For those of you who aren’t familiar with teff, it is one of those ULTRA-healthy whole-grain, food choices. It comes from northern Africa and is about the size of a poppy seed. Because the grain is so small it is usually eaten in its whole form. Teff is also a gluten-free grain and is super high in calcium. 

We first heard about the teff grain through a friend who had a family member that was struggling with some unique health issues; and although this individual had seen a variety of doctors, they still weren’t able to figure out how to improve their health situation. They explained, however, that they noticed a significant improvement in their health after adding teff grains to their every day diet.

Now, I’m definitely not a doctor, and obviously can’t offer any medical advice, but I can say that on the days that I eat teff, I can feel a big difference in my energy level and overall feeling of health, even when I’ve been up most of the night with a fussy baby.

Soaking your grains before eating them helps to break down the phytic acid that all grains have. The phytic acid is what protects grains from going rancid too quickly, but it also inhibits our bodies from absorbing all of the available nutrients that these grains have to offer. Check out our Soaked Maple Cinnamon Oatmeal for additional information on soaking. 

You can usually find teff at your local health food store, or you can buy it online. There are two versions of teff that I have seen (light and dark), although I’ve only been able to find dark teff at my local health food store.  You can also find other recipes similar to this in the Nourishing Traditions Cookbook. It’s a great cookbook with a large variety of recipes that stem from our ancestors. 

Soaked Teff Breakfast Porridge

2015-06-15 10:46:16

Serves 4

A highly nutritious breakfast porridge.

Write a review

Save Recipe

Print

Prep Time

8 hr

Cook Time

30 min

Total Time

8 hr 30 min

Prep Time

8 hr

Cook Time

30 min

Total Time

8 hr 30 min

Ingredients

1. 1 cup teff
2. 1 cup warm filtered water plus 2 tablespoons kefir, whey, yogurt, or buttermilk (milk allergy? See notes)*
3. 1/2 teaspoons sea salt or real salt
4. 2 cups filtered water
5. 1 tsp cinnamon (or more to taste)
6. 1 tablespoon butter (or more to taste)
7. 1 tablespoon flaxseed, ground (optional)
8. Maple syrup
9. Milk or milk substitute
10. Garnish with your favorite fresh fruits and/or nuts

Instructions

1. Teff may be soaked overnight, but soaking it for a full 24 hours is considered best.
2. Mix teff with the warm water mixture, cover and let sit for 7 to 24 hours.
3. (Optional step): Drain teff through a cheese cloth**. (You can also cook it with the water that it's been soaking in).
4. Bring an additional 1 cup of water to boil with the sea salt or real salt.
5. Add soaked teff, reduce heat to simmer (or very low), cover, and allow to simmer until all the water has been absorbed, stirring occasionally.
6. Remove from heat and stir in cinnamon, butter, and optional flaxseed.
7. Serve immediately with maple syrup, milk and your favorite fresh fruits and/or nuts. It's also delicious without fruit and nuts too!

Notes

1. *This mixture helps deactivate the phytic acid in the teff. If you have a milk allergy try using 1 tablespoon of white or apple cider vinegar. I've also read that you can use lemon juice, but I haven't tried it.
2. **If you have a difficult time getting the teff grains off of the cheese cloth, try dipping the cheese cloth upside-down in the boiling water, or put your teff into the pot before you boil the water and pour the 2 cups of water over the cheese cloth to get the teff off, and then boil the water and teff at the same time. Just make sure to put a lid on the pot and turn the heat down once it starts to boil, stirring occasionally.

Adapted from Nourishing Traditions Cookbook

Adapted from Nourishing Traditions Cookbook

My Homemade Heaven https://myhomemadeheaven.com/