How to Cook Your Whole Grains, it's easy!

 

Can you boil water? Then you can make whole grains a part of your diet. Whole grains are delicious and nutritious, supplying vitamins, minerals, protein and fiber. And there are many varieties to choose from besides the all-too-common wheat, oats and rice. No matter which you choose, from amaranth to quinoa, this article will show you how to select, store and prepare whole grains as a healthy part of your meals.

Cooking Basics
Whole grains are simple to prepare on the stove—just cook them the as you would rice or pasta—or in a countertop steamer, which is even easier. Once they’re cooked, whole grains will keep well and can be refrigerated or frozen. So cook as much as you can at one time.

For the most flavor, you can cook grains in bouillon or another flavored liquid (such as vegetable broth or chicken stock) to enhance taste. Don’t be afraid to use these flavor enhancers for a variety of purposes. Both vegetable- and chicken-flavored broths and bouillons will produce mildly flavored grains that can still be used for hot cereals, main dishes, salads or desserts. Here are some of the most common ways to prepare whole grains:

On the stovetop: Any whole grain can be cooked in a pot just as you would cook rice but this method will take longer and will use more liquid than some other methods. If you’re cooking your grains this way, use a medium-size pot with a tight-fitting lid. Bring six cups of bouillon or broth to a boil in the pot, stir in 2.5 cups of grains (1 pound) and return to boiling. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot and simmer until the grains are tender and most of the water is absorbed, about 45-60 minutes. Keep in mind that cooking times will vary for different types of grains.

In an electric steamer: This inexpensive countertop unit is the easiest, most convenient way to cook all types of whole grains. Your steamer will come with a detailed instruction booklet and will include many recipes for preparing vegetables and seafood as well. Simply follow the instructions for the different types of grains, using the measurements and cooking times shown in the chart.

In a pressure cooker: Pressure cookers also work well for whole grains. Adjust the cooking times as you would for any other food—whole grains typically take about half the regular time.

In a rice cooker: A rice cooker may be used to cook many whole grains—not just white rice. These cookers use a sensor to determine when the liquid has been absorbed by the grains. But you will need to experiment a few times before you find the ideal amount of liquid to use to cook grains other than white rice.

With the Crockpot: Put grains and liquid in the Crockpot and cook for 6-8 hours.

In the microwave: A plastic rice steamer designed for microwave use can be used to prepare whole grains, but you will need to follow the steamer’s instructions carefully. You will need to change the power setting and stir the grains in the middle of the cooking process.

Your Healthy Weekly Menu is Ready For You!

We are so excited to send you this weeks recipes. The spring vegetables are available now at your farmer's market or at your grocery store!

We chose only the freshest, healthiest and tastiest recipes for you and your family! So download your shopping list, review your recipes and enjoy going to the market.

Make the most of your local farm stand;

1. Go every week and keep an open mind, some produce is only on the market for two weeks, so no matter where you live, we stay in touch with whats happening in your market. We design our meal plans around the healthiest and freshest  foods in season.

2. Learn about your food. We know eating healthy is important to you so we have added a little nutritional information on some of this weeks items, so you know what your family is eating.

3. Enjoy your recipes and let us know how you like them!

Have a great weekend!

Kimberly Wechsler

 

Support Your Local Farmer's

At Cooking Lessons from Home we joyously embrace the benefits of organic living by adopting it as a personal practice, and adhering to it as a professional one. I have a personal commitment to organic agriculture, because of my grandparents. My grandparents from both my mom and dads side were organic farmers. Grandma and Grandpa Walker farmed for a living, everything that was put on our family table came from my grandparents farm or the farmers down the road. To this day I remember the taste of my Grandma Walkers' Sour Cherry Pie, my grandfather said we were lucky to get those cherries because they let the cherries stay on the tree just until they are ready to burst with juice, but somehow the crows know that too, so they had to lay a net over the tree to keep the birds from eating the cherries, its challenging being an organic farmer.

I believe that when it comes to health and the well being of our communities, organics should be the first and only choice. The benefits of supporting the organic movement and incorporating an organic lifestyle are immeasurable and I have outlined what I believe to be the most crucial issues facing us today. For food, family, and future, I encourage you to be passionately organic and I guarantee it will make you feel good all over.

 

Farmer's Markets open across the USA in the month of May. Please support our Farmer's who support our Health.

 

Chicken Salad Dinner

Dear Andrew, Addison, Family and Friends;

Spring is almost here, and spring is my favorite season. So just like the change in seasons my menu changes according to the season. So here is an easy, healthy and a quick dinner to make.

1 Roasted Chicken (buy from the market or roast a chicken)

Reduced fat mayonnaise

3 stalks of celery, finely chopped

small onion, finely chopped, (optional)

any chopped vegetable (peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots…)

dill weed

salt and pepper

Remove all the meat from the chicken, yes this is a messy job but in the end it is worth it. Add only enough mayo until the chicken holds together. Start with a little bit, you can always add more. Add the chopped  celery and onion, a few shakes of dill, salt and pepper. That’s it! This is such a wonderful dish because it makes a lot too and you can have it for lunch the next day. You can add cooked pasta to this dish, hard-boiled eggs, lettuce, you can serve it by itself or add a slice of multi-grain bread, tortilla, english muffin, bagel, crackers…the possibilities are endless.

Enjoy,

Love From Home,

Kim Wechsler