experimenting with grains...help

diaryoffatdad
diaryoffatdad Posts: 175 Member
edited October 6 in Food and Nutrition
There is a ton of knowledge on this site and we should all pitch in a write a cookbook,

Potatoes and rice have been staples in my house forever, I have recently expanded mine and my wife's culinary expertise to quinoa,

shopping around I have seen other grains out there, notebly buckwheat or Kasha i think its called, anyways i am looking for any cool new things I should try in the grains department, how do you prepare it, what do you use......give it to me

Replies

  • myak623
    myak623 Posts: 615 Member
    I really enjoy quinoa. We also just started using Ezekiel bread.
  • dogsetmoi
    dogsetmoi Posts: 18
    Millet is a lot like quinoa, but much cheaper (at least at my local independent co-op).

    Oh, and consider trying to sprout your grains. I've sprouted red winter wheat, kamut, quinoa, millet, etc...all with good results. Google around to find more info--it's a fun experiment that is good for you, too! I've even made sprouted wheat bread a few times--very similar to ezekiel bread.
  • loombeav
    loombeav Posts: 391 Member
    I really like Couscous, I general get the Olive Oil and Garlic flavor.
  • robinfish
    robinfish Posts: 4
    We are big grain eaters. Some of our favorites are farro, bulgur and wheatberry (and quinoa of course). I cook most of them in my rice cooker and use like rice. I'll also throw it into soups. For Thanksgiving I made a stuffing with wheatberries instead of the traditional bread stuffing. In the summer I often make cold salads using bulgur. I'm lazy so I'll often use my rice cooker for the bulgur as well, but really it's best steamed. Cooking Light has nice grains recipes and a good website search.
  • bsgillkc
    bsgillkc Posts: 32 Member
    Barley is good. I make a "risotto" from time to time using barley instead of rice. Good stuff. Bulgur is another grain I will sometimes cook and add vegetables to it to make a sort of salad.
  • mehaugen
    mehaugen Posts: 210 Member
    I really like Couscous, I general get the Olive Oil and Garlic flavor.

    Couscous is not a grain. It's wheat pasta.
  • mehaugen
    mehaugen Posts: 210 Member
    I like making cornmeal polenta. Short grain brown rice for risotto or sushi. Sorghum if you can find it. Amaranth is similar to quinoa, it is a pseudo grain as well.
  • 76tech
    76tech Posts: 1,455 Member
    There are a million recipes out there for tabbouleh. It's bulgur wheat, tomato, some leafy green ( I use fresh spinach), olive oil, lemon juice, etc. It's especially nice as a change of pace, since it's eaten cold.
  • eddie8131
    eddie8131 Posts: 600 Member
    Sorry Quinoa is not a grain either but regardless I love it. $5.99/lb in bulk at Whole Foods so it's a bit pricey. I have a quinoa and veggie salad that I make that is amazing. Also, bulgar and lentils is a great combination in a dish called Mjadara.
  • Missjulesdid
    Missjulesdid Posts: 1,444 Member
    There are a million recipes out there for tabbouleh. It's bulgur wheat, tomato, some leafy green ( I use fresh spinach), olive oil, lemon juice, etc. It's especially nice as a change of pace, since it's eaten cold.

    This recipe is from dedemed.com. This is how they make it in Lebanon. I don't put the dry mint or cayenne pepper though.

    Ingredients

    2 large tomatoes or 2 Cups Diced tomatoes
    1 cup chopped green onion
    4 cups chopped parsley flat leaf
    1 cup yellow onion chopped
    5-8 leaves fresh mint
    1/4 cup bulgar
    1 tsp dry mint
    1 tsp salt
    1/2 Cup lemon juice
    1/2 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
    1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

    Directions
    Rinse bulgar in a bowl and poor off excess water, let sit for 10 minutes. Rinse and finely chop parsley and fresh mint leaves and place in a bowl. Add chopped tomato, green onion, yellow onion, and soaked bulgar and combine with parsley. In a separate small bowl combine salt, dry mint, lemon juice, olive oil and cayenne pepper then add to parsley mixture and let sit for 5 minutes before serving to allow bulgar to absorb some of the dressing. Serve with chicken or meat or by it's self. Also, can be served in individual leaves of lettuce as an appetizer.
  • Espressocycle
    Espressocycle Posts: 2,245 Member
    I love the way wild rice holds up in soups and stews. I used it in a thick stew of cabbage and butternut squash and it was perfect. Millet is amazing in muffins (google Metropolitan Millet Muffin) and also in place of rice. Amaranth pops like popcorn only tiny... very fun to eat.
  • knittnponder
    knittnponder Posts: 1,953 Member
    Kamut (pronounced Ka-moo) is a favorite in pancakes and waffles for us. It's a slightly sweet grain and so yummy. We also like Spelt, millet, amaranth, teff and oat flour. Some of those are gluten free grains so they work for my daughter. I mill my own flours so we use a lot of different grains. I mill brown, white and sweet rice for gluten free cooking. You can make any of those grains into a porridge (like oatmeal) or most of them you can flake (or buy flaked if you don't have a flaker like I do.) Some of them you have to soften first or they shatter (like hard red or hard white wheat.)
  • tmarie2715
    tmarie2715 Posts: 1,111 Member
    I just tried a quinoa recipe from the back of the Trader Joe's box-- grilled chicken, onions, bell peppers, garlic. Cook quinoa in chicken broth according to directions. Set aside.

    Cook chicken, toss in peppers and onions till tender crisp. Garlic for 2 more minutes. Take off heat and add quinoa and basil. When basil wilts from heat, top with grated parmesan.

    I wasn't a huge fan of this recipe, but SO really liked it.

    GL with your adventures!
  • Slygirl27
    Slygirl27 Posts: 2 Member
    Millet is actually pretty good!
  • jojoworks
    jojoworks Posts: 315 Member
    whether or not its truely classified as a grain, seed or grass, I believe the OP is looking for things to use in grain-like applications.

    that being said, millet and quinoa are fabulous because they are whole foods and supply you with many wonderful nutrients and protein. I love either in soup instead of rice. I add 1 cup millet to 2 cups chicken stock and simmer until water is absorbed then add it to my soup.

    I also LOVE wild rice.

    I regularly make a really nummy gluten-free polenta-like dish made with garbonzo and fava bean flour. Its so easy to make, its high in protein, the flavor is fabulous and its great to serve for company for brunch! here's a link to the recipe:


    http://www.myrecessionkitchen.com/Site/My_Kitchen/Entries/2010/12/3_Tuscan_Chickpea_Frittata.html

    good luck and happy eating!
  • Espressocycle
    Espressocycle Posts: 2,245 Member
    I really like Couscous, I general get the Olive Oil and Garlic flavor.

    Cous cous is pasta.
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