There has been much going on in this little kitchen for the past few months. Since November, I have had a bake sale through my house that was quite successful. The money from that bake sale was donated to a local organization, Gift of Hope, which is an extension of ECHO, an organization dedicated to helping those in our community who have experienced a tragic loss or emergency. This is an event that included many churches, local businesses, and volunteers to ensure those who needed food, clothes, and toys for their children, got them. It was a wonderful experience for me and my family to contribute to such a great cause.

In January, I received great news from a local Mom’s blog group, Tampa Bay Moms Blog, to join as a contributing writer. ::insert happy dance here:: I recently posted my introduction piece and published my first official post. So things have been pretty busy to say the least.

I have continued to experiment in my “free time” and started looking at a new flour: buckwheat. And I have to say, buckwheat is the first flour, other than coconut flour, that seems to settle well with me. I know it isn’t accepted in the “Paleo world”, but Paleo is suppose to be a template. I’ve done the elimination process and am now bringing some foods back in. Some, like dairy, rice, and some beans, have pretty much been rejected by my body. I can have a little here and there but for the most part, I just avoid it because it doesn’t make me feel good. Moral of this story: don’t get too hung up on diet definitions, do what works for you and makes YOU feel good.

So, what is Buckwheat anyway?!
Buckwheat, actually isn’t wheat at all, despite what the name suggests. It actually comes from the rhubarb family and is considered to fall under the seed category. Buckwheat is considered to be a pseudograin, as it resembles grains, however, is not biologically related to grains. They have a higher starch content, and we all know that starch = carbs, and carbs = sugar. So like anything else (treat-wise), enjoy in moderation.

I had to start out with a simple recipe using buckwheat. And of course, I went to a chocolate chip cookie. I think by now you all know how much my little guy, ABC, loves his chocolate chip cookies. So after reviewing several recipes and working through some of the kinks, I came up with these guys.

My cookies came out much darker than expected because I used regular buckwheat flour. Some of the recipes I came across on the internet were lighter in color due to them using a “light” buckwheat flour. Either way, the cookies were very good and I got the approval of my picky boy.

I will warn you and tell you that the texture and flavor are quite different. This flour definitely has a bit of a grainy texture, but not terribly so. To fix this problem, I added some apple sauce to make it bind more and create a more moist cookie. I saw other recipes halving the buckwheat and adding a starch like tapioca but I didn’t want to add more starch to the cookie, as it is starchy enough. Don’t let this little paragraph scare you. This cookie is still delicious and much healthier than any of the gluten free packaged cookies you will find in the cookie aisle at your grocery store.

You can check out the original recipe or follow mine below.

Bodacious Buckwheat Chocolate Chip Cookies
Yields: 12 cookies

Ingredients
1 1/4 cups buckwheat flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup organic palm shortening (or butter)
1/2 cup coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
1/2 TBSP vanilla extract
2 TBSP organic apple sauce (no sugar added)
1 egg
3/4 cup chocolate chips, such as Enjoy Life

Directions
1. In a medium bowl, stir the flour, salt, and baking soda together. Set aside.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or large bowl), cream the shortening and coconut sugar together, until light and fluffy. Stir in the vanilla extract, applesauce, and egg, mixing until well combined. Slowly mix in the flour mixture, stirring until just incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chips.

3. Scoop dough onto the prepared baking sheet, using a small cookie scoop. Using your fingers or palm of your hand, press them gently in a circular shape. (If your hands or scooper stick to the dough, dip in water, and shake off excess water and then form, touch, or scoop the dough.)

4. Bake at 330ºF for 12-15 minutes, until golden around the edges. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to three days. Dough and cookies freeze well.

Comment below if you give these a try or let us know what your favorite buckwheat recipe is. Sharing is caring.