Chicken and Vegetables with Buckwheat

Did you know buckwheat is gluten free? The name is certainly misleading in this regard. I decided to toast some in the oven to use as a healthy grain in this casserole sort of chicken, mushroom and zucchini dish.

First, measure out the buckwheat you want to use, on a flat baking sheet. Toast this at 350° for a short time. Maybe 10 minutes, but stay with this, the buckwheat I finally used was my 3rd attempt. The first two went from light to dark and unusable, in no time.

The first photo shows bacon pieces frying. This is sort of an optional incidental. I just happened to be making that to transfer to paper towels, then to containers, just to have in the 'fridge. It sure tastes great as a crunchy topping to many things.

Once the buckwheat is toasted, transfer it to a pot with a lid and cook it like rice, with a buckwheat-to-water-ratio of 1 to 2.

Sauté the mushrooms in a couple tablespoons of the bacon grease until they start to brown. Add zucchini chunks, mix gently, cover and let cook over low-medium heat for several minutes before adding the chopped onion and mini peppers. When everything is crisp-tender, stir 6-8oz. of roasted chicken meat. Serve this with or over the buckwheat. After the first serving, I combined them in a casserole dish. It would travel well and be a unique addition to any potluck.

~ ~ Don't forget the bacon! . .Lin ~ ~