Healthy Eating Group
Kelli Jasper
December 5, 2013
Beyond Brown Rice:
Fun, Easy and Tasty
Ways to Expand Your Whole-Grain Horizons
The world of grains
is full of wonders! Grains we’ll focus
on:
-
The wheat family : whole versions like wheat
berries, spelt, farro (emmer), and kamut; and cracked versions like bulgur and cracked wheat. Oh, and some that are similar to wheat,
namely rye.
-
The rice family: long grains are fluffier, short
grains are stickier. Some favorites of
mine include basmati brown, and Chinese black (aka “forbidden rice,” which
looks and tastes as awesome as it sounds).
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Oats: rolled, steel cut, and whole oat groats
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Corn: comes in lots of forms, but we’ll
specifically talk about ground corn, a.k.a. polenta or grits.
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Pseudograins: buckwheat, quinoa, amaranth
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Other fun ones: millet, sorghum, teff
Why bother with whole
grains, and why bother with many varieties of them?
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They are FAR more nutritious than their refined
counterparts.
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They’re interesting, fun, and flavorful…eating
only one kind is like painting with only one color!
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They offer many different qualities and texture
(creamy, bouncy, nubbly, chewy, crunchy)…and many flavors (nutty, grassy,
buttery). Part of the process is
learning to love them for their individual qualities—In other words, it’s a lot
easier to love them when you don’t expect them to be like white rice. J
What might be holding
us back?
-
Not knowing where to find them, what to do with
them, whether we will like them, or whether they will be a waste of time and
money as we learn to cook effectively with them…we’ll try to address some of
these worries here!
How to begin
expanding your horizons:
-
Do it little by little, and have fun with it! I love cruising bulk bins at natural foods
stores (like Lucky’s Market and Whole Foods)for this reason… you can buy just a
little of whatever new grain looks interesting or happens to be on sale, then
come home and start experimenting with it.
Packaged grains are great too, as long as they are from reputable
sources…keep an eye on the grains section wherever you shop (it might be in the
“Natural Foods” section, and be aware that there might be entirely different
locations for different grains) and occasionally decide to try something new to
you. Bob’s Red Mill offers a really wide
variety of products , and Lundberg has lots of different kinds of rices.
-
Especially try out some of the quick-cooking
ones – like quinoa, bulgur, and millet.
You might be more likely to try them if you can have them ready for
dinner in half an hour. (Keep in mind, though, that many of the grains that
take longer to cook also freeze and reheat really well, which is even faster!)
-
Learn a few basic dishes you can make with your
grains—for example, a salad for big chewy grains, a soft potato-like mash for
smaller or coarse-ground grains, a risotto or gratin for sticky grains, a
fluffy side-dish for grains that fluff up like rice or couscous. Once you have these dishes in mind, you’ll
feel more confident swapping different varieties of grains in and out.
-
Pick a few favorite grains to incorporate
regularly…you can see my own list of favorites at the end of the post.
What to look for when
you shop:
Make sure the grain is whole and fresh. If it’s in a bulk bin, smell it—avoid any
that smell greasy or musty. If the
grains are pearled (as is usually the case with barley and farro), look closely
at the grains and make sure you can still see a good portion of the bran on the
grains (some are pearled so much that they aren’t really different from refined
grains). Corn is the trickiest to tell
if it’s whole—generally “stone-ground”
varieties are, and once that say “degerminated” are not, but a visual check for
dark specks is your safest sign—the black specks are a good thing.
Where to buy them
The best way to make this happen in your life is obviously
to start with whatever you can find at the store where you usually shop! Big places like Kroger, Giant Eagle, Meijer
and even Costco all offer some options, especially if they have “natural foods”
sections. Trader Joe’s has some too,
including a quick-cooking farro. For the
best selection, though, check out an actual natural foods store:
Lucky’s Market (on High Street, a few blocks north of OSU
campus)
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In bulk: amaranth, millet, buckwheat, spelt
berries, wheat berries, quinoa, rolled oats, steel-cut oats, brown basmati
rice, long-grain brown rice, Madagascar pink rice,Chinese black rice, wild rice
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In packages: teff, rolled grain mixes, puffed
grains (including Kamut), various kinds of rices
Whole Foods
-
In bulk:
Wow, SO many varieties! Even if
you never shop here (like me), it’s worth a field trip to the bulk bins just
for fun. And really, prices in the bulk
bins are pretty comparable to other places I’ve looked. This is where I finally tracked down farro,
rye, and oat groats.
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In packages: this is where I found Sorghum, from
Bob’s Red Mill—and again, I was pleasantly surprised by the prices.
How to store them
-
airtight, dark, and cool (not necessarily the
refrigerator, but cycle through your stash)
How to cook them
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On the most basic level, all grains just require
reconstituting—so you can simmer them, steam them, and in some cases even just
soak them until they are tender! There
are ways to get fancy, like pre-toasting, or giving an initial fry in hot oil
or butter, but you can worry about those once you’re really feeling adventurous. The only trick I use regularly is to cook
them in chicken or vegetable broth—just remember that the water reduces, so
you’ll want to go half-strength or your dish will end up too salty.
-
For larger, long-cooking grains, get in the
habit of cooking more than you need, then freezing leftovers. Frozen grains make it super fast to put a
meal together!
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Rolled grains of any kind can be soaked
overnight in the refrigerator and eaten uncooked the next morning. I prefer this to cooked oatmeal in the
summertime! You can use any liquid you
want—cow’s milk, non-dairy milks, even orange juice—jazz it up with whatever
you’d normally add to muesli.
What to do with them
once they’re cooked
I find it helpful to think of grains in terms of their
textures. Some are chewy like pasta, some
soft like mashed potatoes, some fluffy like couscous, some dense like stuffing…
and when you start thinking of grains this way, it might lend you some inspiration
for how you want to prepare them. Here
are a few suggestions:
-
A warm or cold salad (akin to a pasta salad):
This works well with larger, chewier grains like barley or wheat berries, but
also with medium-sized ones like quinoa and bulgur. Mix your cooked grain with some roasted
vegetables, or raw crunchy vegetables, or tasty fruit (fresh or dried), or
nuts, or beans, or herbs, maybe some cheese, and a dressing. For example, try oat groats with roasted
sweet potatoes, black beans, red pepper, cilantro, and a chipotle-lime dressing.
-
A savory mush (like mashed potatoes): this works
well for small grains and cracked or ground grains…corn grits, amaranth, teff,
cracked wheat, and millet are good candidates.
Cook as you would for porridge, but to the stage when the water starts
to evaporate and the grain starts to thicken.
Season as you like.
-
Pilafs, gratins, and risottos (like stuffing,
maybe?). These are heavier dishes with the veggies or condiments cooked right
in, and they tend to be rich and decadent.
Barley, Farro, and wild rice work well here (short-grained rices tend to
be stickier).
-
Fluffy side-dishes (akin to white rice or
couscous): quinoa, millet, and long-grain brown rices work well for this.
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Try adding grains to soups! Big ones like rices and barley work great for
adding texture, and smaller ones like teff and amaranth add body.
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Griddlecakes and polenta-style cakes – almost
any grain, big or small, can be turned into either a batter or a patty and pan-fried. And who doesn’t like fried things?
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Crusts for sweet or savory tarts—moist grain
mushes like corn polenta can be used as a crust simply by cooking them to the
point where they’ve absorbed enough water to start holding a shape, and then
pressing them into your greased pie dish. They will generally be thicker than a
pie crust, which is part of the appeal. I
love spinach quiche in a cornmeal polenta crust.
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Puddings and other desserts: try subbing a
different grain for the rice in your rice pudding!
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Porridges, obviously. The ultimate comfort food.
Kelli’s go-to grains:
My pantry staples:
-
Quinoa (the closest thing to white rice in terms
of texture, taste, and cooking-time.
Plus, it’s a complete protein and super nutritious!)
-
Bulgur and Millet (quick-cooking, fluffy, and
versatile for salads and pilafs.)
-
Pearled Barley (my go-to big, chewy grain. I like the flavor and texture better than
wheat berries, and it’s a lot like farro but much cheaper. Look for gentle
pearling; a good portion of the bran should still remain.)
-
Various rices including basmati brown, Chinese
black, and wild rice mix
-
Oats (rolled and steel-cut) for porridge,
cookies, crusts, etc.
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Corn (coarse-ground grits/polenta for mush,
baked or friend polenta squares, and tart crusts)
My top choices for branching out:
-
Sorghum (I find the texture really fun—almost
like pearl coucous or frogeye pasta)
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Farro (it’s trendy and rather expensive, but it’s
also tasty and quick to cook.)
-
Kamut (the biggest grain, with really nice
flavor and texture. Fun for salads!
-
Teff (the smallest grain, and it makes yummy
porridge and a fun addition to pancakes)
-
Amaranth (teeny, with a unique flavor and really
fun texture like beluga caviar)
-
Rye (I was surprised how much l liked this! It’s similar to wheat berries, but I liked it
more.)
Recommended for
further reading
-
Whole
Grains: Every Day, Every Way, by
Lorna Sass
-
Whole
Grains for a New Generation, by Liana Krissoff
How
to Cook Everything Vegetarian,
by Mark Bittman |
1
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Wheat berries
(Hard red)
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1
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The most common
grain consumed in the United States. Contains many vitamins and minerals,
including B6 and E, magnesium, niacin, folacin, thiamin, manganese, iron, and
zinc.
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2
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Farro (emmer)
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2
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Almost always
sold “semi-pearled,” so some of the bran has been removed. Similar to spelt, but not the same. Quicker cooking than other members of the
wheat family, and starchy so that it works well in risotto-like dishes.
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3
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Spelt
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3
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Ancient relative
of wheat that contains considerably less gluten; some people with gluten
sensitivities can tolerate it.
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4
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Kamut
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4
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Ancient relative of
wheat, supposedly revived from thirty-six grains found in an Egyptian
tomb. Now trademarked by a Montana
farmer named Bob Quinn. Boasts more
protein and vitamins and minerals than common wheat. The largest grains in the wheat family.
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5
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Oats
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5
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Readily available
in many forms—rolled, steel-cut, pinhead, or whole groats (as shown here)—all
of which are whole grain. Gluten-free,
if not processed near wheat products. Higher
in protein than wheat, and contains B vitamins and high levels of soluble and
insoluble fiber.
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6
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Rye
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6
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Similar in taste
and texture to wheat, but higher in protein, phosphorus, iron, potassium, and
B vitamins.
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7
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Sorghum
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7
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Popular in India
and Africa; gluten free; can be popped like popcorn or boiled like rice. Excellent source of phosphorus and
potassium.
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8
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Millet
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8
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Before rice came
to dominate, this was the staple grain of China. Conatins several important nutrients,
including magnesium, phosphorus, and vitamin B3 (niacin).
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9
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Teff
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9
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The smallest
grain in the world; the staple grain of Ethiopia. A complete protein, and
also high in fiber, calcium, phosphorus, iron, copper, and other
minerals. Ethiopian athletes credit
this grain for their stamina and prowess.
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10
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Amaranth
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10
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Actually a
pseudograin (it’s a seed, not a grain) native to the Americas and highly
prized by the Incas and Aztecs. A
complete protein , high in lysine. Also gluten-free.
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11
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Buckwheat
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11
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A gluten-free
pseudograin, in the knotweed family (i.e. it’s a relative of rhubarb). A complete protein. High in magnesium, iron,
phosphorus, and vitamins B and E. Most
people encounter this grain in its flour form.
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12
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Barley
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12
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Usually sold as
“pearled” which means it’s missing some of the bran; if you want true
whole-grain, buy it “hulled.” Very
high in fiber, and low on the glycemic index.
Also high in amylopectin, which makes it a good candidate for
risotto-like dishes.
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13
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Quinoa
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13
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Ancient
pseudograin native to the Andes. A
well-balanced complete protein with high levels of calcium, phosphorus, and
iron. Seeds are coated with a
bitter-tasting saponin; rinse before
cooking.
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14
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Corn (Polenta)
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14
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Native to the
Americas. Traditionally soaked in a
lime solution to make all of its nutrients available to the body (a process
called nixtamalization); some forms still use this process today, but many
forms do not. Compared to other grains
it is not as good a source of nutrition, but it does have high levels of
vitamin A and B1 (thiamin).
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15
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Whole-grain rice
blend
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15
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A blend of many
types of this whole grain…look closely to notice the many different shapes,
sizes, and colors. Read about some of
these varieties in the books on the table.
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16
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Chinese Black
Rice
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16
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Also known as
“Forbidden Rice,” this showstopper is
becoming easier to find in natural foods groceries, but is generally
available at Asian markets. Super
yummy and it looks so awesome on a plate!
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17
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Basmati Brown
Rice
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17
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This variety of
brown rice is a favorite for transitioning to whole grains because its bran
is thinner, making it feel less bulky and (a little bit) closer to the
experience of eating white rice.
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18
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Bulgur
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18
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Whole wheat that has
been partially cooked, dried, and broken into pieces. Used widely in the middle east.
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