Cooking Savory Amaranth

What the heck is Amaranth?  Ya, I had no idea either a few weeks ago.  I was at Whole Foods in the bulk section and was looking for the Farro, which is another amazing grain.  I asked the very knowledgeable young lady if she had any other "favorite" grains and she turned me on to Amaranth.  She was right! Amaranth is a grain originating from the Aztecs...a looong time ago.  It is boiled with water or broth to make an almost, grits-like consistency.  It has a nutty sweetness to it that makes it even great in the morning as a hot cereal with nuts and fruit! This recipe is a more savory recipe with a touch of butter and parmesan cheese. I served it as a bed to sauteed kale and grilled squid.  The amaranth was my favorite part of the dish!

P.S. This is a great gluten-free option and is LOADED with protein - nearly 14 grams per serving!

Ingredients:


-1 cup amaranth grains (not flour)
-2.5 cups water or broth (veggie or chicken)
-1 Tbsp butter, optional
-1/8 cup shredded Parmesan cheese




In a medium saucepan, add your 1 cup amaranth and 2.5 cups of water with some salt or broth.  I used my homemade vegetable stock made from old scraps! Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 25 minutes or until the water is absorbed.  It will be a consistency of grits or hot cereal.

Once the amaranth is done cooking stir in the 1 Tbsp butter (you can use less or none at all) and 1/8 cup shredded Parmesan.  Again you can use more or less of the cheese as well.  Stir until blended and serve warm as a side dish with fish, chicken or meat.  It makes for a very pretty presentation as a "bed" to your main dish.  If you're stuck on boring pasta or rice, try this much lower carb, protein-packed and gluten-free grain as an alternative.  Just go to the bulk section of your local Whole Foods or health food store.