Mesquite: Heritage Food Spotlight

The Pharm Table kitchen strives to utilize heritage foods and superfoods.

This week's superfood spotlight falls on mesquite.

Mesquite, native to Texas, is a pre-colonial heritage food that was often foraged by Native Americans. The mesquite tree is drought resistant, and provides both shade and food to livestock animals as well as a habitat for important pollinators like bees and butterflies.

Although mesquite wood and charcoal are it's most commercialized byproducts,

mesquite has many culinary uses. Mesquite beans can be used in brewing beer, making jelly and caffeine-free coffee. When milled, it makes a great gluten-free flour with a nutty, sweet flavor that can be used in bread, cookies and other desserts, like our mesquite pecan cheesecake and mesquite chocolate chip cookies!

Mesquite has a low glycemic index, plentiful in natural sugar, protein and fiber. It is also rich in minerals like iron, calcium, magnesium and zinc.

Consider introducing more mesquite into your diet. It's a nutritional heritage superfood that's perfect for any gluten-free recipe!