Amaranth Recipes

By Kassia Emily Fiedor

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The Amaranth Plant

There are over 60 known varieties of Amaranthus, which are known for their wide green/pink leaves and beautiful bright red, orange, or purple flowers. The three species commonly grown for their edible seeds are Amaranthus caudatus, Amaranthus cruenus, and Amaranthus hypochondriacus. The Greek word amarantos, meaning “never fading” or “one that does not wither” is very fitting - the flowers on this resilient and fast growing plant remain vibrant long after harvesting.

Amaranth was a staple food in the Mayan and Aztec diets, and is considered native to Peru. Some estimate it was domesticated as far back as 8,000 years ago! Amaranth was regarded as a sacred nutritious seed in ancient Mesoamerica. This nutritional powerhouse, actually a complete protein, was not only seen as equally important to their diets as corn and beans, it was also used in religious practices. The seed was mixed with honey to create images of their deities and then, in a form of worship, broken into pieces and eaten. When colonizing Catholics caught wind of this, it was banned, and anyone found with the seed or plant was punished. True to its Greek name, amaranth survived the threat of near eradication thanks to brave souls who saved the seeds and its ability to spread easily.

In Guatemala, it resurfaced after a few hundred years of oppression, but those cultivating it during the Civil War of the 80’s were persecuted and again it was nearly lost. I visited a group of indigenous Mayan widows in an area called Rabinal who had lost their husbands in the war and are now successfully rebuilding (and nourishing) their villages by cultivating, eating, and selling their organic amaranth. This story imbues the humble amaranth with an essence of empowerment, transformation, and true resilience!

An interesting anecdote about this mighty seed - amaranth was among one of the nutritious snacks made by NASA chefs for the astronauts on board The Space Shuttle Atlantis in 1985! Not only were small cookies made out of the seed, the crew-members also experimented with germinating amaranth in space.

Amaranth Nutrition

• Deemed the “new kale” by some health experts, amaranth leaves, or “bledo” in Spanish, are rich in protein, potassium, iron, magnesium, calcium, and folate, as well as vitamins A and C
• The seed is naturally gluten-free
• The tiny seed packs a huge protein punch and includes high levels of antiviral lysine
• The seed contains significantly more calcium than milk
• The seed also contains high amounts of tocotrienols, counterparts of vitamin E rarely found in plants which have powerful neuroprotective, anti-tumor, antioxidant, and cholesterol-lowering properties
• Results of a study done by the Institute of Nutrition of Central America and Panama at Guatemala in 1993 found that in comparison to cheese protein, amaranth “is among the highest in nutritive quality of vegetable origin and close to those of animal origin products.”
  

Below are three recipes from my book, Cocina Holistica, using amaranth seed flour and leaf. Enjoy these modern creations inspired by this wonderful ancestral plant with a powerful history that is experiencing a rebirth!

Amaranth Recipes: Amaranth Pancakes with Cardamom Hibiscus Cashew Cream

Directions:

In a medium bowl, combine all the dry ingredients. In a small bowl or cup, mix all the wet ingredients until the eggs are fully whisked. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture, and stir well until you have an incorporated batter.

Heat a medium size skillet or griddle to medium-low heat, and add in a tablespoon of butter or coconut oil.

When the oil is hot, pour the batter onto the griddle, using about ¼ cup for each pancake. Cook until golden brown on both sides.

Makes about 8 small pancakes.

Serve with cardamom cashew cream and/or maple syrup.

Cardamom Cashew Cream

Ingredients

• ½ cup dried hibiscus flowers
• ½ cup boiling water
• ¼ cup raw cashews
• 1 drop orange essential oil (or zest of ½ orange)
• juice of 1 orange
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• ¼ teaspoon cardamom
• pinch of salt 

Directions

Add hibiscus and boiling water to a heatproof container. Strain and add to a high-speed blender.

Add cashews, orange EO and juice, lemon, maple syrup, cardamom, and salt to the blender and blend until smooth. Adjust sweetness and flavors to your liking.

Amaranth Recipes: Amaranth Leaf Dip

This dip ensures a substantial dose of nutritious amaranth greens, as well as quality fats from seeds, coconut, and avocado oil, making this the perfect nutrient-dense dip to accompany a cleanse or detox.

• 1 cup sunflower seeds, soaked in water 6-8 hours, strained
• 1 cup cilantro
• 1 cup amaranth leaves, packed
• ½ cup pumpkin seeds, soaked in water 6-8 hours, strained
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• 1/3 cup shredded coconut (or 2/3 fresh coconut meat)
• 3 celery stalks, chopped
• ¼ cup avocado oil
• 1 inch piece of ginger
• 1 tablespoon sea salt
  

In a food processor, combine all the ingredients and pulse until you have a smooth paste.

If your food processor isn’t large enough, do 2 or 3 batches.

Makes 2 cups.

Store in an airtight container 4-5 days.

Amaranth Recipes: Amaranth Moringa Crackers

Flatten the dough into a rectangle shape and place another piece of wax paper on top.

Roll out the dough using a rolling pin to a thickness of 5mm (1/5 of an inch). Remove the top wax paper and, using an oiled sharp knife, score the dough into desired shapes (a grid of squares of about 1 1/2 inches is good).

Place the dough and wax paper on a baking tray. Gently prick each cracker with a fork to prevent them puffing up while baking.

Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden around the edges.

Remove from oven and allow to cool. They will crisp up as they cool.

Store in an airtight container.

Makes 48 crackers.

Special Limited Time Offer: Book Bonus Goodies!

In her debut cookbook Cocina Holistica, Kassia infuses ancestral ingredients into healing plant-based dishes. Drawing upon the magnificent beauty of Guatemala, she hopes to inspire renewed respect for indigenous foods in creative, modern recipes. All recipes are gluten-free, dairy-free, and sugar free, with a focus on nutrient-density.
Kassia honors her teachers – David Crow, Cheryl Fromolzer, William Siff, Cahterine Abby Rich, Rosemary Gladstar, Jane Bothwell, 7song, Paul Bergner, Tami Grooney, and Gail Julian.

Learn more at www.InfusedHolisticKitchen.com
Instagram @infusedholistickitchen