Just as I'm starting to understand all the buzz about whole grains, I'm faced with a new lesson, and it's all about "old-world" grains. Here's what I'm learning.

Once only found in health food stores, these grains -- amaranth, spelt, and quinoa are a few -- are popping up on the shelves of local grocery stores. The good news, besides greater availability, is that these tasty treats may be even higher in disease-fighting nutrients than your average whole wheat, rice, and oats.

Want to give these great grains a try? Here are some tips:

• Pick bread with more than seven grains -- these are more likely to include some "old-world" alternatives, like millet and amaranth.
• Visit the rice and pasta aisle and give these a try: Boxed quinoa and Kamut pasta. Quinoa has a nutty taste, the pasta has a wheat flavor, and both cook in 20 minutes or less and can be swapped for rice or noodles in pilafs and soups.
• Try small substitutions by using these grains in foods like muffins, pancakes, even salads.

Source

On a hike through town the other day, my kids and I stopped at our favorite fruit market. I told them they could each pick out one thing while I shopped. My toddler did what toddlers do and crashed into things while simultaneously plucking everything she could reach off the shelves. But my preschooler stood thoughtfully for a moment and headed straight for her favorite treat -- the white-flour hamburger buns. I couldn't help but laugh. She's been raised on whole wheat grains and she loves them, but she sees white bread as a "treat."

So this week I decided to try out some spelt bread products. Spelt is an ancient grain that's related to wheat, and though it's been around for centuries, it's only recently been getting renewed attention in the United States. It's got an excellent flavor and texture and is chock full of B vitamins, especially riboflavin. Because spelt has a tough outer hull, it's resistant to disease and pests, so it's easy to grow without pesticides or chemicals. And spelt is thought to be more tolerable for those who have difficulty digesting wheat.

It also looks just like white bread. The hot dog buns we tried have a nice, nutty flavor and a texture that might remind you of English muffin bread. And the next time my little one wants her favorite "treat," I have a nutritious alternative on hand. Does anyone have any yummy spelt recipes to share?

Source

When whole wheat pastas started showing up on grocery store shelves a few years ago, I took the leap. Actually, it was more like a small step, since I started with a whole wheat blend pasta. I cooked it up with some spaghetti and we hardly noticed the difference. When the true 100% whole wheat brands came along a few months later, I bit the bullet again and served whole wheat lasagna for dinner. I'm not going to say the taste is for everyone, but in our house the transition was a cinch and we enjoy the hardier, nuttier taste of whole wheat pasta over white.

There are a lot of reasons to love whole wheat pasta: more fiber, more nutrition, and you don't have to avoid it completely when you're trying to lose weight. That said, there are going to be some of you who try it and simply can't get used to the taste. Luckily, there are options, even for the most hard core white flour pasta fans. This article from WebMD compares some of the more popular brands of healthy pastas, including Barilla Plus. This enriched pasta isn't entirely whole wheat, but it comes with added fiber, protein, and omega-3s that boost it's nutritional content AND it tastes very close to traditional pasta. Another option is pasta made from spelt, which is an ancient variety of grain similar to wheat. Though it contains gluten, it appears to be easier to digest for many people than wheat.

The USDA recommends you make at least half your grains whole, but I say why stop there? If you love the taste of whole grain pasta, breads, and cereals, then try to make as many of them whole as possible!

Source