Connect With Whole Grains

 

There is no better way to connect with whole grains than cooking and grinding at home. I know what the seed looks like, where it grows and how it is harvested. I know where to buy the seeds. I’ve made many things with each. I’ve cooked most whole grains, then ground to make into breads, pasta and sides. Perhaps the best connection I’ve made is with the farmer who grows them.

In 2007, the cafeteria I managed received a whole grains award for healthcare. Retired now for 10 years, I cook and ground most whole grains to create a nutrient dense recipe. Diversity of grains and nutrients is my challenge.

Next year marks my 50th year Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ membership. While the health care community has done a good job encouraging a variety of fruits and vegetables in diets, I’m sorry to say that the same cannot be said with whole grains. In the early 1970’s, I promoted whole grains crackers as a choice whole grain. Then the push was cold cereals containing whole grains and later oatmeal. On into the 21st century rice was encouraged in recipes (hope it was brown!) I was happy when the popularity of quinoa brought down the consumer price significantly. Yet there are many more gluten free and gluten containing whole grains to choose. The lack of choices in the individual dietitian’s toolbox astounds me. After 50 years, has this contributed to the existing autoimmune diseases?

Every week, I try something new in a recipe, usually inclusive of whole grains. Here’s a recent recipe. It was really good the first day, not so thereafter. Next time, I’ll make less and perhaps strain the yogurt.

Barley Muesli 

(4 cups)

Boil water. Add grain, reduce heat and simmer until barley is tender and slightly chewy. This can take up to 1 hour. You may need to add water to continue cooking. 

1 cup hulled barley 

3 cups water

Drain.

Whisk together spice, milk and yogurt. Stir in barley, apples, dates and seeds.

1 1/4 cups nonfat milk

1 1/4 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt 

3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

2 unpeeled apples, grated 

1/4 cup diced dates

1 Tablespoon sunflower seeds

Garnish with colorful fruit. 

Ezekiel Cookies

Ezekiel flour is a complete protein mix of four grains and four beans. The Biblical prophet Ezekiel was able to survive for almost a year on this bread and water.

Ezekiel Flour

(Makes 2 1/4 cups)

1 cup 2 tablespoon whole wheat flour

1/2 cup 2 tablespoon spelt flour

2 tablespoons barley flour

2 tablespoon bean flour 

2 tablespoons millet, ground in a spice mill or seed grinder

2 tablespoon lentils, ground in a spice mill or seed grinder

 

This flour mix is good in batter breads, muffin and cookie recipes. The flour has less gluten than all wheat flours and does not hold its shape well without the pan. Use the paddle blade of the mixer and do not kneed as long as an all wheat dough.

 

Ezekiel Cookies

(28 Cookies) 

Combine flour, oats, flaxseed meal, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

1 1/4 cup Ezekiel flour

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/4 cup flaxseed meal

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon salt

In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugars. Add egg and vanilla and beat well.

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Add flour mixture to butter mixture 1 cup at a time, mixing after each addition. Add coconut and chocolate chips. Stir until just combined.

3/4 cup unsweetened coconut

3/4 cup dark chocolate chips (60% cacao)

Drop by tablespoonful onto ungreased or parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake at 350F for 10-12 minutes. Let cool on baking sheet 1-2 minutes, then transfer to a wired rack to cool further.

 

Strike Gold with Amaranth

 

Pancakes do not require gluten for structure. There are many recipes for these made with gluten free whole grain flours, amaranth, buckwheat, quinoa, teff, oat and brown rice pancakes. There are also recipes for pancakes made with whole grain wheat flours Kamut and spelt. For the most nutrients avoid the recipes or mixes made with potato starch, tapioca starch, cornstarch and white rice flour. Gluten free flour mixes are often made with large amounts of these starches.

Amaranth flour, ground from tiny seeds of the amaranth plant, is whole grain with high levels of the complete protein lysine. 

Amaranth Pancakes

18-2 1/2 inch pancakes (1 Tablespoon batter each)

In a bowl, mix flour, salt, baking powder and sugar.
3/4 cup amaranth flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoon sugar

Beat eggs into milk.  Add fat.
2 eggs
1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoon skim milk
1 Tablespoon melted butter or oil

Pour liquids into dry. Mix only until flour is not visible.

Allow batter to sit for 5-30 minutes.

Heat skillet over medium heat. Brush grill with butter. Scoop 1 Tablespoon batter onto skillet. Grill until bubbles form across the surface of the pancake. Turn and heat the other side until brown.

Serve with fruit, an egg or local maple syrup.

To make bigger batches, double or triple and freeze leftovers. Serve versatile pancakes for breakfast, lunch or dinner. 

Try a Teff Parfait for Breakfast

 

A simple parfait with layers of yogurt, cooked whole grain and fruit is a great place to try a new whole grain. Have you tried Teff? Teff is a tiny grain, similar to quinoa, smaller so it cooks in a short amount of time. What intrigued me about Teff is its dark brown color and sweet malty taste.  Teff pairs well with cocoa.

Teff has twice the iron of other grains and three times the calcium. It is part of a class of C4 grains with reduced environmental impact. Teff is more nitrogen efficient and more water efficient. A handful of the tiny seeds can produce a whole field of grain.

Here’s how I made this festive parfait:

Teff Parfait 

Teff sauce

( 2 servings)

2 Tablespoon Teff grain

4 Tablespoon water

On stovetop, bring Teff and water to a boil. Lower heat and simmer 10 minutes.

Add cocoa, figs, honey and cloves. Simmer 5 minutes.

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa

2 Tablespoon diced figs

1 teaspoon honey

2 cloves

Remove cloves.

Refrigerate overnight.

Fresh cranberries in juice

(1 1/2 cups)

I make a bigger batch of this to serve on ice cream, alone, and in smoothies

10 ounce fresh cranberries

3 ounce water 

3 ounce orange juice

6 tablespoon sugar

On stovetop, bring berries, water, juice and sugar to a boil. Lower heat and simmer 15 minutes.

To assemble parfait

2 tablespoon Greek yogurt, plain, nonfat

2 tablespoon Teff sauce

1 tablespoon cranberries in juice

2 tablespoon Greek yogurt, plain, nonfat

1 tablespoon Teff sauce

1 tablespoon cranberries 

 

To assemble these the night before class, I strained the yogurt. 

Fire Roasted Freekah Adds Flavor to Salads

 

The harvesting of this spring wheat is fascinating. The wheat is picked green and set on fire where only the straw and chaff burn. The grain is threshed and dried, then cracked similar to bulgur but with a distinctive smoky flavor. Here’s how I cooked it to maintain that savory flavor.

Freekeh

(1/2 cup)

Soak 1/4 cup freekah in tap water 10-15 minutes. Drain.

Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil on stovetop. Add grain. Sauté in oil 1 minute. Add 1/8 teaspoon salt. Add 1/4 cup boiling water. Lower heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes. (Keep an eye on the pan in case you need to add more boiling water.)

Because I wanted to maintain the distinctive flavor of the grain, I placed the dressing in the bottom of the salad, added layers of fresh produce, grain, then finished with lettuce. To eat, I turned the salad onto a plate.

The dressing per 1 salad has 2 teaspoon pomegranate molasses and 2 teaspoon lemon juice. Drizzle olive oil as desired.

Diversify Your Grains with Millet

 

Millet may be that little yellow seed in birdseed, but it’s also a human whole grain perfect in hot cereal and rice type dishes, soups and salads.

This cereal is much like oatmeal in taste and texture. Unlike oatmeal, which is steamed and rolled, millet requires cooking time. Because I cooked this recipe in the “slow cooker” 6 servings took 3 hours to cook. Here is the recipe:

Millet Porridge

6 (1/2 cup) servings

Combine ingredients in cooker.

2/3 cup millet

1 1/2 cup water

1 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 

1 teaspoon vanilla

Pinch of salt 

2 Tablespoon brown sugar 

Cook cereal on low setting until liquid is absorbed.

This amount took 3 hours to cook. 

There are many reasons to diversify our foods, try different varieties, especially the ancient ones. Eating many different plant foods in a week leads to a more diverse microbiome.

Fall Goat Cheese Soup

Many things change as we age. Here’s a fall recipe favorite I hope to make every year.

Pumpkin & Goat Cheese Soup

(6 cups)

Quarter pumpkin. Remove seeds. Bake in 425 F oven for 45 minutes. Cool enough to handle and discard skin.

1 pie pumpkin, Hubbard or butternut squash.

Remove from oven and cool enough to handle. Remove skin and discard.

In large saucepan, sauté onions, fennel and celery in olive oil for 3 minutes.

1 small onion, diced

2 Tablespoon fennel heart, diced

2 Tablespoon celery stalk and leaves, diced

2 Tablespoons olive oil 

Stir in curry powder. Sauté for 1 minute.

1 tablespoon Curry Powder

Add cooked pumpkin, ginger, orange juice, zest and stock. Simmer for 45 minutes.

1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger

Zest and juice from 1 orange

3 cups stock, GMO free, sodium free

4-6 cups baked pumpkin 

Carefully blend. Add goat cheese at end. Return to saucepan. Add salt. If desired add evaporated milk and heat.

4 ounce goat cheese

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup evaporated skim milk