The ins and outs of Tigernuts

Tigernuts!!!  They're exploding all over cyberspace and the instagram community.
What gives?

Tigernuts are not tiger's you-know-what's and are not nuts.  They are a gluten free, grain free food know as "tubers." When we were cavemen and women, our diet allegedly consisted of a large amount of these.  One of the reasons that they are a super-food is that they are a resistant starch which the bacteria in our gut enjoys feeding on.  I'm still trying to find a reputable website to learn more about Tigernuts, but in the meanwhile check out this.

I've been exploring how my body responds to Tigernuts.  I definitely find them easier to chew and digest better when I soak them.  I hesitate to eat too many, for fear of some kind of bloating effect, but so far so good.  Since I haven't been eating nuts and they are kinda similar to nuts, they've been a nice replacement.  The exciting thing about Tigernuts is that they can be made into a flour.  I found this brand.  Now, my warning is that the flour is pretty gritty.  I used it to make a molasses cookies and found it sandy-like.  My favorite recipes thus far have been macaroons and scones, which I'll discuss below.  Next up, I'd like to try to make Tigernut milk!

Horchata de Chufas

Horchata de Chufas

Horchata de Chufas

• For the macaroons, I modified a recipe from Mommypotamus.  Before I found out I have a mild allergy/sensitivity to almond flour, I used to make these non-stop.  Using the tigernut flour to replace the almond flour created a delicious AIP version (I used the same amount as the almond flour, 3/4 cup.)  I had to cook them a little bit longer than the original recipe, to ensure they turned a golden brown.  My very pregnant friend devoured them and could not believe she was eating something called tigernuts, that were also gluten free and processed sugar free.  She begged me for the recipe.  I did not find these gritty in texture at all.

• For fabulous scones, I chose a sugar free recipe from Wholelifefullsoul. I sadly didn't have baking lavender, so I added the zest of one lemon.  These were really lovely, although mine looked nothing like the beautiful pictures on the blog.  I found them a teeny bit on the gritty side (from the tigernut flour) and had to make sure I ate with a warm cup of tea at the ready.  (Roobis is my ultimate teatime fave!) I look forward to making them again (since posting this, I've made them twice).  They also freeze nicely, so that I could defrost a breakfast treat later on in the week.