Remove the Whole Grain Mystery

Ever since refined flour became the preferred choice in the 1940's using whole grains has baffled cooks everywhere. A few simple rules coupled with some tricks of the trade easily demystifies the process creating delicious and nutritious choices.

First of all know your grains. When consumed in a form including the bran, endosperm and germ these products are considered whole grains. The most common include:

• Oats - including oatmeal (instant, quick and old-fashioned)
• Rice - whole grain referred to as brown rice
• Corn - both popcorn and cornmeal (as long as it is NOT degerminated)
• Wheat - whole wheat flour and bread as well as cracked wheat, bulgar and wheatberries

Not quite as common but familiar to many:

• Barley - terrific in soup and stews
• Rye - coarse flour used in Eastern European breads
• Buckwheat - common in pancakes, waffles
• Wild rice - not actually grain but used as one
  

Some examples of less familiar grains include:

• Quinoa
• Triticale
• Amaranth
• Millet

Oats and corn may be the easiest to add to our weekly fare in whole grain form. Popcorn is by definition and whole cornmeal used to make cornbread or polenta make those products whole grain foods. Oatmeal whether old fashioned, quick or instant is a whole grain. Quick cooking oats are simply cut in pieces and the instant form has been partially cooked for you but all contain the three essential parts to make them whole grains. Rice is easy as well. Simply choose brown rice which is available in grocery stores across the country. While it takes a little longer to cook, I just soak what I'm going to prepare in the water or broth while I'm doing other things. Then it cooks in no time! Quaker Oats (http://www.quakeroats.com/), USARice (http://www.usarice.com/) and the Whole Grains Council (http://www.wholegrainscouncil.org/) are good sources for whole grain recipes using these products.

Wheat presents us with a lot more options. Whole wheat flour can be used to make bread, rolls or any other recipe that uses flour. I use it for cookies, thickening sauces and gravies and similar products. Here are some easy substitutions:

• Use half the white flour with whole wheat flour
• Replace 1/3 of the flour in a recipe with quick oats
• Add half a cup of cooked wild rice, barley or bulgar to bread stuffing
• Choose whole corn meal for your cornbread recipes and use whole wheat flour too
• Use oatmeal in meatloaf and hamburger mixtures

Tomorrow's post will focus on cooking tips for the more unusual whole grains including quinoa and using wheat berries in home cooking. It's easy, fun and really tasty!

Healthy, Happy Cooking,

Marcia