Mesquite Flour

Mesquite Flour

Here in the Southwest, some folks still view mesquite as nuisance vegetation to be cleared before its spikes trash a tire. But this small tree, which grows in arid places from South America to Kansas, has been gaining new respect lately, in part because of the many applications of mesquite flour. The flour is the product of grinding mesquite pods—the tree’s beige “fruit,” streaked with red and purple and recalling peapods. In fact, mesquite occupies the Prosopis branch of the larger pea family. Like peas, mesquite fixes nitrogen and gives back nutrients to the soil.

Both the peas and the casing are used, resulting in a high-fiber flour with intriguing flavors, recalling chocolate, cinnamon, caramel, hazelnut and brown sugar. Not surprisingly, mesquite flour is heaven-sent for desserts and breakfast fare, from cookies to pancakes, biscotti to pie crusts. It also lends complexity to savory stews, vegetable sides, meat casseroles, even high-protein smoothies. It can be substituted for wheat flour to produce gluten-free baked goods. Those cooks not needing to avoid gluten completely generally prefer a lighter touch: applying a 1:4 ratio of mesquite to whole wheat flour in baking recipes, while using just a spoonful in other recipes, to avoid overwhelming the dish with mesquite’s prominent flavors.

Mesquite flour may taste sweet, but it has a low glycemic index, making it ideal for diabetics. The high fiber content requires longer processing time inside the body, without the blood sugar spikes associated with refined sweets and carbohydrates. Mesquite flour also has an impressive amount of protein (triple that of whole wheat flour), plus such key minerals as calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium and zinc. In addition, this super-food has abundant disease-busting antioxidants and anti-inflammatory mediators.

We welcome both wholesale and individual buyers. Our mesquite flour is available in bulk, in 2-pound bags.

Organic