Kamut: A New Grain

A few weeks ago, I came across a package of Kamut and bought it on impulse. I had read about the grain but hadn’t experienced it.

Kamut is an ancient grain, but it has seen little use in America. It is a relative of durum wheat, but has “two to three times the size of common wheat with 20–40% more protein, higher in lipids, amino acids, vitamins and minerals, and a "sweet" alternative for all products that now use common wheat” (Purdue University). It can basically be substituted for whole wheat in recipes.

For local people, I bought a puffed variety at Buehler’s (I haven’t found this yet in flour form anywhere) and made trail mix with the recipe on the back of the package. There is ½ cup of maple syrup called for, but I always put just a smidge less than the recipe calls for to wean my family off the sugary taste. It was a big hit.

Recipe: Cran-Kamut Trail Mix

3 cups Arrowhead Mills Puffed Kamut Cereal 

1/3 cup chopped pecans, or other nuts

½ cup dried cranberries

1/3 cups sunflower seeds

½ tsp ground ginger

1 tsp cinnamon

2 tbsp Safflower Margarine (I used olive oil interchangeably here)

1 tsp vanilla

½ cup maple syrup

Preheat oven to 350. Mix first four ingredients together in large bowl. In small saucepan, melt margarine and add remaining ingredients. Simmer for 3-5 minutes, and pour over cereal mixture, stirring immediately to coat well. Spread on lightly oiled cookie sheet and bake for 7-10 minutes. Let cool before eating.

My girls love anything with cinnamon in it, so I increased this to 1 ½ tsp. Having kids help with recipes always increases interest in our house, so Lourdes helped with this one. It was actually fun. They loved the trail mix and I have made it since. It’s great for lunch with a fruit or a snack.

Consider trying a new grain, like Kamut, or whatever you can find in your grocery store. Trader Joe’s has a lot of interesting grains, and the Food Dock or Flour Barrel (in Ashland, Ohio) has a few different ones also. Share your stories!