All Entries in the "Other Grains" Category
Tabbouleh with Baked Pita Chips
This is the second last kitchen for the South Arm Cooking Club for Seniors for this season. Colleen prepared a theme of Middle Eastern flavours with recipe like Tabbouleh and recipes with ingredients like walnuts and dates that are common in the middle east.
Colleen got the inspiration from a request from a participant who wanted to learn how to use bulgur wheat.
Bulgur is a whole grain with equal calcium and protein as found in brown rice but has fewer calories, less fat and more fiber and folate. It is found in various grinds or sizes. The above which Colleen bought from the Real Canadian Superstore is of a larger grain. Bulgur can be used in soups and bread.
Tabbouleh is best served after chilling in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or overnight for the flavour to mellow.
Colleen served the Tabbouleh with some crispy Baked Pita Chips.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups bulgur wheat
- 3 cups boiling water
- 2 pounds tomatoes, diced
- 1 cup fresh chopped parsley
- 3 green onions, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Source: via Colleen
More on following page. Click here to continue reading
1 person likes this post. Click yellow thumbie on the left if you like this post too.
Quinoa Vegetable Salad
I had to accompany Ben to the Chinese Visa Office to apply his visa for his next business trip to Beijing. So, I only managed to get to the South Arm Seniors Kitchen just after 11:00AM.
I was so surprised that the group had finished cooking and had started to eat already. I managed to take some photos of the food before I sat down to savour the food.
Quinoa is said to have more calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc and Vitamin E than any other grain. Technically, quinoa is not a grain but a seed. It is very similar to animal-based protein, as it contains all 8 essential amino acids.
Ingredients
- 2 cups quinoa
- 4 cups water
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- pinch of pepper
- 2 tablespoons red wine or balsamic vinegar
- 1 large red pepper, finely chopped
- 2 carrots, shredded
- 1 stalk celery, finely diced
- 4 green onions, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh, chopped cilantro
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
Source: via Colleen
More on following page. Click here to continue reading
5 people like this post. Click yellow thumbie on the left if you like this post too.
How to cook Farro
Besides the Orange and Pecan Salad with Red Onion Dressing, Michelle also prepared another side dish for the South Arm Seniors Kitchen. The seniors had expressed their interest in learning more about grains.
Michelle brought a grain called Farro to make a simple side dish. There are other grains which are very similar to farro like emmer, spelt and einkorn. Barley also has similar characteristic as farro and so, you may substitute farro with barley in recipes. Farro can be eaten plain or used in salad and soups.
Here is the recipe for a spelt salad and some barley soups (Herbed Lentil and Barley Soup, Hearty Bean Barley Soup, Barley Yogurt Soup and Mushroom, Barley and lentil Soup) that I had blogged before.
Farro is sold dried and is prepared by cooking in water for about an hour or more until soft, but still crunchy (it is recommended first soaking the farro over night). The ratio of water to grain to cook the farro is 2 to 1.
The farro that Michelle brought is the pearled version which takes a much shorter time to cook, about 15 minutes. Michelle bought it from … More on following page. Click here to continue reading
8 people like this post. Click yellow thumbie on the left if you like this post too.
Lentil, Barley and Brown Rice Salad with Dates and Feta
Minoo prepared three recipes for the Gilmore Park Church community kitchen. Two of the recipes were taken from Vancouver Sun.
The recipes include a Lentil, Barley and Brown Rice Salad with Dates and Feta, a Butternut Squash Gratin with Parmesan Sage Breadcrumbs and a Ginger Pumpkin Muffin recipe.
The combination of grains and legumes in the Lentil, Barley and Brown Rice Salad with Dates and Feta provides a complete protein meal. It is easy to pack for lunch or picnic.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup (80ml) brown rice
- 1/3 cup (80ml) pearl or pot barley
- 1/3 cup (80ml) dry green or brown lentils
- 1/2 cup (125ml) crumbled feta
- 1/2 cup (125ml) chopped fresh parsley
- 1/4 cup (60ml) chopped dates, figs or apricots
- 1 to 2 green onions, chopped
- 1/2 cup (125ml) chopped walnuts, toasted (optional)
- 1/4 cup (60ml) olive or canola oil
- 3 tablespoons (45ml) red wine vinegar or lemon juice
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Source: Vancouver Sun
Makes 6 servings
More on following page. Click here to continue reading
2 people like this post. Click yellow thumbie on the left if you like this post too.
Breakfast Idea: Crunchy Chewy Granola
At the Gilmore Park Church Community Kitchen, Minoo shared with us some food safe leftovers tips from dietitian Heather McColl. Here is the excerpt:
Double duty dinners are a perfect time-saving solution to getting a homemade dinner on the table in a hurry. When storing and reheating leftovers, use the following measures to keep them food-safe:
- Ensure your fridge is at the correct temperature: 4 degrees or colder. A fridge thermometer is a good investment.
- Refrigerate leftovers immediately after dinner or within 2 hours of cooking.
- Cool food quickly by storing in shallow containers on your refrigerator’s wire shelves to promote maximum airflow and even cooling.
- Quickly cool a large pot of hot food like soup or stew by chilling in an ice bath and stirring frequently before storing in the refrigerator or freezer.
- Chill large pieces of meat or poultry quickly and safely by deboning and dividing into small pieces before storing in the refrigerator
- Date your leftovers and use within 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator or store in the freezer for up to 6 months.
- When reheating leftovers, be sure to heat foods to an internal temperature of 74 degrees or bring liquids like soup to a rolling boil.
- A good rule of thumb is when in doubt, throw it out as you can’t tell the safety of food by its look, smell or taste.
The second breakfast item which Minoo shared is a Crunchy Chewy Granola. This granola can be eaten as snacks or as topping on your favourite yogurt.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup sunflower oil
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/2 cup agave syrup
- 5 1/2 cups old fashioned oat flakes (you may substitute up to 2 cups of oats with any other cereal flake you desire)
- 1 cup sunflower or pumpkin seeds
- 4 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 1 cup chopped mixed nuts
- 2 tablespoons wheat germ
- 1 tablespoons ground flax seed
- 1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
- 1 1/2 cups dried fruits (like craisin, raisin, blueberry, sour cherry or goji berry)
In this recipe, Minoo introduced us with new sweetener called agave syrup. Agave syrup or nectar is available at Costco and Galloway’s Specialty Foods.
Minoo shared with us the nutrients of agave includes Vitamin A, B1 (Thiamin), B2 (Riboflavin), B3 (Niacin), B6 (Phridoxine), B9 (Folate, Folic Acid), C, E, K, protein, selenium, natural fats, natural sugars, carbohydrates, starch, magnesium, calcium (good amount), iron, potassium, phosphorus, sodium, zinc, copper, manganese and dietary fiber (good amount).
Source: unknown
More on following page. Click here to continue reading
2 people like this post. Click yellow thumbie on the left if you like this post too.
Breakfast Idea: Quinoa and Millet Porridge
Once again, Minoo prepared a few recipes for breakfast or brunch at the Gilmore Park Church Community Kitchen. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. A good nutritious breakfast will help kids to perform better in school.
This Quinoa and Millet Porridge is stained purple by the blueberries which is rich with antioxidants. It is a good substitute to the more regular oatmeal porridge.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup millet
- 1/4 cup quinoa
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup frozen blueberries
- 2 tablespoons ground flax seed
- honey
Source: unknown; Serves 2
More on following page. Click here to continue reading
3 people like this post. Click yellow thumbie on the left if you like this post too.
Millet Pilaf
The second dish which Minoo prepared in the Gilmore Park Church Community Kitchen for the grain theme recipe is Millet Pilaf. Millet is often associated with bird feed in North America but is gaining acceptance into the human diet. Minoo told us that the incorporation of millet will made a very creamy mash potatoes.
This Millet Pilaf is another vegetarian recipe if you substitute butter with vegetable oil. Pilafs are open to a wide range of variations; any and all the vegetables may be substituted as desired or to to fit the season.
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cups millet
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 2 onions, one thinly sliced, one diced
- 1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and chopped
- 2 potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 2 cups cauliflower florets
- 1 cup butternut squash
- 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- salt and pepper to taste
Source: this recipe is adapted from Kevin Turner
More on following page. Click here to continue reading
3 people like this post. Click yellow thumbie on the left if you like this post too.
All About Grains
Minoo had selected a theme of grains to introduce to the community kitchens. She brought a variety of grains to the Gilmore Park Church Community Kitchen to share with us.
We learned that we can incorporate various grains in our diet beside the staple rice or oats that we are familiar with. We can add grains into our soup, stew or salad.
Here is an article which Minoo shared with us:
Grains are the mainstay of human sustenance. About half the world’s arable land is devoted to the cultivation of grains in some form or other, and 80% of the calories that human consume come from grains. Civilization as we know came into being as we transformed from wandering hunter-gatherers into farmers with secure and stable communities nourished by the fruits of our labours.
Grains are amazing plants, developed from weed like plants, grasses actually, that were able to spring up from any odd patch of ground on which a seed happens to fall. Among their many characteristics that make them so valuable is spacing, they take up little room, sending up stems topped by crowded spikes of nutrition packed seed kernels. They mature in just a few months and all of the seeds ripen simultaneously. They are easily prepared for cooking, even with primitive tools. Best of all, grains are often dry enough when fully ripe or after a brief parching in the sun to be stored without going moldy, so a good harvest ensures a year long supply of food.
More on following page. Click here to continue reading
4 people like this post. Click yellow thumbie on the left if you like this post too.
