There are some of the buckwheat health benefits:

• it’s gluten free
• it helps maintain blood flow and thus is good for cardiovascular system
• it is linked to lowering risk of developing high cholesterol and high blood pressure
• it has antioxidant properties
• it is low in calories (1 cup of cooked groats contains 155 calories – fat not added in cooking)

This is a diagram of nutrients in Buckwheat as given on the site www.whfoods.com The world’s healthiest foods

You can read more on the site The world’s healthiest food by following the link: Buckwheat.

HOW TO COOK

The healthy properties of buckwheat are very well known in Russia and buckwheat porridge (known as kasha) is a popular meal.
You can have kasha for breakfast, or use as a side dish.

You will need:

1/2 cups Buckwheat

1 cup water

Butter to taste

Salt

Method:

Rinse buckwheat thoroughly under running water and remove any debris or any black seeds. Add water and salt, and bring to boil leaving the lid slightly open. When the water starts boiling, reduce the heat, and simmer for 15 minutes. Switch off the heat, add and mix in some butter, cover with the lid and leave for 10 minutes

* Tip#1: You can have it with zucchini caviar paste, this will be an amazing diet meal!

* Tip#2: Once kasha cools down you can mix it with milk to get a healthy buckwheat snack.

* Tip#3:  You can cool the boiled buckwheat and then mix it with milk for  a healthy buckwheat snack.

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Lingonberries

 

Similar to cranberries, lingonberries are quite tart on their own, but mashed with sugar or honey they can be a great component for various drinks, smoothies, sauces or jams. The resulting taste is an intricate balance between sweet and sharp and can accompany both desserts or game or poulty dishes.

Lingonberries (Rus. Брусника, “brusnika”) are known under many names (foxberry, cowberry, mountain cranberry, in German – Preiselbeere, in Dutch – rode bosbes). These berries are popular in many countries, especially Nordic and Baltic countries, where people know the health benefits and great nutritional properties of those berries, often collected in the wild. According to Wikipedia“ the berries contain plentiful organic acids, vitamin C, vitamin A (as beta carotene), B vitamins (B1, B2, B3), and the elements potassium, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus. In addition to these nutrients, they also contain phytochemicals that are thought to counteract urinary-tract infections, and the seeds are rich in omega-3 fatty acids.” That explains why these berries are commonly used in folk medicine.

To get a better idea about the benefit of vitamins B, have a look at this infographic :

 

 

(Courtesy of www.northwestpharmacy.com. More info about vitamins can be found in this Chart of Vitamin Rich Foods)

You can keep the pack of lingonberries in your freezer and quickly thaw the desired amount of these berries by just pouring some warm water over them for a few minutes. Mash and mix with sugar and a quick jam full of goodness is ready to be served with your porridge, pancakes and other desserts.

Another product you can get from these berries is a traditional Russian soft drink “Lingonberry water” (брусничная вода). Here’s the quick recipe:

Ingredients:

Lingoberries – 400g

Boiled water – 2 litres

Honey – 2 tbs

Clove – 1

Method:

Thaw and wash the berries, remove any leaves. Boil the water, when it’s still hot add the honey, stir to melt, and let it cool. Add the clove and the berries and leave the mix to infuse for 2 weeks in a dark place, and then you can put it to the fridge. Once the drink has been consumed, you can reuse the berries, pouring water with honey and infusing it again.

This is not only a home-made organic substitute to lemonades and fizzy drinks full of sugar, additives and food dyes, but also a product full of vitamins and health benefits.

Another traditional Russian drink using lingonberries is “lingonberry mors” – one of the many morses, soft berry drinks.

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Sea-buckthorns are bright orange edible berries that can be used to make delicious fresh jam of unique sharp flavour.

Rip berries teem on branches of a sun-loving shrub that naturally grows in mountainous regions. Several domestic species have been cultivated that exceed the wild plant in the size of berries and their properties and this tree is very popular in Russian gardens or private lots for growing home vegetables and fruits.

Ingredients:

½ glass of frozen sea-buckthorns

splash of water

1 tablespoon sugar