A question for the group:

Would amaranth be considered paleo?  (Don't all yawn at once....)

I was at my local farmers market, and someone was selling amaranth leaves,
which he said were used in Africa and some Asian countries.  They were very
delicous, kind of nutty flavored.  ALmost looked like a large begonia or
perilla leaf. O.K., so those are paleo cause they can  be used in
salad.......

But what about the seeds?  I got some from my health co-op, and apparantly
its not a grain. Cooks up like chewy porridge, low in gluten, high in iron
and protein.  I think one could eat it raw, although it would probably pass
right through the gut because its so tiny...  It was really tasty cooked,
tho...

Then, I also roasted up some chestnuts.  I assume they are on the O.K. list,
but really, folks, they are not edible raw.  So, I am a bit confused by the
paleo restriction of "edible raw".  Many nuts and seeds COULD be eaten raw
if you had no other choice, but why would you want to make yourself sick by
doing so?  Many  aboriginals knew to cook or roast or soak their seeds to
make them more digestible.

But back to amaranth.  We have a noxious weed in our area called pigweed or
red root.  It literally takes over the garden.  Years ago, I recall someone
telling me that it was also called amaranth.  It would produce a bushy red
seed head at maturity.  I assume that is where all the tiny amaranth seeds
were located.  I imagine if one were to collect those heads, and shake them,
voila, amaranth seeds!!!  So why wouldn't it be paleo?

I guess I am going in circles here, so could  someone out there help me stop
spinning...

Thanks,

Judy Genova, cavegirl who just finished reading book one of Clan of the Cave
Bear (thanks Rachel) and wonders what "porridge" the members of the clan
were actually eating in one breakfast scene ....... the author doesn't go
into detail!


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