HOW I DISCOVERED TIGERNUTS

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If you have ever been to Spain, you might be able to relate to what I am talking about when I say I saw “fresh Horchata” signs everywhere on streetsides, only to know this horchata is very different from what you may have come across in a Mexican restaurant. Spanish Horchata is made from chufa, also called tigernut. It is actually one of the oldest cultivated plants. Tigernut grows underground, but has nutty, naturally sweet taste, with crispy texture. I fell in love with chufa horchata and went all around Valencia to buy me some ground up chufa to bring back to the US. Along with the taste, what I love about tigernut, is how nutritious and versatile it is. 

Just 20 dried tigernuts have 5 g  of fiber (20 %RDA), 5% Iron, 7% Vitamin E, 5% Potassium, 4% Magnesium, with only 75 calories and 5 grams of net carbs. 

I eat tigernuts out of the bag as one of my go-to snacks since it really fills me up and it is very tasty. If you have never seen it, look for it in Whole Foods or online. 12 oz bag should be enough for you to snack on for a whole month and cost you about $8.00. I only eat 20 nuts at a time. The only brand I have seen so far in the US is organic Gemini. 

If we were in Spain, we would be able to find tigernuts in half the price. While it may look expensive at first, if you account for all the nutritional value and fact that you can snack at about 50 cents per serving, it is worth giving it a try.

Tigernuts in Recipes:

  • I have used tigernut flour to bake cookies and they come out amazing.
  • I have also used the flour mixed with almond flour to make grain-free grits for my shrimp and grits. Let me tell you, I served this to my friends and they had no idea what it was made from, but they loved it.
  • Another way I have used tigernut flour is as a replacement for my oatmeal. If you use a few tablespoon of tigernut flour with milk of your choice, nuts, berries, and some cinnamon. Cook for a few minutes and now, you have a nutritious breakfast.