Celebrate Whole Grains

Tomorrow kicks off Whole Grains Month in the United States, a month-long celebration geared toward improving your life through healthier consumption of foods, notably whole grains. This doesn't mean you have to choke down tasteless pearls of barley or eat whole wheat bread that tastes like chunky cardboard. Whole grain cuisine has come a long way in the last few decades, finding its way onto store shelves, restaurant kitchens, and pantries across the country.

Whole grains (or the foods made from them) contain all the essential parts and naturally occurring nutrients of the entire grain seed. If the grain has been processed (e.g., cracked, crushed, rolled, extruded, and/or cooked) but delivers approximately the same rich balance of nutrients that are found in the original grain seed, it is still considered whole grain healthy. (Good examples of processed whole grain products are wheat flour and oatmeal.)

The most popular of the whole grains are corn, oats, certain rice products, rye, wheat, and wild rice. But there are also a few you have probably never cooked with, or maybe never heard of, such as amaranth, buckwheat (think pancakes), millet, quinoa (see my recent column), sorghum, teff and triticale. There are also two wheat varieties which are becoming more common. One is bulgur, which is used to make tabbouli among other things, and the second is farro, which originated in the Haute-Savoie region of France, and is now very popular in Italian cooking. In fact, I saw Giada DeLaurentis cooking with it the other day on TV. She made a farro salad with a course pesto to serve as an accompaniment at a luncheon. It looked scrumptious.

Adding whole grains to your diet can bring a multitude of benefits. Whole grain products are made with minimal processing and, in most cases, preservatives that your body just does not need. That alone is good for you, but add in health benefits such as decreasing cholesterol levels and blood pressure and lowering your risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes, means you should be running to the store and stocking up. Whole grains are a good source of fiber, B vitamins, vitamin E, magnesium, iron and have antioxidant benefits, as well, so this food group is nothing to sneer at.

According to the Whole Grain Council, the last two years have seen a huge increase in whole grain products being released on the market. While consumers have always had a choice of whole grain products, whole grain food products on store shelves has increased ten fold since 2000, proving that there is a market for these products and that consumers are ready and willing to cook and eat them. In particular, bakery goods, breakfast cereals, and snacks have seen large increases in products. Hard to pass up that cereal aisle and not notice the mainstream companies like General Mills touting their use of whole grains in everything from Lucky Charms and Cheerios to Fiber One and Wheaties, or newcomers like Kashi with a whole array of products fit for a varieties of palates. In fact, General Mills now boasts that their entire line of cereals is made with whole grains (something Kashi started out doing). And don't forget about the old-fashion standby, Shredded Wheat.

You don't have to take big leaps and change your whole diet to incorporate whole grains; you can take baby steps and try new, healthier products from companies you already know. And it doesn't have to be a time-consuming endeavor either.

For breakfast, in addition to cold cereals that line grocery store shelves, Quaker Oats makes old-fashioned oats, steel-cut oats, quick-cooking oats and even instant oats (which have less nutritive value, and the addition of sweeteners). Thomas' makes four kinds of hearty grain English muffins. Krusteaz makes a low-fat oat bran pancake mix and a wheat & honey pancake mix. Whole grain morning muffin mixes also adorn grocery shelves and take only 15-20 minutes to bake. Pop the leftovers into the freezer and save them for later. They are easily rewarmed in a microwave.

Lunch can include whole grain breads, either your standard sliced loaf or an upscale artisan bread, such as sourdough. Add a salad made of farro or quinoa. You can stuff leftover roasted chicken or even lunchmeat into a whole wheat pita pocket. As a side dish, Near East makes both couscous and tabbouli mixes, easy to prepare in less than 15 minutes.

Dinnertime selections include old favorites with new twists. For example, Uncle Ben's has debuted three whole grain medleys to use as side dishes. All come in a pouch and can be prepared in the microwave in 90 seconds. Minute Rice also has a new Ready To Serve Brown Rice. Farro and quinoa can be used like pasta and risotto, and there are multiple brands of whole wheat pasta available nowadays as well. Toss farro with sautéed veggies and grate some tangy Parmesan Reggiano on top for a filling dish, or cook up quinoa just like you would risotto with a little cream and cheese to top it off.

So next time you head out to grocery shop, I recommend you buy one item that is whole grain and try it out. If you do that each week, you will not only be healthier, but you'll have new taste treats to enjoy and share with your family.