Kernza®: Wheat's More Sustainable Cousin
No offense to bread, rice, or pasta, but I find grains pretty boring. In a world of sweet fruits, aromatic spices, and colorful veggies, the various beige starches all blend easily into the background.
At least they did until this summer, when Dustin of Stone & Sparrow Farm got me interested in the environmental benefits of rye. Then there was the Ecofriends presentation on hemp. One of our customers recommended we look into Kernza. And now, I've become a sustainable-grain enthusiast who is excited to announce we just got our first shipment of Kernza flour, rolled flakes, and noodles!
What is Kernza??
Kernza is a perennial grain developed by The Land Institute in Salina. It's a hybrid crop—not genetically modified. The name is a hybrid as well, a combination of "kernel" and "Konza" that gives a nod to the Konza Prairie and the people who were native to this land.
Kernza is the grain of intermediate wheatgrass, which is related to annual wheat but will grow for years without replanting. I'd never thought about this before, but every other grain we eat is planted annually. That typically means frequent tilling (and topsoil loss) as well as irrigation and the use of fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides. Kernza is designed to be different!
Beause it grows for years, Kernza develops an extensive root system, reaching over 10 feet underground. (The difference from annual wheat is amazing—see below!) That root system prevents runoff and soil erosion, cleans the water, improves soil health, and absorbs water and nutrients better than annual crops, reducing the need for irrigation or fertilizers. Since it grows year-round, the crop can serve as a cover or forage that controls weeds without herbicides. And it creates a habitat for wildlife, including pollinators and other insects, small mammals, birds, and reptiles. Also, the plants continue to absorb carbon from the atmosphere even after they're harvested, sequestering 300-1,000 pounds of carbon per acre in the soil annually.
The downside to Kernza is a much lower crop yield than you'd get with annual wheat. But The Land Institute is working to improve that, and they believe it has the potential to revolutionize our agricultural system.
How do you eat it?
Pretty much like you do any other whole grain. The flour works particularly well in quick breads, scones, and pancakes/waffles. The rolled flakes are an easy substitution for oatmeal. And the egg noodles are sort of like whole wheat linguini, which you can use in Italian or Asian dishes, casseroles, and soups. The taste of Kernza is somewhat oat-y and nutty, with caramel- and graham-like notes. The oats and noodles smell almost sweet, though they don't taste sugary at all.
Kernza grain is related to wheat, so it does contain gluten. But with a higher protein content and less gluten than regular wheat flour, you may need to make adjustments to your bread recipes. See this website and this blog post for resources on cooking with Kernza. Or simply use one of the vetted recipes from the Perennial Pantry website.
If you prefer to drink your grains, you may be interested to know that some of the earliest adopters of Kernza have been brewers. So if you haven't already had a Kernza beer, you're bound to see it on a menu soon!
Since baking still isn't my primary area of culinary interest, I would love to hear your feedback and recipe suggestions as you experiment with Kernza! We can share those notes and ideas with others who are interested in spending some time in the kitchen with wheat's more sustainble cousin!
-Justine
Resources:
Perennial Pantry: Find a Recipe
Baking with Kernza: An In-Depth Analysis and Introduction
Photo Credits:
The Environmental Impact of Kernza®
Is Kernza the Miracle Grain to Help Wisconsin Fight Climate Change?
