Teff, “A 2023 Climate Hero Ingredient” NYT

Ever since I starting teaching cooking classes over 25 years ago, teff is on the menu.

African Peanut Stew, my (2018) recipe developed for the Teff Company features African spices: fenugreek, allspice, coriander and cayenne fried with lentils and teff.

Besides introducing students to cooking with naturally sweet teff grain, fenugreek is generally a new ingredient to add to their spice rack. Teff and fenugreek both lower blood sugar, and make delicious food as medicine. 

Seasonal winter roots parsnips and carrots add to the stew. Tomatoes, peanut butter and cilantro flavor pack the dish. 

And for dessert, for another private hands on cooking classes on zoom, I taught my recipe for Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Also, my original version of this recipe from 1990 adopted well to me “going wild” in my kitchen swapping pecan oil for canola oil. Varying the amounts of oil to maple syrup, for infinite variations on the Classic Gluten Free Cookie.

Since 1990, I have been developing recipes with teff flour and teff grain for the Teff Company. And my original recipe for Peanut Butter Cookies was on Bob Red Mills packages of teff flour for decades.

I like to say that teff was love at first bite.

Teff is an ancient grain with a slightly chocolatey flavor. Must be what attracted me. Plus, it’s high in fiber, iron, calcium, potassium among other minerals and vitamins. Perfect for athletes. And it is gluten free.

Imagination elevates teff into high cuisine.

Versatile, teff is one of my favorite whole grains to use in sweet and savory dishes. You can simmer the whole grain in porridges. Fry it with spices and legumes for flavorful stews, veggie loafs, and croquettes.

With teff flour, you can bake pies, cookies, cakes, quiches, veggie pot pies, and scones. Brunch waffles and pancakes are also terrific with berries, bananas, and/or chocolate chips.

In my classes, I hope to inspire you to mix and match:

• Teff whole grain and teff flour.
• Create sumptuous vegetarian, vegan, plant based and gluten free dishes.
• All year round, cook with a variety of seasonal vegetables and fruits, herbs and spices.
• And Much More

Photos by Tracey Eller

“TO CELEBRATE FOOD WHILE GETTING HEALTHY, LESLIE CERIER IS YOUR GUIDE,” DR MARK HYMAN

Leslie Cerier, The Organic Gourmet

Renowned Chef & Author
Classes~Recipes~Speaker
Gourmet Getaway Retreats

Vegetarian Cooking From the Heart