Explore New Foods and Flavors with Whole Grains

Explore New Foods and Flavors with Whole Grains | Food & Nutrition | Stone Soup
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Break the monotony of everyday meals by adding a new food weekly. While it may not be the best season to find new fruits and vegetables, there is a nice variety of unique whole grains on the grocery shelves.Explore New Foods and Flavors with Whole Grains - Here are a few of my new favorite grains to try:

Millet

You might have seen the small yellow seed in birdseed, yet in Asia, India and Western Europe, millet is a staple grain. This non-gluten grain cooks on the stove top in 20 minutes and is a high magnesium whole grain that’s a great substitute for rice.

Teff

Teff has over twice the iron of other grains and three times the calcium. This versatile, sweet flavored grain is good in stews, grain bowls and ground in flours for cakes and muffins.

Spelt

If you’re going to pick one new whole grain to try, this is the one. Spelt can be used in place of common wheat. While it has less gluten forming potential than durum wheat, the results are softer breads with golden colors with a taste that melts in your mouth.

Kamut

Kamut wheat is a nutritious source of iron, fiber, zinc and magnesium. It has higher levels of protein and more vitamin E than common wheat. Like spelt, it produces a softer golden texture in baked goods. It also works well in pasta flours.

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Cindy Gay
Cindy Gay, RDN, LD, retired from her 40-year career in retail services where she created the Healthy Cafe. She conducts culinary demos at the local farmers market and teaches in the lifelong learning institute. On most days, Cindy creates meals with whole ingredients. Her latest tools include a flour mill and pasta maker. There's so much to learn! Connect with her on Twitter and Pinterest.