Chocolate Puffed Buckwheat Cereal

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Chocolate Puffed Buckwheat Cereal

Gluten Free, Dairy Free and Vegan

Adapted from nourisheveryday.com by My Little Blue Heron Kitchen

Here's an updated recipe for this great breakfast cereal. 

Reminiscent of Cocoa Puffs, but sans gluten, sugar or chemicals, this recipe is a healthy breakfast champion.

Most of the ingredients can be found from a gold mine website called OliveNation. I think you will find the site a fantastic resource. Puffed buckwheat isn’t an easy find, and OliveNation has it. It used to be available on Amazon, and you can buy it at Kalustyan’s in NYC (a great shop, but pricey), but you can count on this site for these puffs and a whole lot more. 

Unlike puffed rice, puffed buckwheat isn’t crisp. It’s puffy and a bit chewy, and texturally can be a little challenging. But it actually tastes like buckwheat (which is pretty cool.) This recipe crisps it up and makes it totally fun, chocolatey, delicious and not too sweet! You can try to make this with puffed rice, corn, millet or sorghum. 

Head over to olivenation.com, where you’ll find not only every ingredient you’ll need for this recipe, but other organic puffed grains, remarkable and unusual extracts and flavorings (I added cappuccino flavoring to my coffee this morning, and brown sugar flavoring to my fruit and cottage cheese!), sugars of all types, ground flours, grains, nuts, oils, vanilla beans, paste, extracts, flavorings and ground vanilla, baking staples, candies, unusual and hard to find items like verjus du perigord, dried mushrooms .. etc. etc. etc.! (I’m not getting anything from them, seriously, I’m just jazzed about their stuff.)

This fun recipe is a snap to make. It comes together in a few minutes, and stored in an airtight jar, it’ll last for at least a month (if you don’t devour it before.) It’s easy to make and simple enough to make with young children. Delicious on its own, combine it with other cereals, sprinkle it on yogurt, cottage cheese or even use it as a topping on ice cream! 

When I can use it, I opt for ground vanilla rather than vanilla extract. If you use pure ground vanilla, use half the amount you’d use when adding extract. I love OliveNation’s organic chocolate extract. I added it to this recipe for a richer chocolate flavor.

The combination of cacao and carob can be played with. If you don’t have carob or cacao, use cocoa powder. I love carob because it’s naturally sweet (and chocolate’s naturally bitter.) Carob is from an evergreen tree indigenous to the Middle East and the Mediterranean. A real perk is that it doesn’t trigger headaches. When I use cocoa, I use Valrhona from France. I think it’s the best, but that’s just my opinion.

Keep an eye on your puffs. Take care not to over-bake the your puffs or they’ll get bitter. When the baking is completed, the finished cereal won’t be crispy. Don’t worry: it’ll crisp up as it cools.

Due to its saturated fat content, I’ve moved away from coconut oil. Of course, you can stick with it. If you do, I recommend ‘refined’ coconut oil (you can find organic refined coconut oil.) It’s flavorless and it won’t scream COCONUT! I opt for flavorless oil like canola, or in this last batch, I combined canola oil and hazelnut oil. I love how hazelnut marries with chocolate. So chic!

Maple syrup or honey are great options for sweeteners. I’m not vegan, but I prefer maple syrup. 

If you’re of un certain age, like me, you might remember that cute commercial, “I want my cocoa puffs”.  Today, “I want my BUCKWHEAT puffs!”

Sending puff-peace, and love,

Jane

Chocolate Puffed Buckwheat

Equipment: Bowls, microwave proof measuring cup or small saucepan, two baking sheets, parchment paper

Ingredients:

7 cups puffed buckwheat

1 Tbsp. cacao or cocoa powder (dutch process, like Valrhona, Guittard, Droste’s)

2 Tbsp. carob powder

4 Tbsp. coconut or tasteless or nut oil 

     (Use refined coconut oil or the taste of coconut will dominate.)

4 Tbsp. Maple syrup or honey (raw, local and organic is great) 

2 tsp. vanilla extract OR 1 tsp. pure ground vanilla bean

     OR split the extract as such: 1 tsp chocolate extract (organic preferred) and 1 tsp vanilla extract or 1/2 tsp.       

     ground vanilla

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 325º F.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper

In a large bowl, measure puffed buckwheat. Add the carob, cacao/cocoa, and if using, the ground vanilla. Whisk together to combine.

In a small saucepan, heat together the oil(s), syrup or honey, and extract(s) until warm.

Pour the warmed liquid over the dry ingredients and with a large spoon, stir until combined and well-coated. A Danish whisk is a perfect tool for this recipe. 

Divide mixture between the two baking sheets and bake for approximately 20 minutes, rotating the sheets, top to bottom and back to front and flipping the cereal very gently with a large spatula about half way through the bake.

Remove trays from oven and leave on sheets until completely cooled. The cereal will harden and crisp. 

Store in an airtight container (I like glass.) Will keep for about a month.

Puffed Buckwheat - Chocolatey!

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Chocolate Puffed Buckwheat

Gluten and dairy free (with a vegan option)

Adapted from nourish everyday.com by My Little Blue Heron 

Remember cocoa puffs? These are a little reminiscent, but without the sugar blast or gluten. 

You’ll need to find puffed buckwheat. The first place I found it was at the great shop in NYC called Kalustyan’s. They sell it, but in small batches. You can buy buckwheat puffs from this fantastic resource, Olive Nation. (Explore the site for extracts, baking ingredients and sales!) 

Puffed B'll last for a while. I mix it into yogurt, cottage cheese, and mix it into my other gluten free cereals. It has a nutty taste, its texture is not unlike packing material, but I like it. 

What's cool is this recipe transforms these little puffs into little crunchies, and has them doing "The Tighten Up". Final product is just a tiny bit sweet, delicious and fun! I haven’t tried this with other puffed grains, but you can try this with (untoasted) puffed rice, corn, millet or sorghum (all available at OliveNation.com.)

This fun recipe comes together in a few minutes, and stored in an airtight jar, it’ll last for a at least a month. It’s easy to make and can be a really fun project in the kitchen with your kids!

I prefer using ground vanilla over vanilla extract. I like this brand, but, there are other great choices for pure, ground vanilla. GROUND vanilla quantity rule is 1/2 the quantity of liquid vanilla extract. Instead of adding to wet, mix it into your dry ingredients.

The combination of cacao and carob can be played with. If you don’t have carob or cacao, use cocoa powder. I love carob because it’s naturally sweet (chocolate’s naturally bitter.) Carob is from an evergreen tree indigenous to the Middle East and the Mediterranean. A real carob-perk is that if you get headaches, unlike chocolate, carob won't trigger them.

Take care not to over-bake your cereal. When the baking is completed, the finished cereal won’t be crispy. It'll crisp up as it cools.

I love this liquid coconut oil. It’s easy, flavorless and organic. If you shy from coconut oil, try another flavorless oil, like canola, sunflower or safflower. Or go bold with a dash of nut oil .. hazelnut oil will really complement the chocolatey profile.

Use honey (raw, organic and local is ideal) or for vegan/lower fodmap, I love maple syrup.

puff-peace, and love,

Jane

Chocolate Puffed Buckwheat

Equipment: Bowls, microwave proof measuring cup or small saucepan, two baking sheets, parchment paper

Ingredients:

5 cups puffed buckwheat

1 Tbsp. cacao powder (or cocoa powder)

2 Tbsp. carob powder

1 tsp. ground cinnamon (I like Ceylon)

4 Tbsp. coconut or flavorless oil (liquid, unflavored and organic is great)

4 Tbsp. honey or maple syrup 

2 tsp. vanilla extract OR 1 tsp. pure ground vanilla bean

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 300º F. (150º C.)

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper

In a small bowl, whisk together: carob, cacao, cinnamon, and if using, ground vanilla bean.

In a large bowl, measure puffed buckwheat. Add the measure flavors and using a whisk or spoon, stir to combine.

In a microwave-proof measuring cup or bowl, warm (on med-high power) for about 30 seconds, the coconut oil and honey (or maple syrup), and if using, vanilla extract. OR, heat gently in a saucepan. The mixture should be warm and liquid. 

Pour the warmed liquid over the dry ingredients and with a large spoon, stir until combined and well-coated.

Divide mixture on to the two baking sheets and bake for approximately 20-30 minutes, flipping the cereal very gently with a large spatula about half way through the bake. Turn the sheets front to back and top to bottom. This will avoid the outermost edges from burning.

Remove trays from oven and leave on sheets until completely cooled. The cereal will harden and crisp. 

Store in an airtight container. Will keep for about a month.