Healthy Options: Learning about Other Whole Grains

In past months, you have received information about the whole grains wheat, rice and oats. This month, as follow-up to Sister Hays’ class on storing and using a multigrain flour mix, here is some information and resources related to those “other” grains. This information is taken from the Whole Grains Council. For more information visit their site at: www.wholegrainscouncil.org

List of whole grains
The following, when consumed in a form including the bran, germ and endosperm, are examples* of generally accepted whole grain foods and flours. Click here to learn more about each one.

1. Amaranth
2. Barley
3. Buckwheat
4. Corn, including whole cornmeal and popcorn
5. Millet
6. Oats, including oatmeal
7. Quinoa
8. Rice, both brown rice and colored rice
9. Rye
10. Sorghum (also called milo)
11. Teff
12. Triticale
13. Wheat, including varieties such as spelt, emmer, farro, einkorn, Kamut®, durum and forms such as bulgur, cracked wheat and wheatberries
14. Wild rice

* Note: This list is not meant to be comprehensive, but to include those grains most familiar to consumers. Other cereal grasses from the Poaceae (or Gramineous) family, such as canary seed, Job's tears, Montina, fonio, etc. are also whole grains when consumed with all of their bran, germ and endosperm.Oilseeds and legumes (such as flax, sunflower seeds, soy, chickpeas, etc.) are not considered whole grains.

What are the Health Benefits?
Studies show that eating whole grains instead of refined grains lowers the risk of many chronic diseases. While benefits are most pronounced for those consuming at least 3 servings daily, some studies show reduced risks from as little as one serving daily. The message: every whole grain in your diet helps!

The main benefits of whole grains
The benefits of whole grains most documented by repeated studies include:

• stroke risk reduced 30-36%
• type 2 diabetes risk reduced 21-30%
• heart disease risk reduced 25-28%
• better weight maintenance

Other benefits indicated by recent studies include:

• reduced risk of asthma
• healthier carotid arteries
• reduction of inflammatory disease risk
• lower risk of colorectal cancer
• healthier blood pressure levels
• less gum disease and tooth loss

Make Easy Substitutions

• Replace one third of the flour in a recipe with quick oats or old-fashioned oats.
• Add half a cup of cooked bulgur, wild rice, or barley to bread stuffing.
• Add half a cup of cooked wheat or rye berries, wild rice, brown rice, sorghum or barley to your favorite canned or home-made soup.Use whole corn meal for corn cakes, corn breads and corn muffins.

Try New Foods

• Make risottos, pilafs and other rice-like dishes with whole grains such as barley, brown rice, bulgur, millet, quinoa or sorghum.
• Enjoy whole grain salads like tabbouleh.
• Buy whole grain pasta, or one of the blends that’s part whole-grain, part white.
• Try whole grain breads. Kids especially like whole grain pita bread.Look for cereals made with grains like kamut, kasha (buckwheat) or spelt.

Grains for the Use of Man

The Lord has told us in D & C that we must use grains for the health and strength of our bodies. If we listen to him we may prepare ourselves. Thanks, Sister Hays, for a wonderfully enjoyable night. We all left with high hopes of using our newly gained knowledge of how to use nutritious grains for our bodies’ sustained health. What a blessing!! Thank You!!

From the grains mix these flours:
5 lbs. Whole Wheat Flour
3 lbs. Soy Flour
2 lbs. Yellow Cornmeal
2 lbs. White Cornmeal
1 ½ lbs. Garbanzo Flour
2 lbs. Rye
2 lbs. Barley
1 lb. 8 oz. Oats
1 lb. 8 oz. Rice
Toasting keeps the grains preserved and gives them a heartier taste. Place grains in a large pan that you can put in the oven. Mix them all together with spoon. Bake 6 to 8 hrs. at 200 degrees. Cool & store in airtight containers. Take out any amount that you need to make any of these recipes.

Cereal
From mixed flours above you can make cereal. Just make as you would cream of wheat or malt-o meal. Place mixed flours in hot water and cook. You can also simply put the mixed flours in a blender with hot water if you like and blend until you get the right consistency. Add sweetner of choice and cinnamon, etc. Yum, Yum!!

Pancakes
Warm up milk and put in flour til the right consistency
1 cup flour
1/8 cup Bisquick
Could also use your favorite pancake recipe and add flour and bisquick (the bisquick has the baking soda/powder in it and makes for fluffier pancakes! Wala!!

Vegetable Soup
Combine Chicken Broth, Vegetable Broth or Beef Broth & vegetables of choice in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook til vegetables are tender or to your liking!!
Make paste by mixing flour mixture & water or broth together til lumps are gone and it is smooth. Add to broth and vegetables, stirring continually so as not to allow lumps to form and you get the right consistency. If too thick, just add more broth or water. If too thin just add more paste. Make as you would any white sauce.
Season to Taste

Gravy for Mashed Potatoes
Make paste with broth (whatever kind you like) and the flour mixture. Stir in saucepan til it thickens and is ready. Season to taste. Delicious over any mashed potatoes.

Masa Pancakes

Sisters, I know this recipe does not have oats in them; however, you could always grind some oats and throw them in to satisfy our Oat criteria this month!! I just wanted to share this recipe because we use a lot of masa here in the Valley and these pancakes with the citrus sauce are really good. The key is to cook them slowly and throughly. I added walnuts to mine the other day and topped them with frozen blueberries and a dollop of yogurt!! Even some granola on top would be great. It ends up being a dessert as well. Hope you like them!!

Masa Flour Pancakes

2 teaspoons unpacked light brown sugar
1 to 1 1/2 cup masa flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon salsa verde
1 large egg
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups milk
1 tablespoon butter, melted
Three Citrus Honey Butter Syrup

Combine brown sugar, 1 cup of the flour, baking powder, and the salt. Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together the salsa verde, egg, vanilla, and milk. Slowly add the melted butter.

Gently stir the liquid mixture in to the dry mixture until it is fully combined. The batter should be slightly thick. If it is not thick enough, add the remaining 1/2 cup flour (I did not need to add it). Let the batter sit for 5 minutes.

Heat griddle or skillet over medium heat. Pour 1/4 cup of the batter for each pancake onto the griddle, leaving 2 inches between pancakes. When small bubbles form around the edges of the pancakes at about 1 1/2 minutes, flip. The pancakes should be golden brown on the bottom. Repeat and serve with Three-Citrus Honey Butter Syrup.


Three-Citrus Honey Butter Syrup

2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 stick butter
2 teaspoons grated orange zest
2 teaspoons grated lime zest
2 teaspoons grated grapefruit zest
1/2 cup freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
1/2 cup honey

Dissolve cornstarch in water. Bring to boil hte other ingredients and add cornstarch. Mix until combined. Serve warm

* I did not make the syrup this way, but I used it more as a guide. I used about 1 tablespoon of butter, about 1/4 cup of honey, 2 tablespoons of pure maple syrup, zest of lemon, lime and orange, and the juice of an orange. It made just the right amount. And, it is a delicious syrup for these pancakes.

Oatmeal Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 1/2 cups oats
1 cup whole wheat (or other flour)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup pur maple syrup
1/3 cup canola oil or melted, unsalted butter
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup mini chocolate chips
1/3 cup unsweetened coconut (optional)

Mix dry ingredients. Mix wet ingredients. Mix dry and wet together. Add mix-ins (chocolate chips, nuts, coconut, dried fruit, etc.) Bake 350 for 10-12 minutes.

May Food Storage Item: Oats

Let’s store OATS ! Oats add variety!
Oat Basics:
Many varieties of oatmeal are available ranging from "old fashioned" to "instant." Oats are processed into rolled oats by first removing the outer husk or hull, yielding "groats." The groats are then cleaned, steamed, toasted, steamed again to soften them, and finally, rolled. Rolled oats that are not cut into smaller pieces are termed "old fashioned." They take about five minutes to cook on the stove, and they yield a chewier product after cooking.
Groats cut into a couple of pieces before being steamed and rolled are termed "quick oats," which cook on the stove in about a minute. "Instant" oatmeal is steamed yet again and sweeteners, flavors and other ingredients may be added. (Garden-Robinson, J., NDSU Extension Service, Prairie Fare: January is National Oatmeal Month)

NOTE: Regular oats and quick oats are basically interchangeable. However, when using regular oats in a recipe that calls for quick oats, it is advisable to soak the regular oats in water for about 5 minutes to soften them.

Oats benefit your health!
$ Rich in the B vitamins and many minerals
$ Contain the anti-oxidant vitamin E and oats are mineral rich
$ Contain an excellent balance of amino acids, so it meets your protein needs without the mixing of food other grains need
$ Contain insoluble fiber to keep you “regular”
$ Lower total cholesterol
$ Lower low-density lipoprotein ( LDL , the "bad" cholesterol)
$ May lower high-blood pressure
$ Contain high levels of complex carbohydrates which have been linked to reducing the risk of cancer and the better control of diabetes

Sources:
$ http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-01/uok-ohc010808.php
$ Garden-Robinson, J., NDSU Extension Service, Prairie Fare: January is National Oatmeal Month
$ http://waltonfeed.com/self/oats.html
$ http://waltonfeed.com/grain/ldscn/40.html

RECIPES
Add oats to recipes you already love!
$ add it to soups, gravies and stews as a thickener
$ add it to casseroles
$ use instead of crackers in meatloaf
$ ground your oats in a blender or food you processor then…
o add some to breadcrumbs when making a breading
o swap one-third of the flour in recipes with quick or old-fashioned oats
Sunshine Granola
2 cups oatmeal (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)1/3 cup honey1/4 cup chopped pecans (optional)2 tablespoons vegetable oil2 teaspoons grated orange peel1 teaspoon vanilla1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon1/8 teaspoon salt (optional)2/3 cup diced dried mixed fruit (about 3 ounces)
Heat oven to 350 F. Combine all ingredients except dried fruit in large bowl; mix well. Spread evenly in 15 x 10-inch jelly roll pan or 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown, stirring once after 10 minutes. Cool completely in pan. Stir in dried fruit. Store tightly covered up to 5 days.
Makes about six servings. Each half-cup serving contains 240 calories, 6 grams fat, 43 milligrams carbohydrates and 3 grams fiber.
Source: Julie Garden-Robinson, (701) 231-7187, http://us.f352.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=jgardenr@ndsuext.nodak.eduEditor: Tom Jirik, (701) 231-9629, http://us.f352.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=tjirik@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Soft Oaty Pretzels
· 3 to 3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
· 1-1/4 cups Quaker® Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
· 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
· 1 package (1/4 oz.) quick-rising yeast
· 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
· 3/4 cup milk
· 3/4 cup water
· 2 tablespoons margarine or butter, softened
· COATING
· 1 egg, lightly beaten
· 1/4 cup Quaker® Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
For pretzels, combine 2 cups flour, oats, sugar, yeast and salt in large bowl; mix well. Heat milk and water until very warm (120°F to 130°F); add margarine. Add to flour mixture. Blend at low speed on electric mixer until moistened; beat 3 minutes at medium speed. By hand, gradually stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough that pulls away from sides of bowl.
Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes, adding additional flour if dough is sticky. Cover loosely with plastic wrap; let dough rest on floured surface 10 minutes.
Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease or lightly spray 2 large baking sheets with cooking spray.
Divide dough into 24 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 12-inch long rope; form into pretzel, letter or number shape. Place pretzels on baking sheet. Cover loosely with plastic wrap; let rest 10 minutes or until slightly risen. Brush tops of pretzel with beaten egg; sprinkle with oats, pressing lightly.
Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until golden brown. (If baking both baking sheets at one time, rotate sheets top to bottom and front to back halfway through baking time.) Remove from baking sheets; cool on wire rack. Store tightly covered at room temperature.
Makes 24
Vegetable Oat Pilaf
· 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
· 1/2 cup chopped green or red bell pepper
· 1/2 cup sliced green onions
· 2 cloves garlic, minced
· 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
· 1-3/4 cups Old Fashioned Quaker® Oats, uncooked
· 2 egg whites lightly beaten or 1/4 cup egg substitute, lightly beaten
· 3/4 cup ready-to-serve low sodium chicken broth
· 2 teaspoons dried basil leaves
· 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
· 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
· 1 medium tomato, seeded, chopped
In large skillet, cook mushrooms, bell pepper, onions and garlic in oil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes or until onions are tender.
In medium bowl, combine oats and egg whites, stirring until oats are evenly coated. Add to vegetable mixture in skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until oats are dry and separated, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add broth, basil, salt and pepper. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Stir in tomato. Serve immediately.
Makes 8 Servings