Cuisine: Grains

Warm Brown Rice & Butternut Squash

Yesterday I posted a recipe using sweet potatoes and today here's a recipe for Warm Brown Rice & Butternut Squash from Ina Garten's new cookbook called Cook Like a Pro. It is outstanding! Will definitely be making this again! It can be served warm or at room temperature.

By Leslie Blythe

  • Prep: 15 mins
  • Cook: 30 mins
  • Yields: 6 - 8 Servings

Farro with Vinegar-Glazed Sweet Potato and Apples

This Farro with Vinegar-Glazed Sweet Potato and Apples recipe is a wonderful combination of roasted sweet potato and apples with a little sherry vinegar, tossed with farro, dried cherries and roasted cashews. Farro is an ancient whole grain with dietary benefits. It's derived from wheat so it is not gluten-free.

By Leslie Blythe

  • Prep: 20 mins
  • Cook: 45 mins
  • Yields: 6 Servings

Middle Eastern Roasted Tomatoes and Chickpeas with Bulgur

I love bulgur, which is a staple of Middle Eastern cuisine, traditionally used to make tabbouleh and pilafs. It has a satisfying, chewy texture and mild, nutty taste. Whole wheats, like bulgur, are richer in nutrients and vitamins than refined, processed wheat, which has been stripped of many beneficial ingredients. You can use bulgar in place of wheat berries, couscous or rice in your favorite grain salad recipes. This Middle Eastern Roasted Tomatoes and Chickpeas with Bulgur is a great way to give it a try!

By Leslie Blythe

  • Prep: 15 mins
  • Cook: 20 mins
  • Yields: 4 Servings

California Quinoa Salad

Yesterday at work, I wandered into the staff kitchen to find several people surrounding this California Quinoa Salad. They said it was the best salad ever. Of course, I had some, and yes, it is truly delicious. My friend Kristi made it. It has so much flavor and perfect for a weekday lunch. 

Quinoa (pronounced ‘keen-wah’) is a superfood, which is a complete protein. It has the perfect ratio of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats and is one of the best sources of protein you can get from a plant source. It is gluten-free and one of the few plant foods that contain all nine essential amino acids. ​

By Leslie Blythe

  • Prep: 10 mins
  • Cook: 10 mins
  • Yields: 4 Servings

Gooden Granola

Granola, that breakfast food of oats, nuts and other crunchy ingredients, has a mixed reputation. It is often seen a healthy, comforting and—literally and figuratively-crunchy. The breakfast equivalent of a pair of Birkenstocks. Just as Birkenstocks have shed their hippy image and are now right on trend for fashion and comfort, some granola—especially home-made—is now known simply for being delicious. Carl Parke’s (the head of the Gooden School) granola is just that—richly flavored with spices like ginger and allspice, slightly sweet with brown sugar and honey and delightfully nutty with four kinds of nuts and seeds. This is granola at its best, as good at breakfast as it is at any time of the day or night.

By Leslie Blythe

  • Prep: 15 mins
  • Cook: 1 hrs

Quinoa, Sweet Peppers, Arugula & Fig Salad with Orange Muscat Champagne Vinaigrette

While no single food can supply all the essential life sustaining nutrients, quinoa comes as close as any other in the plant or animal kingdom. Quinoa is gluten-free, high in protein and one of the few plant foods that contain all nine essential amino acids. This Quinoa, Sweet Peppers, Arugula & Fig Salad with Orange Muscat Champagne Vinaigrette is a great way to try quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah).

By Leslie Blythe

  • Prep: 20 mins
  • Cook: 15 mins
  • Yields: 4 - 6 Servings

Toasted Farro & Asparagus Salad

Toasted Farro & Asparagus Salad is a delicious way to eat asparagus, it’s great for a weekday lunch. Farro is a food composed of the grains of certain wheat species. Because it contains more fiber than other popular grains like rice or even quinoa, farro might have even more positive benefits when it comes to digestion and cardiovascular health. It's also exceptionally high in protein for a grain and supplies more than 10 different vitamins and minerals.

By Leslie Blythe

  • Prep: 15 mins
  • Cook: 35 mins
  • Yields: 4 Servings

Lemon Chicken & Arugula Salad with Israeli Couscous & Quinoa

This Lemon Chicken & Arugula Salad with Israeli Couscous & Quinoa is a very close version of a salad from Trader Joe's. Make it on Sunday and have it for lunch during the week.

By Leslie Blythe

  • Yields: 8 -10 Servings

Wild Rice, Wheat Berry & Quinoa Salad with Dried Cranberries & Almonds

You can't get much healthier than this Wild Rice, Wheat Berry & Quinoa Salad with Dried Cranberries & Almonds! It's perfect for your lunch at work.

By Leslie Blythe

  • Prep: 15 mins
  • Cook: 30 mins
  • Yields: 8 Servings

Bulgur Pilaf with Almonds

One of my favorite grains is bulgur wheat, which has a light, nutty flavor. Bulgur is sometimes confused with cracked wheat, which is crushed wheat grain that has not been parboiled. Bulgur is cleaned, parboiled, dried, ground into particles and sifted into distinct sizes. Bulgur is more nutritious than rice and couscous, because it contains more fiber, more vitamins and minerals, and has a better glycemic index than white rice or couscous.

By Leslie Blythe

  • Prep: 5 mins
  • Cook: 10 mins
  • Yields: 4 Servings