Guest guest Posted May 6, 2004 Report Share Posted May 6, 2004 Directory of WHOLE GRAINS Amaranth Amaranth is an ancient pseudo-grain that originated in South and Central Americas. It was grown extensively during the height of the Aztec civilization in Mexico in the fifteenth century. Provides a pleasant, robust, nut-like flavor to foods. Amaranth contributes more protein (is a " complete " protein), lysine, calcium, iron, potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium than other grains. Protein content is about 12-17%. Also a good source of vitamin C and beta carotene. The most common use for " grain " amaranth is to grind it into a flour for use in breads, noodles, pancakes, cereals and cookies. Practically gluten-free. Use it in grain-free recipes with tapioca, arrowroot, or other starchy flours to lighten baked goods made with amaranth. Amaranth can be popped like popcorn or flaked like oatmeal. Cooking: Add amaranth to twice as much water for a rice-like texture or 2 ½ -3 times as much water for cereal or to add to breads. Cook until tender, about 18-20 minutes. Barley Barley was a favorite grain with ancient civilizations, and is mentioned in the Bible 32 times. Barley is one of the four high- gluten grains and is today the fourth most widely grown grain in the world. It is used in main dishes, soups, and ground into flour for use in baked goods. The flavor is sweet and nutty. High in protein, niacin, folic acid, thiamin, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorous. A good substitute for rice and millet in recipes. Rolled barley may be used in place of rolled oats. The most processed form of barley is " pearl " barley. " Pot " or " Scotch " barley is somewhat less processed, but still missing much of the protein, fiber, and other nutrients of the whole grain. " Hulled " barley is the least processed and is usually only found in natural foods stores. " Hato mugi " is a hulled, compressed, and enriched type of barley found at Asian food stores, which is used in Japanese barley dishes. Cooking: Boil 4 cups of water and add 1 cup of barley; reduce heat, cover, and cook 1 hour. Yields 4 cups. Serve cooked barley with dried fruit, raisins, honey, or grated orange rind. Buckwheat Buckwheat, originally from Russia, actually has nothing to do with wheat and is gluten-free. It is generally thought of as a cereal, but is actually an herb from the genus Fagopyrum. Sometimes it is referred to as " groats " (hulled, crushed kernels) or " kasha " (roasted buckwheat groats). Wholegrain buckwheat may be used as a main dish, side dish, added to casseroles or soups, or ground into flour for pancakes, waffles, muffins, and breads. The flour is dark, robust, and slightly sweet. Buckwheat flour is best used in combination with blander flours when baking. Contributes bioflavanoid rutin, high quality protein, folic acid, vitamin B6, calcium, and iron. Has fewer calories than wheat, corn, or rice. Cooking: Use about 2 cups water per 1 cup " grain. " Bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer 20-30 minutes or until tender and no longer crunchy (adding extra water, if needed). For a main dish or side dish, try cooking onions with the buckwheat, and add herbs and sea salt during the last 10 minutes of cooking time. For kasha (toasted buckwheat), use slightly less water and reduce cooking time to 15-20 minutes. Or else place 1 cup groats in a skillet over medium-high heat and stir in a beaten egg; stir constantly until each grain is separate and dry. Add 2 cups boiling water, reduce heat, cover tightly, and cook 30 minutes. Serve with butter, if desired. Corn Europeans call corn maize, a derivative of the early American Indian word mahiz. Every part of the whole corn plant can be used: the husks are used for making tamales, the silk for medicinal tea, the kernels for human consumption, and the stalks for fodder. Whole sweet corn may be added to soups, casseroles, breads, salsa, etc. Fresh sweet corn on the cob is excellent raw or lightly steamed. Cornmeal and corn flour are both derived from dent or flint corn. Stone ground from the whole kernel is best. Corn is low in gluten, so recipes using cornmeal or corn flour may require eggs or chemical leaveners, such as baking powder or baking soda. Corn supplies protein, lysine, vitamin A, folic acid, potassium, calcium, phosphorous, and potassium. Moderator's Note: Be sure to obtain organically grown varieties. The majority of all corn is currently genetically altered. Kamut Kamut, an unhybridized strain of wheat, was originally cultivated in Egypt during the time of the pharaohs and is now grown in Montana, USA. Many people allergic to common wheat can tolerate kamut without any reaction. Kamut contains about 40% more protein, 65% more amino acids, and is more digestible than common wheat. Use kamut flour successfully in place of common wheat flour in most recipes. It is a good flour for making pasta.] Rolled kamut (like rolled oats) is available in some natural foods stores. Kamut is low in gluten. Kamut berries sprout very easily and may be substituted for sprouted wheat berries. Protein, pantothenic acid, calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, and zinc are among the nutritional benefits of kamut. Millet Millet is a protein-rich cereal grass grown and used extensively in many regions in both Asia and Africa. Whole millet may be prepared like rice and used for hot cereal or pilaf. May be served with spices and flavorings as a main or side dish; can be added to soups and casseroles. Millet meal and flour are used to make puddings, breads, cakes, and cookies. Since millet is bland tasting, it is best used in combination with stronger flavors. In addition to protein, millet provides calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, and phosphorous. Cooking: For hot cereal, roast uncooked millet in a dry pan for a few minutes, if desired and time permits; bring 2 cups water to a boil, add ½ cup millet, and return to boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer about 20-30 minutes. If you choose, add 2 tablespoons raisins or chopped dates during last 10 minutes of cooking time. To serve, thin to desired consistency with soy, rice, oat, or nut milk, or fruit juice and sweeten with a little stevioside , honey, or pure maple syrup, if desired. Or try adding honey, cinnamon, raisins, bananas, or chopped apples. For other uses, such as main dish or to add to breads, reduce water to 1 ½ cups. Oats Oat groats can be cooked and served as a hot cereal or prepared like rice and used as a side dish or added to dishes like salads or stuffings. When steamed and flattened, oat groats become rolled oats (a.k.a. old-fashioned oats or oatmeal), which may be prepared as hot oatmeal cereal or added to breads and cookies. The " quick-cooking " kind are made from groats that were cut into several pieces before being steamed and were rolled into thinner flakes, but in most recipes they may be used interchangeably with the old fashioned type. Instant oats are pre-cooked and can NOT be substituted, so are to be avoided. Steel-cut oats, or Scotch oats, are made from groats that have been cut into pieces but not steamed and rolled. Oat flour is made from ground groats. You can also put old-fashioned oats into your blender or food processor and grind into flour as needed, or use a flour mill. Oats add a natural sweetness to foods. Because oats are rich in antioxidants, breads, cookies, and other goods made with oats have a longer shelf-life. Nutrients most abundant in oats are protein (up to 15%), calcium, iron, potassium, vitamin A, thiamin, and pantothenic acid. Cooking: Pour ½ cup oats slowly into boiling 1 cup water or milk. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, adding more water if necessary. To use as a delicious hot breakfast cereal, serve with non-gmo soy, rice, oat, or nut milk, and sweeten, if desired, with Stevioside , honey, or pure maple syrup. Add cinnamon, raisins, and/or chopped apples. Quinoa Pronounced " keen-wa, " quinoa is a highly nutritious, essentially gluten-free, protein-rich " grain " (not a true grain) that originated centuries ago in South America. It is currently being cultivated in North America's Rocky Mountains. Quinoa is higher in unsaturated fats and lower in carbohydrates than most grains, and is a complete protein, since it contains all eight essential amino acids. This tiny bead-shaped pseudo-grain, though lighter than rice, is an excellent replacement for rice or millet in cereals, main dishes, soups, side dishes, salads, and desserts, and cooks in half the time of rice. Quinoa may be ground into flour for use in breads, cakes, cookies, and the like, and used in making pasta. For bread baking, use in combination with a gluten-containing flour. In addition to providing protein, quinoa contributes these important nutrients: calcium, iron, phosphorous, vitamin E, and lysine. Cooking: Rinse thoroughly by rubbing grains together in water in order to remove the bitter-tasting saponin. Saponin is a sticky substance on the outer part of the grain which naturally repels birds and insects, but may irritate digestion or allergies in humans. Bring 2-3 cups water to boil and add 1 cup quinoa, reduce heat and simmer 25-30 minutes or until tender. Rice Rice feeds a third to half of the world, depending on who you talk to. In the United States, Canada, and other developed countries, people generally think only in terms of white rice. White rice is brown rice with the nutrient-rich bran removed. Personally, I don't talk about white rice because in my lifestyle it is not an option, so for me it doesn't exist. When you see the term " rice " in my writings and recipes, I am talking about brown rice, not white. Rice is generous in B vitamins and E. Generally, rice comes in short, medium, and long grain (Wild rice is a different species than cultivated rice). Short grain rice is more glutenous and stickier than long grain; long grain is higher in protein than short. Long grain rice is popular in entrees, side dishes, and salads, while short grain is often used in desserts and Asian dishes. Rice may be ground into flour and used in baking cakes, cookies, pancakes, waffles, and breads. Rolled rice, if you can find it, can be used in place of rolled oats. Cooking: Select your measure of rice and toast dry in a dry saucepan until lightly browned (optional). Boil twice as much water as you have rice, and stir in rice; return to boil, reduce heat and cover. Stick a toothpick between the lid and the side of the pan. Simmer about 35-40 minutes. Remove from heat and and pull out the toothpick, allowing the rice to steam for an additional 15 minutes or more. Fluff with a fork to separate grains. To make 3 cups cream of rice cereal, grind enough toasted rice to equal 1 cup. Bring 3 cups water to boil and add ground rice. Return to boil, reduce heat, cover, and cook 1 hour. Top with honey, fruit, or nuts. Rye Rye was popular in medieval times throughout northern Europe and the area now known as Russia. Today, most rye production is in Poland and Russia. Not for everyone, rye has a heavy taste that some describe as bitter. Most appealing when used in conjunction with other cereals, such as oats. Rye can be whole, or flour, grits, or meal. Use in rye, pumpernickel, and black breads, breakfast cereals, breads, and pancakes. Rye has a 12% protein content and is low in gluten, and it provides calcium, magnesium, lysine, and potassium. Cooking: Presoak whole rye— 1 cup in 2 ½ cups water—overnight. Change water, bring to boil, and simmer 45-60 minutes, until tender. If using with whole oats or spelt, soak and cook together, using one part rye to 6-10 parts oats or spelt. Rye cereal may be served with fruit and apple juice. Spelt Spelt is an ancient cereal grain native to southern Europe. An excellent high-gluten substitute for those allergic to wheat, it can be substituted for wheat in pretty near every recipe. Simply use a bit less liquid or more flour when substituting spelt in recipes calling for wheat. Pasta is great made with spelt flour. Rolled spelt may be found in some natural foods stores, and may be substituted for rolled oats in recipes. Spelt is a little easier to digest than most grains, and is higher in balanced amino acids, fats, and crude fiber than common wheat. Spelt contributes protein and is also full of B vitamins, such as riboflavin, niacin, and thiamin. Also contained are notable measures of the minerals iron and potassium. Cooking: To cook whole spelt, presoak 1 cup spelt in 2 ½ cups water several hours or overnight. Change the water, bring to boil, then simmer for 45-60 minutes, until chewy but tender. Triticale An extremely nutritious hybrid of durum wheat and rye. One source claims that triticale has more protein than either of its parents. It is reportedly also significantly higher in dietary fiber than wheat. Triticale may be found in whole berry form, rolled like oats, or pre-ground into flour. For yeast bread-baking, triticale flour must be combined with a high gluten flour, such as wheat, barley, or spelt, in order to produce a loaf that isn't a rock. Either berries or rolled triticale can be used as cereal, in casseroles, or in side dishes (such as pilaf). Cooking: For 4 cups cereal, add 1 cup triticale to 3 cups boiling water; reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 1 hour or until tender. Wheat Whole wheat berries come in two main varieties: hard red spring wheat, which is high in fiber but low in gluten and is made into pastry flour and hard red winter wheat, which is higher in protein and gluten and is ground into bread flour. Whole wheat pastry flour is used for making cookies, cakes, pies, muffins, biscuits, pastries, and other foods that do not require gluten development. Whole wheat bread flour is used primarily in bread baking. All purpose whole wheat flours are a blending of both spring and winter wheats and perform adequately in most recipes, but not excellently. Unlike white flour, whole wheat flours still contain the germ and bran rich in the B vitamins and E, and they are not treated with bleaching chemicals. Stone-ground flours are preferable. Besides B-complex and vitamin E, wheat provides protein, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorous, and potassium. Cooking: To prepare 4 cups whole wheat berries, soak 2 cups berries in water overnight; drain (save water for your soup broth). Add wheat berries to 6 cups boiling water or broth in a pot, reduce heat, cover, and simmer 1-2 hours. Serve with butter, honey or tamari (soy sauce). Add leftovers to soups, salads, or knead into bread dough. For a 10 cups of crispy wheat berry snack, place 4 cups wheat berries and 12 cups boiling water in a container, cover, and allow to sit overnight. In the morning, drain the water off and spread berries evenly onto a cookie sheet. Bake at 300° F. until brown and crispy, about 10-15 minutes. Munch plain or sprinkle on salads and desserts. To make cream of wheat from scratch, toast wheat berries and then grind enough to yield 1 cup. Bring 3 cups water to a boil and add the grain. Return to boil, reduce heat, cover, and cook about 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Serve topped with honey, fruit, or nuts. Whole grains contain more natural fats than their refined and stripped counterparts. To deter rancidity, store in a cool, dry, dark place—refrigerated would be ideal, if practical. If you can invest in a flour mill, do. Unbroken, dry whole grains can be stored much longer than ground flours. Grind as you go, if you can. http://livrite.com/wholegrains.htm _________________ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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