I asked the attendees of the Whole Grains Day lunch and learn what new whole grain they were going to include in a meal at home.The results were diverse to include eleven different grains and 4 varieties of wheat.
Whole grains on the list include sorghum, teff, millet, corn, oats, quinoa, rice, rye, buckwheat, barley and wheat. Wheat varieties chosen were whole wheat, einkorn, farro and bulgur.
What would they make? Breads, salads, pilafs, desserts, cereals, gluten containing doughs, gluten free batter breads, pancakes and grain bowls. Specific dishes include pizza dough, Greek sorghum salad, rice pudding, cornmeal mush, buckwheat cakes, pilafs made with bulgur, farro and quinoa.
Local grains were chosen, including buckwheat, corn and wheat.
C4 grains sorghum, teff, corn and millet were all named.
Though no one chose amaranth, the other grains which qualify as complete proteins-buckwheat and quinoa, were named.
Was my goal to entice participants to find one new whole grain to include in meals at home achieved? I think so. Perhaps most importantly was the diversity of grains chosen-good for the gut and good for the land.
While one participant said she'd like to plant Kernza grain (as an ornamental plant), no one said they were going to buy it.
My favorite survey comment was from a soon-to-graduate Dietetic Intern who said she planned to grow quinoa, oats, native corn and einkorn wheat on the acres of land she owns back home in Pennsylvania.
The winner of the survey drawing (for a Sue Becker cookbook) purchased einkorn wheat flour for baking at home. Today I modified the Einkorn Banana Bread I made for the event to utilize my sourdough starter. I decreased the einkorn flour to 1 cup 5 Tablespoon, decreased the bananas to 294 grams and added the sourdough discard (about 1/2 cup) with the bananas. That worked just fine.
Next year I hope to make 2 salads instead of a salad and soup. (Reheating a soup in the space provided is not easy). I'll include a bread or dessert on the menu as well).
