Even the Government likes Whole Grains
The USDA has finally updated their food pyramid to reflect what natural-food lovers have thought for decades: whole grains are good for you. They are more nutritious than their refined brethren, and provide much-needed fiber. Here are some of the benefits listed at the USDA's site mypyramid.gov.
Health benefits include:
- Consuming foods rich in fiber, such as whole grains reduces the risk of coronary heart disease.
- Consuming fiber-rich whole grains as part of a healthy diet may reduce constipation.
- Eating at least 3 ounce equivalents a day of whole grains may help with weight management.
The site also offers a some suggestions as to how to get more whole grains in your diet, such as:
- Substitute a whole-grain product for a refined product – such as eating whole-wheat bread instead of white bread or brown rice instead of white rice.
- Use whole grains in mixed dishes, such as barley in vegetable soup or stews and bulgur wheat in casserole or stir-fries.
- Create a whole grain pilaf with a mixture of barley, wild rice, brown rice, broth and spices. For a special touch, stir in toasted nuts or chopped dried fruit.
- Experiment by substituting whole wheat or oat flour for up to half of the flour in pancake, waffle, muffin or other flour-based recipes. They may need a bit more leavening.
There are many excellent whole foods cookbooks available that are chock full of delicious whole grain recipes. Some of our favorites include:
Christine Pirello's Cooking the Whole Foods Way
Uprisings: The Whole Grain Baker's Book
by Cooperative Whole Grain Education Association
and of course, The Diamond Organics Cookbook
by Kathleen Hamilton
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Diamond Organics will be closed Monday, May 30th
Grain Burgers
2 cups cooked Brown Rice, Millet or Quinoa (or any combination)
½ cup Scallions (chopped fine)
½ cup Zucchini (chopped fine)
½ cup Cilantro (chopped fine)
½ cup Carrot (chopped fine)
1 tsp black pepper
1 Tbs soy sauce
2 Tbs Oil - peanut, canola, or sesame etc.
2 eggs
¼ cup Corn Meal
¼ cup Flour
- Mix cooked rice and raw chopped veggies together in a bowl. Add egg, then
flour and corn meal. Season with soy sauce and correct with pepper.
- Heat the oil in an iron skillet. Wet your hands and form pattiesn- makes it easier to form rice mixture into
patties. Add patties to hot oil and turn down the heat to medium-low with lid
on. Cook on one side for 5 minutes then lift lid and turn patties over.
- Place cheese slices on the browned side of patties and put lid back on and
cook other side for 5 more minutes. If not using cheese you might heat up
buns on top of the patties and remove after 2 minutes when warm and soft.
Prepare like hamburgers with sliced dill pickles, mustard, ketchup, tomato and
lettuce.
from Kathleen
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