5 Buckwheat Honey Recipes You Should Try This Summer

Bees that gather nectar from buckwheat blooms produce the exceptionally nutrient-dense variant of honey known as buckwheat honey. Because buckwheat has small blossoms, bees that produce buckwheat honey work very hard to gather enough nectar.

Although buckwheat is frequently used in place of wheat as a flour replacement, buckwheat is not grass. It’s a flowering plant that’s similar to rhubarb.

Honey made from buckwheat isn't as sweet as regular honey, though this will depend on your taste palate. Additionally, it has more antioxidants than other sweeter varieties of honey, so it might be healthier for you overall. Given that buckwheat is high in vitamins and is regarded as a very nutritious diet, it stands to reason that buckwheat honey would likewise be beneficial to your health.

Another great thing about buckwheat honey is that it works great in recipes. You need to try these 5 buckwheat honey recipes this summer!

Roast Pork Buckwheat Honey

Much like regular honey, buckwheat honey can be used to make incredible glazes and sauces for meat. It may be the perfect substitution if you aren't a fan of sweets. Try this recipe for your next barbecue.

Ingredients

• 1 pork roast
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and slivered
• Olive oil for drizzling
• A generous pinch of Herbs de Provence
• 15 mL cinnamon
• 15 mL turmeric
• 5 mL ground ginger
• 2.5 mL fresh-ground nutmeg
• 75 mL One Root Buckwheat Honey, divided
• 1 sprig of fresh sage
• 1 onion, peeled and chopped coarsely
• Salt and pepper
• ½ cup water

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F.
2. Place the roast in a baking dish atop a drizzle of olive oil.
3. Peel and slice garlic cloves. Make slits in the roast with a small knife, and insert your garlic slivers.
4. Drizzle more olive oil over the roast, sprinkle a big pinch of Herbes de Provence, and set aside.
5. Put spices into a small mixing bowl—grate the nutmeg directly into the bowl. You can estimate the quantity, about 8 or 10 grates until its powder is clearly visible atop the other spices. Pour in 3 tablespoons of honey, and blend to form a thick paste.
6. Place a sprig of fresh sage on top of the roast, then dollop the spice/honey mixture over it.
7. Distribute chopped onion around the roast. Drizzle on 2 more tablespoons of honey, followed by a pinch of salt, a turn of the pepper mill, and then pour water around (not on top) the roast.
8. Place the roast into the oven and lower the temperature to 350°.
9. Baste the roast at least twice during the 45-minute cooking time. Honey burns easily, so pay attention to your food. When nicely browned and the interior temperature reads 135°, remove from oven and let sit covered for 10–15 minutes before serving.

Buckwheat Honey Cookies

Everyone loves cookies. Buckwheat honey is a great way to add some nutrients to the fan-favourite treat.

Ingredients 

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 cups buckwheat flour
• 2.5 mL salt
• 2.5 mL baking soda
• 2.5 mL ground ginger
• Sea salt for topping optional

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 375.
2. Mix butter, honey, sugar and egg until combined. Add buckwheat flour, salt and baking soda and mix until fully combined.
3. Use a 1 1/2 tbsp cookie scoop or drop 1 1/2 tbsp of dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet. The batter will be wet and the cookies will spread, so leave about 3 inches between each cookie.
4. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until slightly golden brown around the edges. Top with sea salt immediately after removing from the oven. Allow the cookies to cool for about 5 minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring them to a wire rack. 

Buckwheat Honey and Caraway Rolls 

If you’re tired of plain bread and want to spice things up a bit, you need to try this recipe. It’s a hearty and flavourful bread that will pair perfectly with your favourite soup.

Ingredients 

• 90 mL unsalted butter, softened, divided
• 1/4 cup buckwheat honey (or substitute another kind of honey)
• 1 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 package of active dry yeast
• 1 cup lukewarm water
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tsp caraway seeds (plus more for topping)

Method

1. Place 4 Tbsp of the butter, honey, salt, yeast, and warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix briefly until combined.
2. Add the flour and caraway seeds, switch to the dough hook attachment, and knead for about 7-9 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. It will still be fairly sticky.
3. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let rise for about 90 minutes until puffed up.
4. Gently remove the dough from the bowl and divide it into 10 equal-sized portions. If the dough is sticky, lightly oil your hands and work surface. You can also divide the dough into 12 or 16 portions for smaller dinner rolls, you'll just need to bake them for a bit less time.
5. Roll each portion into a ball and place in a lightly greased baking dish to rise again. You want the rolls to fit in your baking dish with a little room for expansion as they arise.
6. Cover and allow it to rise again for about 30-60 minutes. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat your oven to 350F.
7. Melt the remaining 2 Tbsp of butter in the microwave, gently brush it on the tops of the rolls and sprinkle with a few more caraway seeds, if desired.
8. Bake for about 25-30 minutes (or less if you have made smaller rolls) until golden on top.
9. Remove from the oven and allow to cool briefly in the pan before removing.

Buckwheat Porridge with Cinnamon and Honey

Porridge is a great breakfast dish. It’s nutritious and filling. But did you know that you could easily add some extra flavour to it with a bit of buckwheat and cinnamon?

Ingredients

• 100 g buckwheat
• Milk
• 10 mL honey
• 2.5 mL cinnamon
• 2.5 mL butter

Method

1. The night before, put buckwheat in a pot and cover with water. Leave to soak overnight.
2. The next morning, shake off the water and add a single amount of water and double the amount of milk. Simmer on low heat for 30 minutes and reduce until porridge forms.
3. Season buckwheat with honey and cinnamon
4. Enjoy!

Buckwheat Honey Chicken over Spring Greens

Chicken is one of the most versatile meats on the planet, so naturally, we had to include a chicken recipe on our list.

• 75 mL buckwheat honey
• 75 mL white wine vinegar
• 75 mL olive oil
• 5 mL grainy Dijon mustard
• 60 mL chives, chopped
• 0.7 kg boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 L mixed salad greens
• 0.5 L dandelion greens, chopped
• 8 chive blossoms, (optional)
• 8 sprigs chives, fresh

Method

1. Purée buckwheat honey, vinegar, olive oil, Dijon mustard and chives in a blender or food processor.
2. Reserve half of this vinaigrette to dress the salad (½ cup – 125 mL). Pour another half over the chicken breasts in a large resealable plastic bag. Seal. Use your hands to massage the marinade into chicken pieces. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least an hour, and preferably overnight.
3. Preheat the grill over medium-high heat. Remove chicken breasts from bag and place on the top shelf of BBQ/grill. Grill 10-13 minutes on each side, or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). Cooking time will vary based on the size of the breasts. Remove from grill and slice cooked chicken into long strips. Set aside.
4. Meanwhile, prepare a salad of mixed spring salad greens and dandelion greens. Toss with ¼ cup (60 mL) of the reserved marinade.
5. Serve chicken strips over greens with the remaining vinaigrette. Garnish with fresh chive blossoms and green chive sprigs. For a dramatic effect, you can stick 4 or so sprigs of chives vertically into the centre of the salad on dinner plates (optional garnish).

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