About whole grains

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During the protein revolution, grains got a bad rap. Too many carbs. Too starchy. Too brown.

Well, step aside Mr. Steak. Grains are back with a vengeance. And well they should be. Grains are filled with phytochemicals and antioxidants, both of which have protective and disease-preventive properties. As good sources of vitamins B and E, magnesium, iron and fiber, grains are often the bedrock of diets that help combat two of the most pervasive health problems: heart disease and cancer. Grains also help regulate blood glucose in people with diabetes and may lower the chances of obesity.

Last year, the U.S. government published the new “Dietary Guidelines for Americans.” The recommendation: Eat three servings of whole grains a day. Whole grain bread, whole grain cereal, brown rice in your vegetable soup and even popcorn can give your body both energy and nutrition. In a diet balanced with greens, fruits and fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids, grains are a natural – in more than one way.

The best news of all about grains is that they are filling, and there’s enough variety to keep even the fussiest of palates happy. A week’s worth of menus might feature a wheat berry salad, barley soup, rye bread, sushi with brown rice, tomatoes stuffed with millet and feta cheese, couscous with an olive oil, garlic and cumin dressing, granola with rolled barley, oats and rye. Because grains may be eaten hot or cold, they can be a salad or a steamy entree. Preparation may take a bit of planning. Spicing may require experimentation to get it right. But whole grains are an easy addition to any meal. You can throw them into a pot on the stove or into a baking dish in the oven.

Oatmeal may be the easiest of all grains to include in a daily diet. If you find it bland and boring, try embellishments. Add a sprinkle of salt, a teaspoon of cinnamon and 2 tablespoons of raisins while cooking. Afterward, top with a tablespoon of lusciously sweet virgin, cold-pressed coconut oil (a natural anti-bacterial) and toasted pecans, walnuts or almonds. A splash of soymilk or regular milk, and you’re be ready to take on the stresses of any day.

If you make a grain for dinner, consider eating leftovers in a salad for lunch the next day. Drizzle cold brown rice with olive or truffle oil and a teaspoon of your favorite vinegar. Then add any number of tasty complements: chick peas, fresh dill, chunks of tofu, dried cranberries, peanuts, sesame seeds, tuna fish, green olives, tahini or yogurt.

You needn’t wait for leftovers, however. Prepare for the week by sauteing two onions in olive oil until they are well browned. Add your favorite grain with water or broth. Cook until done and let cool. Refrigerate and eat all week long. It makes a good snack, meal or late-night comfort food. It’s always ready to go and keeps for up to a week. You can dress it up each day with a new flavor.

The possibilities are endless with grains. The best way to eat them is as whole grains cooked your favorite way. But look for food labels listing “100 percent whole grain” or “good source of whole grain.” Wheat crackers, rice crackers, grain pasta, pancakes, baked tortilla chips, rice cakes, pita bread and many bite-size cereals make terrific on-the-road, easy-to-carry snacks.

Grains turn out to be brain food, too. Be smart: Eat them.

Tomatoes Stuffed with Millet, Feta and Lentils

Serves 6-8

Adapted from James McNair’s “Beans & Grains”

This easy recipe, which can be served hot or cold, goes equally well at a summer picnic as at a winter feast. Try substituting the millet with bulgur or couscous, which is not, strictly speaking, a whole grain but works nicely in this dish.

1 cup dried lentils

1/2 cup millet

8 large ripe tomatoes

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

2 tablespoons chopped pitted olives, such as Kalamata or Nicoise

1 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

1/4 cup virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Freshly ground salt and pepper

Fresh herbs, such as basil, mint or dill, for garnish

Pick over, rinse and place lentils in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan with enough liquid (water or broth) to cover by about two inches. Bring to a boil and reduce heat immediately. Simmer partially covered until lentils are tender but not mushy. Drain and cool to room temperature.

Rinse millet in cold water. Place in saucepan with 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer until millet is soft, about 15 minutes. If millet seems dry, add a little more water to simmering pot. Turn off heat and let rest, covered, for 10 minutes. Cool to room temperature with top askew.

Slice tops off tomatoes. Using a spoon, scoop out as much pulp as possible from the inside, leaving a thin wall of pulp. Chop the pulp, then transfer to a colander or sieve to drain well. Set tomatoes and their tops aside.

Combine lentils and millet in large bowl. Add tomato pulp, cheese, olives, garlic, olive oil and lemon juice. Toss to blend. Season with salt and pepper.

To serve, spoon mixture into tomato shells, and garnish with tops and fresh herbs. To serve warm, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Stuff tomatoes as above, place in baking dish, drizzle with additional olive oil and bake until tomatoes are tender but still hold their shape, about 20 minutes. Garnish with herbs and serve immediately.

Oven-baked Brown Rice

Serves 4

Adapted from “The Best Light Recipe” from the editors of “Cook’s Illustrated”

Not only does this simple recipe minimize loss of water, it also is practically no-fail and doesn’t require the cook to be attentive to a simmering pot on the stove. If you’re used to cooking brown rice on the stovetop, you’ll be amazed at the ease of this method and at the lightness of the rice. The recipe works best with a ceramic baking dish and fitting top, but you can also use aluminum foil as a cover. To add a heartier flavor, try caramelizing two medium onions in 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1/2 tablespoon of butter, then adding the grain and cooking for three minutes before following the recipe below.

1 1/2 cups long-, medium- or short-grain brown rice.

2 1/3 cups water, vegetable or organic chicken broth

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt

Adjust over rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 F. Place rice in 8-inch square baking dish. Bring water or broth to a boil in medium saucepan. Immediately stir in salt and pour water over rice. Cover baking dish tightly and bake until rice is tender, about 1 hour. Remove baking dish from over, uncover, and fluff rice with fork. Cover the dish with a clean kitchen towel and let stand for 5 minutes. Uncover and let the rice stand for 5 more minute before serving.

Three-Grain Tempeh with Vietnamese Nuoc Mam

Serves 2

Vietnamese nuoc mam, or fish sauce, is an intensely flavored, salty condiment made from fermented fish. Thailand and China each make fish sauce, but many cooks consider the Vietnamese to be the gold standard. Tempeh is a protein-rich soy food made of pressed soy beans. The three-grain style includes barley, brown rice and millet, making it nearly a perfect food. But it needs a leafy green vegetable by its side and the Vietnamese-based marinade to inspire a sweet and salty flavor. To save yourself steps at the end of the day, combine the tempeh and marinade in the morning. The tempeh will be well infused by evening.

8 ounces three-grain tempeh

2 medium onions, sliced

2 tablespoons olive oil

Marinade:

1/4 cup rice vinegar

3 tablespoons Vietnamese nuoc mam

1 tablespoon low-sodium tamari or soy sauce

1 tablespoon water

2 tablespoon maple syrup

1 tablespoon pure sesame oil

2-3 cloves minced garlic

1/4 teaspoon dried ginger

1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper (optional)

In a small storage container, combine all marinade ingredients. Mix well. Slice tempeh in half lengthwise. Then slice into 1-by-2-inch strips. Add to marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours.

To prepare tempeh, heat olive oil in heavy-bottomed pan and sautee onions until soft. Add marinated tempeh and remaining marinade, and cook over medium-high heat until tempeh is browned on each side. Serve immediately over cooked whole grain, or by itself with a green vegetable and crusty whole wheat bread.

Alicia Anstead can be reached at 990-8287 and aanstead@bangordailynews.net.

About whole grains

Whole grains are the entire seed of a plant: the bran, endosperm and germ. Refining normally removes the bran and the germ, as well as about 25 percent of a grain’s protein and many key nutrients. Some manufacturers put back the lost vitamins and minerals to enrich whole grains. But it’s better simply to eat them as whole grains without the processing.

How much whole grain is a good idea? The U.S. “Dietary Guidelines for Americans” recommends adults eat half their grains as whole grains. According to the USDA, that’s three ounces of bread, rolls, cereals or other foods made with 100 percent whole grain. Many supermarkets and nearly all natural food stores sell whole grains, some of which are also organic. Here’s a list of readily found, easily prepared whole grains. But don’t stop here. There are delicious grains worth exploring.

Wild rice: Technically, this is the seed of an aquatic grass indigenous to the U.S. and Canada. Nutty flavor, plump and crunchy texture.

Brown rice: The backbone of grain-rich diets. Easy to prepare and store. Versatile. Eat it plain or in Japanese or Indian dishes. Find it in small and long grain, as well as basmati, which has a jasmine aroma.

Whole wheat: Comes as wheat berries, cracked wheat, bulgur and flour. An alternative for those who don’t like the flavor of brown rice. It fluffs better, too.

Oats: Centuries old European staple. Available as groats, rolled, steel-cut, grits and flour. A favorite breakfast food. Endorsed as a cholesterol-lowering food.

Barley: Most popular for soups. Has a pearly, chewy quality.

Corn: Comes in yellow, white, blue, red and black, and is this country’s legacy food. Enjoy it as fresh sweet corn or as popcorn.

Amaranth: A powerhouse of protein and vitamins. Aztecs grew it as a major crop. Seedy with a cornlike aroma and woodsy flavor.

Millet: Golden grain that comes from grass. Easily digested and highly adaptable. When cooked, it is dry, light and airy.

Quinoa: A 5,000-year-old Andean grain currently enjoying a major comeback. Botanically, it’s an herb but acts like a grain on the tongue. Because of a natural insect repellent, quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) must be washed thoroughly before cooking. Considered a complete protein because of the presence of eight amino acids, quinoa is an unusually complete foodstuff. Plus, it’s fun to say.