Carob Pudding with Raspberries and Sprouted Buckwheat Crunchies

Yesterday for lunch I had dessert; carob pudding to be exact. But I pumped up the already healthy dish with some organic raspberries and my sprouted buckwheat crunchies. Later in this post you'll see just how I sprout and dehydrate raw, hulled buckwheat.
Buckwheat is a variety of plant in the dicot family Polygonaceae: the North American genus Eriogonum. Buckwheat is not a cereal but a pseudocereal. It is not a grass either, despite the common name and grain-like use of this crop. The name "buckwheat" or "beech wheat" comes from its triangular seeds resembling the beech trees much larger seeds, contained in the beech nut, and the fact that it's used like wheat. This name makes it very confusing especially for those looking for gluten free alternatives. This seed is in fact gluten free and in recent years has been used as a substitute for other grain in gluten free beer!
How about its chemical composition?
The seeds contain:
STARCH-
71-78% in groats
70-91% in different flours
25% amylose
75% amylopectin
PROTEINS-
18% with biological values above 90%--due to its high concentration of ALL ESSENTIAL AMINO ACIDS!!!!
Especially high in lysine, threonine, trytophan and the sulfur-containing amino acids.
MINERALS-
Iron 60-100ppm (wow, nice way to get this mineral naturally)
Zinc 20-30ppm
Selenium 20-50ppb
ANTIOXIDANTS-
rutin 10-200ppm
0.1-2% of tannins

So you can see why I didn't even think twice when making a luscious dessert for my lunch today! This baby is packed with so many good things. Next time I will add some chia as well.

Carob Pudding with Raspberries and Sprouted Buckwheat

2 small, ripe avocados

1 small, ripe banana

4 T carob powder

raw agave to taste, optional

1 T vanilla extract

pinch of sea salt

splash of raw almond mylk or water

6-8 frozen organic raspberries

2 T buckwheat crunchies

In a small food processor, process all of the ingredients until the desired consistency of pudding. Adding nut mylk or water as needed. Top with the raspberries and sprouted buckwheat crunchies. Enjoy!
Buckwheat is one of the fastest, easiest, and cheapest seeds to sprout. They make a great alternative for getting your daily greens. I have even blended them up in smoothies in addition to adding them to salads, chia cereal, desserts, and even raw pizza crusts and raw breads. The possibilities are really endless bound only by each individual's imagination.
Here is my simple method of sprouting and making "Sprouted Buckwheat Crunchies":
Soak 2/3 C of organic, raw, hulled buckwheat in spring water for 20 minutes. Rinse until no slimy residue remains. I rinse them in a colander making it easier to sprout them using the same. Place your colander over a bowl to allow for drainage. Rinse the buckwheat every 6-12 hours. Place back onto  your bowl to drain and sprout. Keep rinsing every 6-12 hours until their tails sprout. You will see the tiny tails emerge in 1-1 1/2 days. Once your buckwheat has sprouted, spread them onto dehydrator sheets and dehydrate for 6-10 hours or until crunchy when tasted. I just keep checking my buckwheat during the dehydrating process and once they are crunchy they are done! Allow them to fully cool and then store in a glass jar with a tight fitting lid in your pantry. Keep in mind that 2/3 C of buckwheat seeds will yield about 1-1 1/4 cups of sprouted.
Here is a recipe for a sprouted buckwheat raw pizza crust using freshly sprouted buckwheat that has not been dehydrated into crunchies:

1 1/2 cups  fresh sprouted buckwheat groats


1/4 cup olive oil


raw honey to taste


2/3 cup carrot pulp


2/3 cup soaked flax seeds


1/4 cup water


In a blender combine groats, olive oil, honey, carrot pulp, flax seeds and water. Blend using a spoon or rubber scraper to mix occasionally.

On a solid dehydrator tray, spread the dough mixture out. You can use a spoon to transfer the dough and then use wet hands to spread the mixture evenly.
Dehydrate the crust at 100 degrees for 7 hours.
Transfer the crust to a mesh dehydrator tray and dry for 8 hours checking occasionally to see if it is fully dry.
Top the pizza crust with your favorite ingredients and eat immediately or store covered in a dry area for up to one month.
(Read more: How to Make Sprouted Buckwheat Pizza Crust: Raw Food Recipe
eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_5190689_make-crust_-raw-food-recipe.html#ixzz1E3frKU7P)
 
+JMJ+ Today I am grateful for being my children's teacher. I felt so much joy today listening to one of my sons reading their stories aloud from their reader. It just made me feel so blessed knowing that I am responsible for his learning and that I get to see first hand all of his academic accomplishments. I wouldn't want to miss one minute of it. **BIG SMILE**