This is a really crappy photo but I wanted you to see that I’ve had this for so long the name of it has actually rubbed off! This is a classic example of being in a health food shop in a different city and getting carried away with new ingredients. I knew that amaranth was something every good vegan should own, but then I never got round to using it. You just don’t see it in too many recipes.
Anyway, I don’t have a photo because it was pretty ugly, but I made the amaranth polenta with roasted chillies from Viva Vegan as a way to use it. I made it in the evening but saved it to have it for breakfast. I didn’t fry it, just left it nice and thick and zapped a bowl of it in the microwave and gave it a squirt of lime.
I don’t understand the world wide obsession for porridge in the morning. It’s not nice, too hot to eat if you’re in a rush and never keeps me full the way other people say it does. This was a lovely version and one I really enjoyed eating at breakfast time. The amaranth really lightened up the polenta and the chillies gave it a spicy savoury blast that woke me up. I was full until lunchtime too. I have lots of amaranth left and I definitely intend to make this one again. This was a perfect illustration of my MoFo challenge – forced me to make something I otherwise wouldn’t but which I actually loved.
Have you used amaranth? What did you make?
Cooking the Vegan Books 
amaranth risotto is pretty good. I think Peter Berley has a recipe using a combination of amaranth and one or two other grains. Makes it a little creamier in texture and taste.
very cool! I’m not sure I’ve ever even had amaranth.. but I know for sure that I’ve never bought it. I am so impressed … making your way through the pantry!
You can use amaranth seed for bread making Liz. Great if you are using gluten free flour too.
It makes a sourdough that tastes of meadows when I use it.
Amaranth is so expensive here! I think I have used it twice – to make an amaranth loaf from 1000 Vegan Recipes and also to make the savoury amaranth porridge from Vegan Planet.
I have a ton of amaranth too, I bought it for the granola in Yellow Rose Recipes (I think?) and never used it again. Polenta sounds like a great idea.
Thank you for pointing out that recipe. I have Viva Vegan, but I don’t use it so much. I’ve made a few recipes that were not total successes, which is what I expect from the coauthor of Veganomicon.
I use amaranth sometimes when cooking recipes from Dreena Burton and Jae Steele. I remember doing a pear amaranth crumble that was pretty good. I also add it sometimes when I make bread.