Today on LYL Holistic Living, Rachel’s share with us two delicious recipes made from Teff.
What is Teff?
Well, I’m just as excited as you are to find out more about this nutrient dense gluten-free grain.
Terrific Teff!
As a self proclaimed foodie, I am always looking to expand my repertoire of recipes and ingredients. Recently, while perusing the organic section at my local grocery store, I came across this dark brown, tiny little whole grain called teff, and it immediately my piqued my interest. The Bob’s Red Mill package described it as a North African cereal grass, a staple in the Ethiopian diet. It is the smallest whole grain, and thus more nutritionally dense than other grains. Per serving, teff has more protein than wheat, and is also high in fibre. It is a great source of calcium and iron, providing 20% of your daily iron needs in just one ¼ cup serving. And let’s not forget the best part, teff is gluten free!!
Excited by my new find, I decided to experiment with it as a breakfast cereal. I am a sucker for hot cereal in the morning and like having the option of adding fruit, nuts, seeds and spice while it cooks. Teff worked perfectly for this as it requires the absorption method to cook, just like quinoa. Though the Bob’s Red Mill package includes a recipe for Teff Porridge with Dates and Honey, I opted to try my own variations, without relying on the sugar from honey to flavour the cereal.
Naturally teff has a robust, nutty flavour, so I wanted to enhance this with some warm spices like clove, cinnamon and nutmeg. I used a mixture of almond milk and water for a more creamy texture, and threw some dried currants and chopped bosc pear in during the last five minutes of cooking. As the cereal was cooking I found that I needed to stir it occasionally because it had a tendency to clump together, much like Cream of Wheat. After it was fully cooked and the pears were soft, I spooned it into a bowl and topped it with Greek yoghurt and flax seed. If you were so inclined, a drizzle of maple syrup or honey wouldn’t go astray, but I found with the flavour from the spices and sweetness of the pear and currants, it was not necessary.
Here’s is the recipe:
Spiced Pear & Currant Teff
Ingredients:
¼ cup whole grain teff
¼ cup unsweetened plain almond milk
¾ cup water
1/8 tsp ground clove
Dash of ground nutmeg
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
Dash of sea salt
1 bosc pear, diced with peel
1 tbsp dried currants
2 tbsp Greek Yoghurt
½ tbsp flax seed
Directions:
Combine teff, almond milk, water, sea salt and spices in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil, and reduce heat to low while stirring for a minute. Cover for 7-8 minutes. Then stir in pears and currants, and cover again for another 4-5 minutes, until liquid is fully absorbed. Serve topped with flax seed and yoghurt, and optional maple syrup for a delicious and nutritious hot breakfast!
This is just one teff recipe of many. I am always switching up the fruit and spice combination, and sometimes adding almonds, pecans or walnuts to give it a different texture. Play around with it to find a combination that you enjoy.
**********
Like many other whole grains, teff can be ground into flour. There are many recipes for teff pancakes, breads, cakes, and of course cookies. Here is a delightful Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe that is gluten free and great tasting!
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups teff flour
½ tsp sea salt
1 cup + 2 tbsp natural peanut butter, room temperature
2/3 cup maple syrup
¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
1 ½ tsp vanilla
½ cup dark chocolate chips
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the teff flour and salt. Set aside.
Place the peanut butter, maple syrup, butter, and vanilla in a food processor, and blend until creamy. Add flour mixture to processor in three additions, pulsing until well blended. Stir in chocolate chips.
With a spoon shape the dough into 1 inch balls, and drop them on an ungreased cookie sheet about 3/4-inch apart. Flatten gently with a fork.
Bake 15 minutes, or until they lose their shine. Remove from the oven, and cool on cookie racks.
—————————————
Ladies if you give these recipes a try or have your own favorite teff recipe to share please post in the comment box below.
I’m excited to hear from you!
Rachel
LYL Holistic Living Expert