Hello My Name Is: Amaranth

HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: Amaranth is an ancient grain long used by Aztec cultures as a staple food. Popular in health food stores for decades, amaranth is now gaining new popularity because it is so useful for those on gluten-free diets.

WHY YOU NEED TO USE IT: This nutritious grain contains over 28 grams of protein in one cup! That’s more protein than any other gluten-free grain. Not only does amaranth contain more protein, but it’s proteins are more easily digestible than proteins found in wheat. This super-grain is a good source of amino acids, iron, calcium, magnesium and, of course, fiber. It even has vitamin E content similar to that of olive oil!

HOW TO TRY IT: You might wonder why amaranth shouldn’t replace every grain you eat from here on out! While amaranth is rich in nutrition, it’s also absorbs water quite easily which keeps it from being the perfect grain for baking and cooking on it’s own. Blend amaranth flour in to a mix of other flours for perfect baked goods that aren’t too dense or add a dash to soups and stews to thicken.

•  Try adding amaranth flour to whole grain bread recipes by replacing wheat flour by 30% with amaranth flour for a boost of nutrition.
• Use the flour for pancakes and other non-rising baked goods. Most gluten-free’ers like amaranth mixed half and half with tapioca flour for a balanced texture.
• If you want to get really fancy with your superfood, try this decadent chocolate loaf cake recipe perfect for the dense grain.

Buy amaranth flour here and get the superfood cooking!