Taking grains to a whole new level!

There are lots of ways to eat whole grains, but I have come to realize over the last few years that very few people know what a whole grain is, so I thought that I would dedicate this post to set the record straight when it comes to whole grains!

What is a whole grain? 
It's a cereal grain that contains all three parts: the germ, the endosperm, and the bran.  Examples include oats, wheat berries, barley, brown rice, millet, rye, kamut (ancient relative of durum wheat), spelt (a distant cousin of wheat), corn, and quinoa.  In contrast, refined grains retain only the endosperm, which is the largest part of the grain and lacks fibre, vitamins and minerals.

How do I make sure a product is made with whole grains or whole grain flour? 
This is the tricky part.  Don't rely on the claims made on food packages that say "Made with whole grains".  The reason for this is that the 'whole grain' portion of the product may be small.  For example, 'Multigrain bread' is not whole grain bread.  In fact, more often than not, your multigrain bread is made with white flour and a few grains added to give the bread some texture.  So if you want whole grain bread, see the ingredient list and look for 'whole grain whole wheat flour' as the first ingredient listed.

How are 'Enriched wheat flour' and 'whole wheat flour' different from 'whole grain flour'?

Enriched wheat flour: is stripped of the bran and the germ but enriched with vitamins and iron

Whole wheat flour: has the bran, so it is higher in fibre than enriched wheat flour, but may have much of the germ removed.

Whole grain whole wheat flour: contain all three part of the kernel! 

How can I get more whole grains in my diet?
Looking beyond breads, another way to include whole grains in our diet is by eating, well.... grains!  I have been making this recipe for several years now, it's great as a side dish, a light lunch, or even a mid-afternoon snack.  It uses kamut and spelt grains which give this salad a hardy texture, but also make it a source of both protein and carbohydrates and fibre.  You can find these grains in the bulk section of supermarkets.  This recipe is great for parties or pot lucks so I recommend doubling it.

Ancient Grain Salad
Makes 4 cups

Ingredients

1/2 cup kamut kernels
1/2 cup spelt kernels
1/2 cup corn kernels (frozen or canned)
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup currants
2 green onions, sliced
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 tsp honey
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 olive oil
1 tbsp finely chopped shallots
2 tsp freshly minced ginger
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In a medium saucepan, bring 4 cups water to a boil. Add kamut and spelt kernels, stir, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 45 minutes (kernels with be tender but chewy).

Let kernels drain in a sieve, then spread on a cookie sheet to cool to room temperature.

Combine cooked kamut and spelt kernels with corn, pepper, currants and green onion.  Whisk together vinegar, honey, mustard, salt, and pepper.  Gradually whisk in oil and remaining ingredients.  Drizzle vinaigrette over salad and toss.  Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight or until chilled.

Enjoy!

Photography by: Melissa LeBlanc

Just a simple salad

sal·ad noun: a usually cold dish consisting of vegetables, as lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers, covered with a dressing and sometimes containing seafood, meat, or eggs.  

When we think of salad, the definition above is usually what comes to mind to most of us.  Now, I love salad, but I have to admit that topping some lettuce with a few vegetables from the fridge can get a little boring, but salads are such a great way to enjoy veggies whether they are raw or cooked.  It's also very easy to turn a salad into a meal simply by adding a grain or seed like wild rice, noodles, or quinoa, and a protein source like chicken, tofu, or fish, dress it up with a little olive oil and lemon juice, and it's done.  The key to enjoying salads is to get creative and add a few ingredients that will give your salad color, texture, and of course flavor!  Here are a few suggestions:

- Roasted butternut squash, goat cheese and toasted pecans

- Fresh crispy apple, parmesan cheese and sunflower seeds

- Mandarin oranges and fennel

- Feta cheese, corn and dates

- Mango, raspberries and avocado 

Having said all of this, a salad does not always have to include lettuce, it's not like it's a rule! For this month's recipe I thought I would share a simple salad that my mom made this summer that I thought was just brilliant because I never would have put these ingredients together! It's crispy and fresh, and best of all, it took 10 minutes to make.

Fennel and Radish Salad

Ingredients

1 Fennel bulb, green stalks removed, and thinly slice the white part.  Keep the leaves, chop them finely to garnish the salad

1 bunch of radishes, sliced thinly

2 tbsp capers, rinsed

1/4 cup of olive oil

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste

Combine ingredients together, let sit for about 30 minutes to allow the flavors to combine and serve!

Photography by: Melissa LeBlanc

Beautiful Beets

Over the summer, I experimented a little bit with balcony gardening. Okay, I had about 12 pots lining the edges of my balcony, and started everything from seeds in the spring. Everyday, I would water the pots and keep an eye out for those first sprouts to break the surface of the soil. Before I knew it, I had an abundance of arugula and mesclun greens, Swiss chard, baby spinach, and kale. One of the vegetables I was most excited about was the beets. They are super easy to grow, and the best part is that you can eat both the leaves as well as the roots. When I harvested my beets, they were about 1.5" in diameter, but I could have left them to grow bigger; I was just so excited to get them out of the ground and taste them!

Beets are very versatile and can be enjoyed many ways. You can eat them raw by grating them and adding them to a salad, you can pickle them, add them to soups, or roast them in the oven with other root vegetables. So what did I do with my beets? I found this great little recipe that is so easy to make, looks beautiful on the plate, and best of all, was absolutely delicious. It makes a really good starter to any meal, a great side dish, or just an alternative to your everyday salad. I am sharing it with you today.

Roasted Beets with Feta
Servings: 4

Ingredients:

4 medium beets, trimmed leaving 1 inch of stems attached
1/4 cup minced shallot
2 tbsp minced fresh parsley
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees Celsius). Wrap the beets in aluminum foil and place on a baking sheet.

2. Bake the beets in preheated oven until easily pierced with a fork, about 45 minutes to an hour. One done, remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature. Peel beets and cut into 1/4 inch slices.

3. While the beets are roasting, whisk together shallot, parsley, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and red wine vinegar in a small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and set aside.

4. To assemble the dish, place the sliced beets onto a serving dish, pour the vinaigrette over the beets and sprinkle with feta cheese.

Source: www.allrecipes.com

Variations: You can easily substitute goat cheese for the feta cheese, and sprinkle some toasted sunflower seeds.