Amaranth… I’ve bought some, cooked it, tried it…

I’ve just completed a MOOC (massive open on-line course) from EIT Food – which is Europe’s leading food innovation initiative, with the aim to create a sustainable and future-proof food sector. The MOOC was about super-foods and whether they are really super, and if they are, how super are they? It was an excellent course, most interesting, and if its scheduled again I really do recommend it. It covered all sorts of areas and all sorts of food, some of which I knew, some of which I had never heard.

One super food which was discussed was amaranth… (it didn’t help that in my slightly dyslexic way I read it as aramanth) Amaranth seeds are used as grain and I thought I would try it to see what its like, if it’s tasty and also good for me that would be great! I bought it, cooked it according to instructions, and to be honest, it was quite disgusting. It has quite a high oil content and just seemed greasy and with an unpleasant lingering flavour. I bought the smallest bag i could find, but it was 500g… so what am I to do with the other 400g? I hate wasting food but I had to put what I’d cooked in the compost… I wonder if there is anything I can use the rest for?

As well as carbohydrates (65.25%) fat (7.02) lots of protein (13.56) and 371 calories per 100g, it contains a great long list of vitamins and minerals

Vitamins

• Thiamine (B1)
• Riboflavin (B2)
• Niacin (B3)
• Pantothenic acid (B5)
• Vitamin B6
• Folate (B9)
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin E

Minerals

• Calcium
• Iron
• Magnesium
• Manganese
• Phosphorus
• Potassium
• Sodium
• Zinc

It’s obviously really good for you, but it just tastes horrible!! I will look up some recipes and see if I can find some palatable way of using it… if not, it will go on the compost heap!

Here is a link to the MOOC:

https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/superfoods-myths-and-truths

My featured image of an amaranthus tricolor  is by Kurt Stüber