Search Results for "whole grains"

I’ve talked about it before – you need to be eating whole grains.  Not the refined ones, the ones with the nutrient-rich bran and germ intact – you’ll get vitamins, minerals and fiber from these.  If you’re a more average American than me, you eat sandwiches often, and bread can be a good place to get a dose of whole grains into your diet – but wait, what do all those labels mean?  “Stone ground?”  “Multi-grain?” Are those the real deal?

As you should with all foods – bypass the health claims and labels and head for the list of ingredients.  Look for the word “whole” in the first few ingredients – as in “whole wheat flour,” “whole oat flour,” etc.  And what if you’re not a bread or sandwich eater?  There are lots of delicious options for you, and here are some tasty ways to prepare them . . . .

You’ve heard that you’re supposed to eat more of them, but what the heck are whole grains, exactly? 

Whole grains are grains that haven’t had their bran and germ removed by milling.  They’re considered a better source of fiber, nutrients and antioxidants than their refined cousins. Whole grains can decrease cholesterol levels, blood pressure and risk of heart disease, and some studies have found that whole grains help reduce the risks of certain types of cancer.  

The whole grain family includes brown rice, buckwheat, farro, millet, oatmeal, whole-wheat flour and whole cornmeal, among others. The FDA recommends eating at least three one-ounce equivalents of whole grains per day.  Want to see if your packaged food product contains whole grain?  It’s easy.  Just look for the word “whole” in the ingredient list.

If you’re a refined-grain guru, incorporating whole grains into the diet might seem like a pain, but trust me, it’s pretty painless if you start small.  For instance, substitute whole-wheat pasta or go for whole-grain bread products (think bagels, English muffins, tortillas, etc.) for white-flour options. Or if you’re baking, try using half whole-wheat pastry flour in cookie, cake or pie recipes. I’ve had particular luck with this in bar-cookie recipes, like these pumpkin chocolate chip squares (it’s also been virtually undetectable in 7-layer bars and other bar cookies).  Whole wheat pastry flour is a much finer grind than regular whole-wheat flour, and while yes, the texture is a little teeny bit different, it’s not off-putting.  In fact, once you get used to it, you might actually prefer the slightly nutty taste of the whole wheat pastry flour.

A dinner-time suggestion:  Try brown rice instead of white.  Use vegetable or chicken broth rather than water (same ratio as white rice – two cups broth to one cup of rice, and try adding a teaspoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt to boost the flavor). Or switch out rice altogether and give quinoa a whirl.  If you’ve read this blog for a while, you know that I’m a huge fan of this high-protein seed.  It acts like a grain, cooks quickly and has a light, nutty flavor.  [Read more →]

I have been what most would describe a super-healthy eater for a while now. Cancer’ll do that to a girl. I have been all about fruits, green leafies, whole grains, lean meats, fiber fiber fiber for over a decade. I have cooked most of our food, eaten little processed food and cut out almost all alcohol.

[Read more →]

Really, the best way to get your carbs is from vegetables, fruit and beans. The OmniHeart study found that diets rich in veggies, fruits and low-fat dairy foods and low in sat fat, salt and sugar lowered blood pressure and LDL (the “bad” cholesterol). But each person in this study had only 4-5 servings of grains for a 2,000 calorie/day diet. That’s NOT much bread, my friends. And sometimes, you just want to sandwich something.

Try thin, whole grain rolls like Pepperidge Farm Deli Flats or Arnold or Oroweat Sandwich Thins – they have 100 calories per bun and will let you stretch your whole grains budget further every day.

The “Volumetrics” eating plan – have you heard of it? The premise has been around for a while and there’s a new book out by its creator, Barbara Rolls, but it’s not new news to most of us who’re long-time watchers of our weight. The basic premise is that people like to eat, and given a choice, they’d rather eat more than less. But filling up on high-calorie (or, “calorie-dense”) foods can cause weight gain, so what the Volumetrics approach does is have you fill up on low-density foods, so you can eat more, feel satisfied, and keep your weight in check.

[Read more →]

Hey Sweeties: This is a reprint of an article I wrote for Macheesmo a while back. No less relevant today. Take a peek.

I’m certain you’ve seen them – advertisements for products containing probiotics that promise you great health. But do you really need to buy pre-fab supplements and products to get those health benefits? It turns out that if you eat cultured and fermented foods, you can healthy-up your gut… no pricey supplements necessary.

[Read more →]

You keep hearing it – fiber’s good for you.  Natural sources of dietary fiber can help your body in myriad ways, and now soluble fiber is being touted for its positive effects on the immune system.  According to a recent study in the journal Brain, Behavior and Immunity, mice that ate a diet rich in soluble fiber for six weeks recovered from a bacterial infection in half the time it took mice who ate meals containing mixed fiber.  Turns out, the soluble fiber found in citrus, apples, carrots, beans and oats helps fight inflammation.  Insoluble fiber (in wheat, whole grains, nuts and leafy green veggies) doesn’t have the same impact. 

What to do? Strive for 25-30 grams of total fiber daily, and pay attention to getting soluble fiber in particular.

Two posts in as many days?  Starting to feel like my old self again! 

This “recipe” originally appeared in Body + Soul magazine in a piece on using up leftovers . . . it’s good enough, though, to purchase ingredients for – or to use up what’s in your pantry.  I always keep a package of Whole Food’s frozen pre-cooked brown rice handy, and there is always basil pesto base in the fridge.  This goes together in a   is infinitely customizable – no brown rice?  Try farro or wheat berries.  Don’t have Parmesan?  Romano or an Italian blend would be great.  This makes a great side dish for almost any protein . . . we noshed on leftover rotisserie chicken, but it’d be tasty with Italian chicken sausages, tofu, chicken, burgers (veggie, beef and/or turkey), etc. etc.!

Brown Rice Salad With Pesto & Cherry Tomatoes (adapted from Body + Soul)

Stir pesto into the rice and season with salt and pepper.  Mix in the tomatoes, Parmesan and basil and serve!  This is great leftover – try some in your lunch the next day . . . .