Whole Grains:
Whole grains can be used in a variety of ways. They can be ground into flour or cooked as a whole or cracked kernel. You can “healthify” for favorite recipes by replacing all or a portion of all-purpose flour with your favorite grain, or any combination of grains you wish. The whole kernel/berry can also be prepared and eaten. Whole grains are boiled and used as hot breakfast cereal, casserole fillers, and chili filler as well as other possibilities. Don’t be afraid to add different whole grains or any mixture thereof to add variety and nutrients to your dishes.
Ground into Flour -
You must use a grain mill / wheat grinder for this. Follow the mill/grinder instructions.
Cooked-
Different grains require different cooking time, so you may need to experiment with times a bit.
Stovetop-
General rule of thumb is 1 cup grain to 2.5 cups water or broth. Bring water/broth to a boil and add grain. Return to a boil, reduce to simmer, and cover until the grain is tender, roughly 45-60 min.
Crock-pot-
Cook in crock-pot 6-8 hrs. You may need to stir once through.
Microwave-
This is the easiest for me. I have a microwavable rice steamer. For me, I choose “steam cook” on my microwave and cook (generally for 45-50 min. depending on the grain) Let sit with lid on 10-15 min after the cooking time, allowing the moisture to absorb through the grain.
Grains can also be cooked in an electric rice steamer, rice cooker, and even a pressure cooker.
Different Grains to Choose From-
There are many different grains, but typically you will find these in the bulk section of your local store:
Amaranth- (Gluten Free)
Amaranth is similar to millet in appearance, but smaller. Amaranth is very common in Mexico and is highly nutritious. Amaranth is highest in lysine out of all of the grains listed. It is also high in protein, amino acid, fiber, many vitamins and minerals, and contains a significant amounts of phytosterols.
Amaranth must be cooked before consuming, but it can be used for many things.
Toasting, popping, hot cereal, sprouted, add to soups, stews, salad, crackers, breads, and baked goods are just a few possibilities.
When adding Amaranth to yeast bread, make sure the percentage stays at or below 25% due to its gluten-free nature.
Cooking time for Amaranth: 20 min
Ratio: 1 cup Amaranth to 2 ½ cups water
Taste & Texture: Strong and Nutty
Barley-
Can be found as hulled barley, pearled barley, and barley flakes.
Barley is high in amino acids, fiber, thiamin, riboflavin, lysine and also contains Vitamin E. Barley can only be sprouted in its whole (unhulled) form into barley grass.
Pearled Barley has the ends cut off, and the germ and a lot of the bran removed so it is not as nutritious as the hulled version.
Barley is typically used in soups and stews, but can also be used in hot cereal, pilafs, casseroles, and even ground into flour for yeast breads, pancakes, biscuits, etc. The gluten in barley is not as strong as wheat, so when making yeast bread, it is best not to use more than 50% of barley flour.
Hulled Barley can be rolled into flakes using a flaker or can be purchased already rolled. Flakes are generally used for hot cereal, granola, and adding texture to breads.
Barley can be pre-soaked overnight to reduce the cooking times. If wanting to pre-soak, use 1 cup of barley to 2 cups of water.
Cooking Time:
Regular, dry form: Pearled- 40-50 min, Hulled- 60-70 min
Pre-Soaked Barley: 15-25 min.
Flakes: 5-7 min.
Ratio: Pearled: 1 cup barley to 2 ½ - 3 cups water or broth
Hulled: 1 cup barley to 3 cups water or broth
Flakes: 1 cup flakes 2 cups water
Taste & Texture: Mild and Chewy
Buckwheat- (Gluten Free)
You can use up to 50% of buckwheat in yeast breads. Buckwheat flour is typically added to wheat in pancakes, muffins, and breads and if often used solely on its own for buckwheat pancakes. Toasted buckwheat is known as kasha. Buckwheat can be eaten in its whole form as a hot cereal, added to soups or eaten as “rice”.
Buckwheat contains several amino acids, is high in lysine, B Vitamins, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper and manganese, and contains Linoleic acid.
The oils in buckwheat reduce its shelf life, so keeping it in an airtight container or in the fridge is a good idea.
Cooking Time: 20-30 min. / Kasha 15-20 min
Ratio: 1 cup buckwheat to 2 - 2 ½ cups water / Kasha 1 ½-2 cups water
Taste & Texture: Rich and Fluffy
Corn-
Dent corn or field corn kernels are unlike fresh, sweet corn. The flavor is very bland and the outer layer/skin is thick. Dent corn is mostly good for grinding, but can be made into hominy as well. Because the process of making hominy is detailed, using lye, we will only talk about grinding it.
Fresh, home ground dent corn is far more nutritious than store-bought corn meal. Store bought corn meal has been stripped of nearly all of its nutrients (similar to white all-purpose wheat flour). Dent corn contains B Vitamins, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, and Zinc.
Corn meal is mainly used in tortillas, grits, polenta, cornbread, and chips, but can also be added to pizza dough and yeast breads to add texture.
Cooking Time:
Grits: 20-30 min.
Polenta: 20-30 min
Ratio:
Grits: 1 cup grits to 4 - 4 ½ cups water
Polenta: 1 cup polenta to 4 cups water or broth
Taste & Texture: Mild; Coarse
Kamut-
The kamut kernel is similar to that of wheat, but larger. Kamut is closely related to wheat, but even with that said, many people who cannot tolerate wheat, can eat kamut. Consult your doctor before attempting to try kamut if you are allergic to wheat. Kamut is extremely versatile and can replace any wheat; hard, soft, and durum. Kamut is more similar to durum, so it is most often used in pasta. If you would like to use it in yeast bread, you may have to alter the recipe to allow for more gluten by adding vital wheat gluten or a mixture of grains. Using only Kamut will result in a dense loaf of bread.
Kamut is higher in protein than wheat. It also contains amino acids, Vitamin E, phosphorus, magnesium, thiamin, riboflavin, zinc, copper and complex carbohydrates, however, kamut isn’t too terribly high in fiber.
Millet- (Gluten Free)
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| Millet |
Millet is very bland, or when preparing it, it may be beneficial to mix it with other grains or strong flavors to help enhance the taste. Millet can be prepared like rice and can also be used in muffins, casseroles, soups, granola, and other dishes. If preparing as rice, one cup of millet cooks to 3 cups. If I want to add millet to my brown rice dish, I add ½ cup millet for every 1 - 2 cups brown rice with the appropriate amount of liquid (2 cups water to 1 cup brown rice, 1 ½ cups water to ½ cup millet). Millet can give muffins a crunchy texture by throwing it in the batter whole and uncooked. Millet can also be ground into flour and added to breads, muffins, flat bread, and up to 25% in yeast breads.
Cooking Time: 20-25 min.
Ratio: dry millet- 1 cup millet to 2 cups water or broth
moist millet - 1 cup millet to 3 cups water or broth
Taste & Texture: Very bland; light and fluffy if cooked; crunchy if added to batter/dough uncooked in its whole form.
Oats:
Oats can be found as whole, hulled oats (oat groats), rolled oats, steel cut oats, and oat flour.
Oats are well known for lowering cholesterol and preventing heart disease. Oats are rich in fatty acids, Vitamin E, B Vitamins, and minerals.
Oats are a cleanser for your blood and intestinal tract. They are high in complex carbohydrates, making it easier to control diabetes and reduces the risk of cancer. Vitamin E is a natural preservative, and because of the high amount of Vitamin E found in oats, it is commonly added to ice cream and bread.
Aside from eating oats on their own, they can be added to stews, granola, breads, cookies, muffins, and crackers. Oats are also used as a meat extender and gravy/soup thickener.
Instant oats are the least nutritious of the different choices and can easily be replaced with regular rolled oats.
Cooking Time:
Rolled Oats: 5-10 min
Steel Cut Oats: 25 - 30 min.
Whole Oat Groats: 45-50 min
Ratio:
Rolled Oats: 1 cup oats to 1 cup water for a nuttier, drier texture; 1 cup oats to 2 cups water for a stickier, porridge -like texture.
Steel Cut Oats: 1 cup oats to 3 cups water
Whole Oat Groats: 1 cup oats to 3 cups water
Taste & Texture: Mild; Nutty
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| Quinoa |
Just like buckwheat, quinoa is not technically a grain. Quinoa (keen-waa) are small flat seeds with tails. Quinoa naturally has a black, bitter coating (saponin) that needs to be washed off before eating to avoid the bitter taste.
Quinoa is incredibly nutritious. Quinoa is high in lysine, protein, calcium, manganese, magnesium, folate, and phosphorus. It is also considered to be a complete protein. Quinoa can be eaten whole, or can be ground into flour. It can be added to soups, stews, salads, stir-fry, breads, and can be mixed with other whole cooked grains. Quinoa can also be made into pasta and is a great alternative for those who have a gluten free diet.
Cooking Time: 15 min
Ratio: 1 cup quinoa to 2 cups water or broth
Taste & Texture: Mild; Soft, slightly chewy
Rice-
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| Brown Rice Blend |
White rice is refined brown rice, containing almost no nutrients at all so choosing to use brown rice is the healthier option. Vitamin E, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, folacin, potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium are some of the nutrients found in brown rice. The brown rice varieties that I have been able to find at my local store include long grain, short grain, Basmati, Jasmine, Forbidden, Wild Rice (not really a grain, but a seed),and Madagascar Pink Rice. Different varieties have different tastes. Jasmine and Basmati, and Calrose have a more distinct taste, while most other varieties that I have tried are more subtle in flavor.
Cooking Time: 40-45 min (brown rice); 50-55 min (wild rice)
Ratio: 1 cup rice to 2 cups water
Taste & Texture: Rich - Mild in flavor; nutty, hearty
Rye-
The kernel is smaller in size than wheat with a dark brown color. Rye can be used in bread alone, but results in a denser, more robust loaf. Wheat can easily be added to rye to create a milder taste.
Rye is high in fiber, Vitamin E, lysine and riboflavin. Rye can be eaten whole, cracked, rolled, or ground into flour. Rolled and cut rye is typically found in multi-grain hot cereal mixes. If wanting to cook rye in whole kernel form, it is recommended to soak the grain overnight to reduce the cooking time.
Taste: Robust
Spelt-
Spelt is similar in appearance to wheat. It is commonly used as an alternative to wheat for those who are wheat sensitive. Spelt is also easier to digest than wheat.
Spelt is high in protein, manganese, complex carbohydrates, iron, potassium, and B Vitamins. Spelt can be used in all the same recipe as wheat, but may require slightly less liquid.
Spelt can be cooked whole, rolled, or ground into flour. Spelt berries can be added to hot cereal, salad, or chili. Spelt flour can be used in making pancakes, bread, pasta, waffles, and muffins.
Taste & Texture: Rich; Nutty
Triticale-
Triticale is a hybrid grain. It is a cross between durum and rye. Triticale has a long shelf and storage life. It is contains Calcium, Protein, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Folate, and Lysin.
Triticale can be used in any recipe that calls for wheat flour such as breads, cakes, muffins, biscuits, pancakes, etc. When using in yeast bread, don’t knead it too much, and using more than 50% triticale can result in a dense loaf. The taste and texture is similar to wheat. Triticale can be cooked whole, rolled, and ground into wheat.
Taste: Mild-Medium
Ratio: 1 cup triticale to 2 1/2 cups liquid
Ratio: 1 cup triticale to 2 1/2 cups liquid
Wheat-
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| Durum Wheat |
The kernels/berries can be cooked whole, rolled, ground into flour, and even ground to make cream of wheat.
Hard wheat is used for yeast bread, pancakes, and anything that calls for regular all-purpose flour.
Soft Wheat is used for cakes, pastries, cookies, muffins, and no-yeast breads. Soft wheat is used in recipes that call for cake flour or pastry flour.
Durum wheat is the hardest of the three and is ground to make pasta.
