All you need to know about whole grain amaranth

I had amaranth for breakfast, a tiny seed grain with a plethora of minerals.  This grain dates back to the time of the Aztec Indians. In fact, ounce for ounce, it has twice the calcium of cow’s milk. It has a sweet corn flavor and becomes  a sticky, gummy hot cereal after cooking. The consistency  is like a thicker, more textured Cream of Wheat. The flavor is stronger and sweeter than oatmeal. It is very easily digested so good for people with

• allergies and
• gluten intolerances or
• other digestive issues like Crohn’s  disease or irritable bowel syndrome.

Cooking Amaranth

I cooked 1 cup of it in 1 1/2 cups water in my pressure cooker for about 4 minutes high pressure than 6 minutes with the heat off (and the lid on) to total about 10 minutes. If you don’t have a pressure cooker (why not? It’s so much faster!!), cook  1 cup of grain (no need to rinse or soak) with 2 1/2 cups of water or broth for 20-25 minutes.

Plain or Flavored Amaranth

I cooked it plain but I already know I love it. It can also be made like grits with garlic, onion, herbs, or other vegetables added and served as side dish. Or cooked in fruit juice with dried fruits for a sweeter dish.

Check out how nutrient rich amaranth is when compared with oatmeal. Like oatmeal, it is about 15% protein. I included those nutrients with significant differences:

Tagged as: amaranth, cooking, whole grain