Okay, last trendy blog post. Also, sorry that I have been so inconsistent with writing. I would like to say that I'll get better about it… but by the time I'm better about it I have a feeling the baby will be born and I'll be back to being bad at it. So, bear with me readers! Thanks for your support and your loyalty.
So, we've talked about cauliflower and teff and now we are going to add freekeh to the list. Freekeh is a grain that goes through a roasting process in order to be made. It basically was discovered on accident thousands of years ago. There was a fire in a crop of green wheat and someone got creative and decided to rub the chaff off, cooked it and decided that it tasted pretty dang good. This is the point in the story where I wonder why I can never come up with great ideas like this and make a fortune.
Unlike our little friend teff, freekeh is made from wheat… so sorry gluten free buddies, this grain isn't for you. The gluten gets a little denatured through the whole roasting and rubbing process so some people with sensitivities don't notice side effects, but if you have celiac this isn't a grain you'll want to add to your diet. I haven't had the pleasure of trying freekeh myself, but it's said to have a smokey flavor and nutty, chewy texture… when it's cooked it looks like rice or oatmeal.
Here's the real great news with this stuff… it has up to three times the amount of protein and fiber as your regular ol' brown rice and has less calories than quinoa. It's cooking time is really similar to rice, so it would be an easy substitute in your cooking. It also has a low glycemic index, which probably doesn't mean much to you unless you have diabetes… but that basically means that it doesn't cause crazy spikes and drops in your blood sugar when you eat it, and if you're not sure… that's a good thing.
Because it's similar to quinoa and rice you can use it in all the same dishes you would use either of those in. Soups, salads, chili, stuffed peppers, in tacos, as a simple side dish… the possibilities are pretty endless. You might not see this stuff at your regular grocery store… yet, but in the mean time I know that you can find it at Whole Foods and Sprouts. Try it out and email us and let us know what you think!
Happy reading, and happy eating!
Leslie
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