Making California Buckwheat Pancakes

California Buckwheat has long been a staple food plant for native Californians.  After learning about its use, I have been curious about cooking with this abundant native plant ever since.  (Please only gather from buckwheat you have planted in your yard, or in a community garden.)

The pink and white flowers produced in the spring begin to turn a nice rust-brown color this time of year, and may be gathered and mixed with wheat flour to create bread, porridge, or one of my favorite breakfast dishes which I created this morning -- pancakes!

The first step in using buckwheat as flour is separating the dried seed heads from the stems.  This process was easily accomplished with the help of a rolling pin.  I simply ground down the buckwheat, and then picked out the stems.  California Buckwheat was a favorite staple of the elderly back in the old days, as the seeds required minimal processing and were easy to eat.

The flavor of California Buckwheat can be somewhat creamy, with a woody coarseness reminiscent of sawdust.  It’s not a bad flavor, and the coarseness was definitely diminished by grinding it down.  I added about 1/4 a ratio of buckwheat flour to 3/4 whole wheat flour in order to enjoy the flavor of the buckwheat without being overwhelmed by it.  

The whole wheat flour also helps to keep the pancakes together while cooking.  If someday the sh*t hit the fan and food was not readily available, knowledge of California Buckwheat could go a long way toward stretching out depleted rations of flour!

The pancake batter looked lovely, and the pancakes turned out great!  The ratio of buckwheat to whole wheat flour was the perfect amount, and I loved the specks of California Buckwheat that were cooked into the pancakes.

The distinctive California Buckwheat flavor is perfectly complimented with some butter or coconut oil, maple syrup or local honey, and fresh berries on top.  

My white-sage enhanced green tea combined with these California Buckwheat pancakes to create the perfect native California breakfast -- a simple and satisfying way to connect myself physically and spiritually with the land I call home. 

Making Corn Tamale Pie (Recipe)

Tamale Pie has become one of my favorite go-to recipes for a quick and easy home-cooked meal.  Inspired by a dish served at Oh Happy Days Healthfood Cafe & Market, my adaptation is a great way to enjoy the rich flavor of masa harina, without the labor of preparing traditional tamales.

Ingredients:

Base:

• 2 cups masa harina 
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 cup organic vegetable shortening or butter  
• 1 cup stock or water

Topping:

• 2 cups beans (Or one can -- I usually use black beans)
• Shoyu to season
• Cooking oil (sunflower, safflower) 
• Salsa; Hatch enchilada sauce 

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2.  In a mixing bowl, combine masa flour, baking powder, and sea salt.  

3.  Cut in shortening or butter.

4.  Add water and stir until dough is formed.  Set aside.

For the topping:  

5.  Cook the beans in a skillet with a bit of oil, and with any other vegetables or seasoning desired.  Splash enough shoyu to taste toward the end of cooking, and stir in as much salsa as desired.

The beans may be cooked with any combination of tomatoes, onions, garlic, peppers, corn kernels, and seasoned with epazote, cumin, cilantro, lemon -- get creative!  

6.  Spread the masa evenly along the bottom of an oiled cooking pan.  Some recipes place the bean or meat filling on the bottom with the masa cooked on top, but I have found that the casserole holds together much better with the masa cooking at the base.

7.  Spread the bean and vegetable filling evenly upon the top of the masa dough.  If you like, add vegan or dairy cheese and olives on top to melt and cook in the oven.  I like to use Spanish Manzanilla Olives with Pimentos!  Cheese and olives may also be added after, to accommodate different dietary practices.

8.  Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until the masa has risen, is firm, and the edges are crisp and golden.  I like to serve slices of Tamale Pie on a bed of salad, with grated carrots, tomatoes, and fresh sprouts.

For this version, I used Daiya vegan cheese.

Tamale Pie has become a dish that I enjoy preparing at least once a week.  It’s easy to make and leaves plenty of room for creativity.  The balance of the salty, savory, and nourishing whole-grain corn flavor of the crisp, fluffy masa makes this a true vegetarian comfort food!

Blue Corn Atole

I felt inspired Friday morning to make myself a breakfast of blue corn atole in preparation for a long day of work after reading of it’s use in Rudolfo Anaya’s classic novel Bless Me, Ultima.  

Atole, from the Nahuatl word atolli, is a maize porridge which has been eaten in Mexico for thousands of years.  According to Daily Life of the Aztecs, breakfast for the Aztecs “nearly always consisted of a bowl of atolli… thick or thin as the case might be, and either sweetened with honey or seasoned with pimento.”

In Anaya’s novel, the curandera Ultima uses blue atole to heal:

“’Ay,’ Ultima said, ‘we have begun our cure.’ She turned and looked at me and I could tell she was tired. ‘Are you hungry?’ she smiled.

‘No,’ I replied. I had not eaten since breakfast, but the things that had happened had made me forget my hunger.‘Still, we had better eat,’ she said, ‘it might be the last meal we will have for a few days… Lay your blankets there and make yourself a bed while I fix us some atole.’

I spread the blankets close to the wall and near the stove while Ultima prepared the atole… 

‘This is good,’ I said. I looked at my uncle. He was sleeping peacefully. The fever had not lasted long.

‘There is much good in blue corn meal,’ she smiled. ‘The Indians hold it sacred, and why not, on the day that we can get Lucas to eat a bowl of atole then he shall be cured. Is that not sacred?’"

Blue Corn Atole

1 cup water
1 cup milk or milk substitute (hemp, rice, soy)
1/4 cup roasted blue corn meal
1/2 tsp vanilla extract 
Generous dash of cinnamon 
Maple syrup, agave nectar, or honey to taste

Instructions:

1.  In a saucepan, whisk water, milk, cornmeal, and cinnamon until there are no lumps.  

2.  Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly until it begins to thicken.  

3.  Bring to boil, then add sweetener to taste and reduce heat to a simmer.  Continue to stir and prevent lumps from forming for a minute or two.

4.  Turn off heat and let sit for a few minutes.  Serve in a bowl or hot mug.

Preserving Our Heritage with Blue Corn Cornbread

I’ve been on a corn kick lately with my cooking, and have enjoyed creating my own versions of several traditional dishes.  I’ve made tacos, tamales for Christmas Eve, and even tried my hand at making pupusas for the first time.

The staple grain of the Americas, corn has sustained life on this continent for thousands of years.  Invented by my Mexican ancestors, cooking with corn reaffirms my ties to this continent, and makes me feel truly American.

While the genetic diversity of this sacred grain is threatened, I feel the best way to protect our heritage is to continue practicing it.   It was with this in mind that I’m publishing this blog's first recipe - for my famous Blue Corn Cornbread!

Blue Corn Cornbread

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup blue cornmeal
1 heaping tablespoon baking powder
1/8 tsp sea salt
1 egg or 1 tbsp arrowroot powder
1-2 tbsp maple syrup or agave nectar
1-2 cups water, milk, or milk substitute

Instructions:

1.  Preheat oven to 400.  Combine dry ingredients in mixing bowl and mix them together.  Feel free to add a dash of cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, or other ingredients as desired.  If substituting arrowroot powder for egg, combine it now with other dry ingredients.

2.  Add egg (if not using arrowroot or egg substitute), maple syrup and a generous cup of water, milk or milk substitute.  Mix well.  Add more liquid for fluffier cornbread, or less for denser consistency.

3.  Pour mixture into oiled baking tray and bake at 400 for 20 mins.  Remove, let cool, and enjoy!

This cornbread was the center of my family’s meal tonight, accompanied by a black bean dish and tomato and pepper soup.  I hope that you enjoy this recipe, and that it nourishes you for years to come.