Risotto of buckwheat groats with beets and garlic porcini mushrooms

Quinoa is normally on my grain speed-dial, but lately I’ve been experimenting with Buckwheat Groats (also called Kasha). Though kind of saddled with an unfortunate name, Buckwheat Groats  are actually delightfully nutty, gluten-free seeds that rate low on the glycemic scales (no wheat or gluten in sight).

On the healthfulness front Buckwheat is great, surpassing rice, wheat and corn on many levels. Because those three are especially  high on the glycemic scale, they provoke a quick spike in blood sugar levels and promote systemic inflammation. I try to avoid rice, wheat and corn as much as possible otherwise I notice in a very short time that my blood work indicators, such as LDL cholesterol, start to go sky high.
This recipe reminded me how much I love lemons. I had tested this dish several times and was almost happy to share the recipe but the last time I made it I decided to try adding lemon zest. Pow! It air-lifted this dish over to a whole new country of taste!

I had fun using cookie cutter rings to create beautiful shapes with the risotto, but if you’re short on time, you can simply spoon it on your plate. I will often serve this with a quick side of stir-fried broccoli with garlic, chili and tamari soy sauce, or a large green salad.

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Risotto of buckwheat groats with beets and garlic porcini mushrooms

Quinoa is normally on my grain speed-dial, but lately I’ve been experimenting with Buckwheat Groats (also called Kasha). On the healthfulness front Buckwheat is great, surpassing rice, wheat and corn on many levels. Because those three are especially high on the glycemic scale, they provoke a quick spike in blood sugar levels and promote systemic inflammation.

Course Mains

Cuisine Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Nutrient Rich, Refined Sugar Free

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Servings 4

Author Laura Livesey

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp coconut or avocado oil
• 1 red onion diced
• 3 cloves garlic minced (save 1 until the very end)
• 2 beets diced
• 2 cups mushrooms diced
• 1/4 cup dried porcini mushrooms or 1 Tbsp porcini mushroom powder
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 4 Tbsp tomato paste
• 2 cups buckwheat groats
• 4 cups stock
• Zest of 1 lemon + a good squirt of lemon juice
• Optional: Fresh thyme or dill and a few large handfuls of rocket (arugula), and/or pine nuts.

Instructions

1. In a large pot heat up your oil and add the onion and garlic. Stir for a few minutes until soft
2. Add the beets and mushrooms and cook a few minutes more
3. Add the dry porcini, chili powder, tomato paste and dry buckwheat groats. Stir for a minute or so before adding all the stock
4. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to simmer on low for about 30 minutes, or until the water has absorbed into the buckwheat and it’s almost dry but still sticky
5. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the lemon zest, a good squirt of lemon juice, and the optional fresh herbs and greens which gives it a fresh taste and adds extra raw nutrients.
6. You are ready to eat! You can serve it directly in bowls, or as you can see in the photo, if you have a few more minutes you could grease a round cookie cutter with coconut oil, and then spoon the risotto into this quite compactly so that when you remove the risotto from the metal ring you get a nice round presentation on the plate! For fun, if you like, you can top it with a sprinkle of herbs, a bit of olive oil, some pine nuts and more lemon zest before serving. Enjoy!

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