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Tropical Plantain and Mango Buckwheat Cereal

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~ raw, vegan, gluten-free ~

Here is a tropical delight heightened by a topping of diced mango, shredded coconut, a light dusting of ground cinnamon and raw coconut crystals.  I swear that I could feel a tropical breeze whisk through my hair and sand in my socks.

This cereal is extra crispy and not too sweet.  You can increase the sweetness by adding more agave or your favorite sweetener.  But sometimes it is nice just to add it as needed for each individual serving.   I made almond milk that had been lightly sweetened with my vanilla infused agave and let me say that it was a perfect match for this cereal.

I used a plantain in this recipe, but you could substitute it with a banana if you wish.  Did you know that plantains are perfect to use at any stage of ripeness?  Green plantains are starchy like a potato… yellow ones are slightly sweeter and softer… and black ones are at the peak of all sweetness!  The flesh may be yellow or pinkish and are a good source of vitamins  A and C.  When eaten raw they say that you get 10 percent more magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium.

Being new to them, I commonly read that they ought to be steamed, boiled, grilled, fried or baked… nowhere did it state that you can’t dehydrate them!  A lot of resources state that they shouldn’t be eaten raw, but on further investigation, I learned that they are referring to the plantain when it is in the green stage.   They can be bitter, starchy and best enjoyed cooked when green.  But if you allow them to ripen to a nice black color on the skin, you will have a sweet fruit that can be thoroughly enjoyed.

If you need your plantain to ripen before using be ready for an exercise in patience.  There is a special technique in ripping plantains… you set them on the counter to sit, sit, sit, and sit, and then sit some more until the peels are completely black and wrinkly.  You can occasionally poke them, but don’t take out your impatient frustration on the poor things and poke them too much because you’ll end up bruising the flesh and cause them to ferment.   Then all your valiant precious time of patience will be for nothing.   Just to share with you that I am not joking here, know this… Bananas go from very green to ripe in about 7 to 11 days, depending on temperature and other factors.   Plantains, on the other hand, can take as long as three or four weeks to become completely ripe.

Ingredients:

Yields 5 cups dry cereal

Preparation:

  1. Soak the buckwheat in 3 cups of water for at least 30 minutes.  Don’t soak overnight.  Buckwheat absorbs liquids, and if left to long, it can start to spoil.  Once done soaking, drain and discard the soak water.  Rinse the buckwheat for about 5 minutes or until the water runs clear.  If there is mucilage still dripping from the colander, keep rinsing.   Add to a medium sized bowl.
  2. In the blender, combine the mango (remove skin and seed), peeled plantain, agave, vanilla, and cinnamon.  Blend until smooth.  This came to 2 1/2 cups of puree for me.  So you might have to add more of the fruits to reach that, depends on the size of the fruit.
  3. Pour into the bowl with the buckwheat and add shredded coconut and stir everything together.
  4. Spread about 1 1/2 cups worth of batter on each teflex sheet that comes with the dehydrator.  If you don’t have these, use parchment paper, but no wax paper.
  5. Dry at 145 degrees for 1 hour, then reduce to 115 degrees (F) for about 6-8 hours or until completely dry.
  6. Store in an airtight container for several weeks or in the freezer for 2-3 months

Culinary Explanations:

30 thoughts on “Tropical Plantain and Mango Buckwheat Cereal

  1. Jan Ogden says:

    I’m going down to make this right now… I’m on a 10 day detox right now and the last five days it’s raw foods…. It looks delicious!!

    Thanks again for your wonderful recipes!!

    Hugs, Jan

    • amie-sue says:

      Good evening Jan… just heading off to bed but wanted to cheer you on, on your 10 day detox! Be sure to get plenty of rest and pamper yourself through the process! Blessings, amie sue

  2. Kathy says:

    This recipe sounds so delicious.Thank you for sharing your expertise on the Plantain, very helpful information…you made me chuckle when you said to make sure we don’t become overly zealous when checking for ripeness:) I never knew by over handling them it would cause them to begin to ferment. WOW! Your beautiful recipe is going to be awesome and has the vibe of tropical Summer fun written all over it! YEAY!

    • amie-sue says:

      I just leaning about the foods we eat, I get so excited… so much to learn, so much to learn. hehe Enjoy and keep me posted if you try the recipe. Have a wonderful evening, amie sue

  3. Veronica says:

    Hi Amie-Sue,

    This recipe is just what I have been looking for! Thank you!

  4. Elaine says:

    Yummy….I will most definitely make this soon!! Thanks!!

  5. mari says:

    Sounds to good to be true! I will try the buckwheat a try in the passed it did not set will for me. I plan to soak it for 30 minutes and see if affects me. Before doing your Yummy recipe wish me luck!

  6. Veronica says:

    Oh, I forgot my question! I have already soaked and dehydrated my buckwheats. Do you think I should re-soak them for about 20 min before combining with the puree?

    • amie-sue says:

      Hello Veronica,

      I think that I would, just to get that moisture in there. It will cause them to swell and help them to blend a bit better. :) Enjoy! amie sue

  7. mirna says:

    Do you know if dehydrating buckwheat make it more digestible or maybe I should compare between dehydrating and sprouting also? thank you so much:)

    • amie-sue says:

      Hello Mirna,

      Sprouting is the key for unlocking the buckwheats nutrients so it can be better digested. Not necessarily the drying part. As long as you soak and rinse it, you should be ok to enjoy it wet or dry… but only your body can confirm that for sure. We are all so different. Have a great evening, amie sue

  8. Cathie says:

    Hi
    Can I make these recipes without a dehydrator, and use my oven? What temp should my oven be at and for how long?
    Thanks

    • amie-sue says:

      You can try Cathie. I haven’t tried baking any of my raw recipes in the oven. It won’t be raw any longer, so just be aware of that. I would put the oven on the lowest temp and then just keep an eye on it… most likely flipping it 1/2 way through the process. Good luck, amie sue

  9. Rose says:

    I am confused about the part where you dehydrate for one hour at 145 degrees. I have always been told that heating the food above 118 degrees kills the beneficial enzymes and is no longer considered “raw”. Am I missing something?

  10. Catherine says:

    Since using green or yellow plantains gives a very different results, you should specify which one to use for this recipe! I tried with a green, and the texture was good but the taste a little bland… maybe it would have been sweeter with a yellow plantain? I will add date paste and ginger next time!

    • amie-sue says:

      I updated the recipe. I used a ripe (blackened) plantain. Have a great day, amie sue

      • Catherine says:

        thanks Amy, it was good anyway with my young coconut yogourt. After such a long and cold winter, I felt like having a tropical meal :)

        I wish you good luck with your company!
        I am jealous of the plentiness of fresh fruits you have access too!

        • amie-sue says:

          Thank you Catherine. :) I love being surrounded by all the fresh fruit too. Bob and I took a walk through our orchard today and I spotted little pink flowers on the peach tree… I squealed with delight and grab a few photos of them. hehe

          Many blessings and enjoy the Spring! amie sue

  11. Daniel says:

    I made these last night and had them for breakfast- amazing! I havent had cereal in so long as I am intolerant to corn, soy and gluten. I didnt have mango so I used strawberry and added some baobab powder and wow! I will definitely be making these again

    • amie-sue says:

      For many cereal isn’t a big issue. When I stopped gluten over 8 years ago, I really missed it. It is tied to a lot of fun childhood memories. So happy that you found “your cereal”! Thank you so much for sharing. Have a blessed day, amie sue

  12. preeti says:

    Hi ….absolutely loving your recipes…gonna try this one. Does turn out as crunchy as the banana nut brittle?

  13. preeti says:

    Hi…Can buckwheat be substituted with Flaxmeal?
    Cant wait to make this!!

    • amie-sue says:

      Personally, I wouldn’t Preeti… but you can always experiment. They both taste differently and have different textures. Have a great evening, amie sue

  14. preeti says:

    Hi Amie

    Love your recipes!! Does adding mango reduce the crunchiness? How do I make this into a sort of Brittle?

    • amie-sue says:

      Hello Preeti,

      And dried fuit when not pureed can give a recipes such as this a chewier texture. If you want to make it a brittle like the other one that you commented on… just break the complete batter down in a food processor and spread into a sheet on the dehydrator tray. amie sue :)

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