mom has severe anemia (lack of iron, and almost inability to absorb it) so, if I soaked our grains, would it help her absorb more of the iron in the grains?
Would you be willing to do a post exclusively about soaking grains? I would be most interested on how to go about it!!
WOW! I had no idea what was in commercial salt. YUCK! Thankfully, we do use sea salt!
Ew, it makes me cringe to think of how many years I ate "maple syrup" on my pancakes and waffles. It never occurred to me to look on the label; I always thought that it was plain tree sap. I developed a dislike for the sickeningly sweet thick stuff a few years ago, and started eating just fruit, or cinnamon and sugar, or maple sugar on my pancakes. Then Mom bought real organic syrup for a recipe, and I tried some, and thought there was no way that what we called syrup could be real maple syrup, and I decided to look at the ingredients label....
Even still, I prefer fruit and other things on my pancakes and waffles, but real syrup is so much tastier than "pancake syrup.”
Thanks again for this post, it has been so very very interesting and informative! —Elissa
Monday, January 18, 2010 03:44 PM
HANDMAIDEN said...
I am glad to know that you found this interesting, Elissa. In my zeal I made the post much longer than I had intended; I was sure no one would bother to read all of it!
Soaking grains neutralizes the phytic acid that binds to iron; in other words, soaking grains keeps the iron free for absorption by the body. (Otherwise, it would pass right on through. ;-) If your mother has trouble absorbing this available iron, though, that is another matter.
What are you looking for in a post about soaking? Why's and wherefore's, recipes, nutritional information, all of the above? Anything else? I've been reading about soaked grains for some time, but I've only just begun a concerted effort to prepare them. Writing a post might be the impetus I need! Honestly, I'll be learning right alongside you!
If you are interested, look up "Breakfast Porridge" in the archive for a soaked oatmeal porridge recipe. I found this an easy and simple way to introduce soaked grains to my daily diet.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010 08:08 AM
Friday, January 15, 2010