Pumpkin Seed and Almond Flecked Teff Griddle Cakes with Goji Berries

I am a huge fan of teff. This petite grain is a nutritional powerhouse that has a wonderful nutty flavor. Combine this with goji berries, pumpkin seeds and almonds, you may well have a delightful, healthy breakfast fit for a king. Try to cook the griddle cake almost completely on the first side leaving only a minute or two for the second. This way, the pumpkin seeds and almonds retain a nice color without being overdone. Children may eye these darker-than-usual griddle cakes with suspicion, but one mildly sweet taste will win them over. 

The Mighty Miniature Teff Grain

Teff is an ancient grain, believed to have originated in Ethiopia between 4000 BC and 1000BC. The classic use of teff flour by Ethiopians is injera, a fermented flat bread. Today, teff is widely cultivated and used in South Africa, Ethiopia, India, and Australia. Teff is high in calcium, iron, and protein and has a good mineral profile of phosphorus, magnesium, copper, zinc, boron, and thiamin. The amino acid composition is excellent, including all 8 essential amino acids along with a high lysine level. Due to its small size, teff boasts the highest fiber content of any other grain. 

Sources for this article:

"Chemical composition of teff (Eragrostis tef) compared with that of wheat, barley and grain sorghum", Melak H. Mengesha, Economic Botany, Volume 20, Number 3, 1966, 268-273

"Tef. Lost Crops of Africa", National Academies Press, 2008, 222.

"The orgin and evolution of Eragrostis tef (Poaceae) and related polyploids", American Journal of Botany, 2003, 116-122

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