What do I do with all that wheat?  
The theme for the month is whole grains including wheat, barley, rye, buckwheat, kamut, quinoa, teff, oat grouts, rice, & millet. 

Hailed as the "staff of life" for their historical importance to human survival, grains are an essential part of a healthy diet. Also called cereals, grains are the seeds of grasses, which are cultivated for food. They come in many shapes and sizes, from large kernels of popcorn to small quinoa seeds.


All types of grains are good sources of complex carbohydrates, various vitamins and minerals, and are naturally low in fat. But grains that haven't been refined — called whole grains — are even better for you. Whole grains are better sources of fiber and other important nutrients, such as selenium, potassium and magnesium. So whenever you can, choose whole grains over refined grains.

Whole grains haven't had their bran and germ removed by milling, making them good sources of fiber — the part of plant-based foods that your body doesn't digest. Among many health benefits, high-fiber foods also tend to make you feel full longer.

Refined grains, such as white rice or white flour, have both the bran and germ removed from the grain. Although vitamins and minerals are added back into refined grains after the milling process, they still don't have as many nutrients as whole grains do, and they don't provide as much fiber naturally.

Examples of whole grains include:

· Barley is used in main dishes and soups and can be ground into flour for baked goods. The flavor is sweet and nutty. High in protein, niacin, folic acid, thiamin, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorous, it is a good substitute for rice and millet in recipes and rolled barley may be used in place of rolled oats. To prepare, boil 4 cups of water and add 1 cup of barley; reduce heat, cover, and cook 1 hour. Serve with dried fruit, raisins, honey, or grated orange rind.

 Brown rice is a sticky, glutinous rice with a slightly nutty taste and pleasant texture. Its stickiness lends to shaping it into rice balls or sushi, and it’s also good cooked in desserts. A basic way to cook it: Toast one cup dry rice in a heavy pot or saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, for a couple of minutes. Carefully add two cups of boiling water to the pot with a pinch of salt. Cover and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, until the rice is tender; drain any excess water and serve. It doesn’t store for long periods as it goes bad after a few years.

Buckwheat

(Just checking to see if your paying attention)

                Here is the grain
· Buckwheat- Believe it or not, buckwheat is a distant cousin to rhubarb and actually isn’t related to wheat or other grains at all. But don’t count it out as the black sheep of the family just yet! Look for toasted and untoasted varieties and use it as you would other grains, to make pilafs, casseroles and stuffings.


· Bulgur (cracked wheat) is partially cooked cracked wheat. It’s quick cooking and delicious in grain salads like tabouleh dried, and cut (“cracked”). This processing is what makes bulgur such a convenience food when it comes to preparing whole grains; it takes minimal time (boiling or soaking) to make it tender. High in fiber, bulgur is not gluten-free. It makes great salads, pilafs, and Cracked wheat and bulgur are one and the same: wheat kernels that have been precooked, side dishes; substitute bulgur for rice if you’re short on time, as an accompaniment to stir-fries, curries, or stews. It is used for “wheat-meat" also.

· Millet- This mild, very digestible grain is a favorite for folks on a wheat-free diet. It also has a good balance of essential amino acids and is delicious with sautéed vegetables and beans or when used to make risotto.

Oatmeal & Oat Grouts can be cooked and served as hot cereal or prepared like rice and used as a side dish or added to stuffing. When steamed and flattened, oat groats become rolled oats (old-fashioned oats or oatmeal), which may be prepared as hot oatmeal or added to breads and cookies. Oats are rich in antioxidants, so breads, cookies, and other items made with oats don’t spoil as quickly. Oats are a good source of protein, calcium, iron, potassium, vitamin A, thiamin and pantothenic acid. To prepare, pour 1/2 cup oats into 1 cup of boiling water or milk. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, adding more water if necessary. Serve with soy, rice, oat, or nut milk, and sweeten with honey or pure maple syrup or add cinnamon, raisins or chopped apples

· Popcorn This is basically corn that has a hard protein outer layer covering its inner starch layers, and we’re betting you probably already know how to eat this one. to add variety to it pop it and add cinamon, and other spices and use as
a breakfast cereal.  It can also be ground for cornmeal.



Kamut is a type of wheat. It is a good source of protein, pantothenic acid, calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium and zinc. To prepare, use kamut flour in place of wheat flour in most recipes, especially pasta. Rolled kamut is available in some natural foods stores and can be used in place of rolled oats. This ancient Egyptian wheat was recently rediscovered. It’s rich and buttery with a great, chewy texture. Look for Kamut flakes, too, which you can use like oatmeal

Quinoa This protein powerhouse is actually a small dried seed with a great nutty flavor. It’s perfect as a stuffing for enchiladas or tacos or use it to make delicious salads pronounced "keen-wa," is higher in unsaturated fat and lower in carbohydrates than most grains (technically, it’s a seed), and it’s also a complete protein, since it contains every essential amino acid. It is an excellent replacement for rice or millet in cereals, main dishes, soups, side dishes, salads, and desserts and it cooks in half the time as rice. Quinoa may be ground into flour for use in breads, cakes, cookies and used in making pasta, and it also provides protein, calcium, iron, phosphorous, vitamin E, and lysine. To prepare, rinse thoroughly by rubbing grains together in water in order to remove the bitter outer coating (saponin), which may irritate digestion or allergies. Bring 2-3 cups water to boil and add 1 cup quinoa, reduce heat and simmer 25-30 minutes or until tender.

Rye-This high-protein, low-gluten grain has slowly digesting complex sugars. Combine with beans for a particularly good match

Spelt-This whole grain is often in the spotlight and for good reason. Spelt, while similar to wheat, actually has 30% more protein. It’s particularly well tolerated by wheat sensitive folks, too. Use spelt just as you would wheat,

Teff-This ancient grain has a sweet and malty flavor; it’s a rich source of calcium, magnesium, boron, copper, phosphorus and zinc, too. Contains twice as much iron as wheat and barley!

Can white bread really be whole wheat?
Yes. Although white whole-wheat bread looks and tastes like white bread, it has the same nutritional benefits as regular whole-wheat or whole-grain bread. White whole-wheat bread is made with an albino variety of wheat, which is lighter in color and has a sweeter, milder flavor. Regular whole-wheat bread is made with red wheat, which is dark in color and has a slightly bitter taste. White whole wheat also has a softer texture, because it goes through an extra processing step.

Whole Grains: Cooking Tips

Rinse: Just prior to cooking, rinse whole grains thoroughly in cold water until the water runs clear then strain them to remove any dirt or debris.

Cook: As a general rule, you can cook whole grains by simply boiling the water, then adding the grain, return water to a boil, then simmer, covered, until tender. Cooking hint: Use broth instead of water for even more flavor.

Test: Just like pasta, always test whole grains for doneness before taking them off of the heat; most whole grains should be slightly chewy when cooked.

Fluff: When grains are done cooking, remove them from the heat and gently fluff them with a fork. Then cover them and set aside to let sit for 5 to 10 minutes and serve.

· 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.

 Using all the wheat: 
If you were at the forum you were given a packet of over 20 pages of recipes for wheat.  Wheat is more than just bread, even though fresh baked hot bread is yummy!

Some of the recipes given out included:
Bread recipes, popped wheat, whole wheat brownies, sloppy joes, pancakes, waffles, muffins, nutty orange wheat bread, cracked wheat cereal, noodles, steamed wheat, boston baked wheat, crepes, shortbread, pretzels, sausage from wheat, and wheat meat with different ways to use it, such as Chinese Fried, Chicken Pilaf, Chili, Beef Flavored and more.  If you are interested I have a few copies left.  Contact me if you would like a copy of these recipes. 

Next Week we will be doing Oats, buckwheat and rice.