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Try
ancient grains for something new
April 7, 05
Suzanne Havala Hobbs
You
know whole grains are good for you. But how many different
types do you eat?
Most
of us stick with a few basics. We eat whole wheat bread and
cereal. We cook oatmeal – usually in the cold months.
Other than that, there may be some whole rye thrown in with
the multigrain bread and some brown rice on occasion.
But if you’re looking for something new and different
to try, there are other options, most of them familiar in
other parts of the world where they have been used for centuries.
Here are some that are worth a trip to a natural food store
to buy:
* Amaranth is an ancient grain eaten for generations in Central
and South America. It was a staple of the Aztecs. The plant
is broad-leafed, producing thousands of little seeds about
the size of poppy seeds. These are the whole, or intact, grains.
Amaranth is sold in natural foods stores as a whole grain
or flour, and you’ll see it listed as an ingredient
in breakfast cereals and crackers. Cooked, it’s a side
dish or hot cereal. It can also be used in casseroles, baked
goods and pancakes, and it can even be popped like popcorn.
* Quinoa (KEEN-wah), a high-protein grain eaten by the Incas
in Peru, is popular today around the world because of its
good taste and nutritional value. Amaranth and quinoa aren’t
true cereal grains. They’re actually fruits of plants,
rather than grasses. Quinoa grains are tiny and flat and range
in color from white or yellow to dark brown. Unwashed quinoa
is coated with saponin, a substance that lathers when wet
and is mildly toxic. Quinoa purchased in packages is usually
prewashed, but it doesn’t hurt to rinse it again before
using. Cook it and use it like rice in casseroles, pilaf,
salads, or as a side dish with cooked vegetables.
* Kamut (kah-MOOT) is a type of wheat that has its roots in
ancient Egypt. In Europe, it’s been used for generations
to make baked goods.
* Spelt is another type of wheat used in Europe for baking.
You can use it most of the ways that you use wheat flour,
with one exception. If you are making yeast bread, spelt –
as well as amaranth and kamut – has to be mixed with
another kind of flour for the bread to rise. Spelt is low
in gluten, a protein that gives yeast bread its structure
and traps the gases produced by the yeast, allowing the bread
to rise. Low-gluten flour creates bread that won’t hold
its shape or is too dense.
* Teff is one of the oldest cultivated grains. It’s
used in Ethiopia to make injera, a delicious large, round,
flat, spongy bread that is a staple there. Eat out at an Ethiopian
restaurant, and you’ll be served injera folded like
a napkin into quarters. Rip off small pieces and use them
to pinch bite-sized bits of food. Teff is also used as a whole-grain
cooked cereal, or the flour can be used to make breads, muffins
and pancakes.
Grains vary in their nutritional content, but all of them
are valuable sources of a long list of nutrients, including
protein, B vitamins, fiber, and minerals. They vary in flavor,
too. Amaranth, for instance, has a strong, spicy, nutty flavor
that may taste better in some recipes than others or can be
blended with other grains.
Your
best bet for finding the ancient grains listed here is in
a natural foods store or ethnic market. For a summary of whole
grain cooking and storage instructions, go online to Whole
Foods Market at http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/tips_grains.html.
As you experiment and expand your food choices, you’ll
see how easy and enjoyable it can be to eat well.
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