How to Cook the Various Grains – It’s Easy
grain salad
How many of you remember being given a bowl of hot oatmeal in the morning before going to school? And, have you ever tried a tasty grain salad? Eating grains is one of the best choices for bones, muscles and for staying full longer. There are tasty, healthy ways to use grains for weight loss.
Cooking grains is not something that everybody knows how to do, but it’s even easier than boiling up some pasta. There are many varieties of grains to try; oatmeal, brown rice, cornmeal, quinoa, millet, and amaranth. They are great high-fiber, wholesome carbohydrates that are really good for you. And, they are all so mild tasting that it’s like eating bread or pasta. You can add sweet or savory flavors to each grain, and each flavor will be compatible with each grain.
Experiment with and find your favorite grain at the health food store. Costco carries some, and you can get some in the health food section of the grocery store. You can also order in bulk from a preparedness store like Your Family Matters for an economical 25-50 pounds of grains to last throughout the year and for emergency.
It’s easy to cook the various grains! by Janet Hailstone
- All you need is one cup of dry or sprouted grain and
- 2-4 cups of water (see the chart below) depending on which grain is used,
- a pot with a lid to cook the grain,
- a stove,
- and a mixing spoon.
- Bring the water to a boil with the grain. Normally, with pasta, you have to wait for the water to boil first. But, with grains, you just put them both in together and bring the whole thing to a boil. If you have the lid on, you can wait until you see the steam coming from the lid or until the lid jiggles. This can take about 10-15 minutes.
- Once the water starts to boil vigorously, you can put the lid on, turn down the heat, and let it simmer for about 20-30 minutes. For the sprouted or really small grains, you can just put the lid on and turn off the heat to save electricity, then check it after about an hour. If you don’t have a lid, you may need to add an extra cup or two of water since a lot evaporates when boiling.
- When the grain is done, you will see some soft, hot grain with no wateriness anywhere. The water will have all been soaked up into the grain. You can eat it cold or hot. It will stay delicious in the fridge in a covered container for a week.
grain/bean casserole, stew, or soup for a main dish
1 cup grain to 2-4 cups water - Just follow the ratio below for grain:water and then apply it to the recipe above.
Make grain desserts such as brown rice pudding.
Oatmeal 1:3 - thick oatmeal, 1:4 - thinner oatmeal
Brown Rice 1:2.5
Cornmeal 1:3 - great for cereal and polenta
Amaranth 1:2.5 - with lid, 1:3 without lid
Quinoa 1:2 - complete protein and more expensive
Millet 1:3 - cheap and tasty
You would be smart to replace much of the bread and pasta you eat with whole, steamed grains. There will be more fiber and cheaper costs. They taste great with whatever recipe you try.
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