2.
Amaranth, quinoa, and millet, oh my! If your whole-
grain food choices are limited to wheat bread and
brown rice, this class is for you. Come discover some
less common (but still delicious!) whole grains that
are easy to cook and incorporate into meals, and
learn about the benefits of whole grains. Taste
samples included.
Objectives
3.
Grain – Seed of a cereal plant cultivated for food
Common in the US food supply:
Wheat, Oats, Rice, Barley
Typically found in grain products
Bread, pasta, tortillas, baked goods
Not so common
Teff, Sorghum, Spelt
See handout
What is a whole grain
4.
Raw grains – Kernel, hull, and stalk
Groats – Hulls removed
Rolled – Steamed and rolled into flakes
Old-fashioned
Quick or instant
Flour - Ground
Processing
6.
Whole grain = 100% of the original kernel-- bran,
endosperm, and germ-- present in the original
proportions
Refined = Bran and/or germ removed via milling
Finer texture & longer shelf life
Fiber & vitamins/minerals removed as well
Enriched products
Processing
7.
Read the ingredient list
Look for the word “whole” in the first ingredient
whole or whole grain [name of grain], whole wheat,
brown rice, oats or oatmeal
Not a whole grain: enriched flour, wheat germ, bran
Probably not a whole grain: wheat flour, 100%
wheat, seven-grain, multigrain, stoneground,
multigrain, organic flour, semolina, durum wheat
Don’t rely on fiber content or color
Identifying whole grains
12.
Gluten = a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley that is
responsible for the elastic nature of dough
Celiac disease (CD): autoimmune disease that causes
damage to the lining of the small intestine when gluten is
consumed
Gluten intolerance: sensitivity to gluten, typically
presenting with GI symptoms
Bottom line: No need to avoid gluten unless you have CD
or are gluten intolerant
What about gluten?
13.
Add whole grains to
Soups
Stews
Salads
Baked goods
Try bringing a whole grain salad for lunch
Batch cook on the weekend
Substitute whole grains in baked goods
Incorporating whole
grains
14.
Basic directions: Cook like rice. Combine grain and
liquid. Bring to a boil. Simmer until water is
absorbed and grain is soft/chewy.
Store grains in airtight containers in a cool, dry
pantry
Intact grains: up to 6 months or a year in the freezer
Flours & meals: 1-3 months or 2-6 months in the
freezer
Depends on fat content
Cooking whole grains
