When I first started preparing my meals at home from scratch I was very intimidated to cook grains. So in this post I will provide you with a simple cheat sheet for some of the healthier grains.
Quinoa– A major super food, quinoa is the only grain that is considered a complete protein with all 9 amino acids. It has a nutty taste and can be substituted in any dish that you would typically use rice for.
Rinse the grains until the water remains clear, then put in a pot with 2 parts liquid for every 1-part grain. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, (you will know its done when there is no excess liquid left over) take off heat and let sit for 5 minutes.
Fry up some shrimp with veggies in a pan while the quinoa is cooking then mix it all together and you have a healthy great tasting meal in less then 30 minutesJ
Cous Cous-Cous Cous is usually seen in a lot of ethnic dishes, but is a great alternative to pasta containing twice as much riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, and folate, plus it contains four times as much thiamin and pantothenic acid then traditional semolina pasta.
This is one of the quickest grains you can make, just boil 1.5 parts of either broth or water, take off the heat and add one part cous cous, then cover and let sit for five or so minutes, finally fluff with a fork and add a little splash of olive oil.
For a cold salad mix together some oil and vinegar to create an instant dressing, mix in some chickpeas and bell peppers with the cous cous, toss with your dressing and refrigerate
Brown Rice– Choosing brown over white rice gives you 4 times more fiber, 2 times more potassium and more than double the amount of Vitamin B per serving, plus its gluten free for anyone with a wheat allergy. The prep method below can be used for both short and long grain brown rice.
First rinse your rice! Then combine 1 part rice to 1.5 parts liquid. Bring to a boil then reduce heat put a lid on and simmer for 25 minutes.
To make any grain taste WAY better I highly recommend cooking with an organic broth rather than water.
To create a creamier dish after the grain is cooked add a couple of tablespoons of greek yogurt, which will also boost up your protein intake.
That’s it for this week!
Natasha