5 Essential Whole Grains

Are you starting a Daniel fast, vegan diet, or simply want more healthy, whole foods in your diet? Here are a few nutritious whole grains you may be familiar with, or have been meaning to try! Whole grains offer the nutritional value of fiber, vitamins, and complex carbohydrates.

The great news is they are all quick and easy to prepare. Most work well when paired with a variety of vegetables, which also help add flavor. Stocking your pantry with these essentials will ensure you make healthy decisions when you need to prepare a quick dinner.

Daniel Fast 5 Essential Whole Grains

Steel Cut Oats

These are a staple for breakfast. The main difference between steel cut, rolled and quick cooking oats is how they are processed. As usual, the less processed, the better is is for you nutritionally. You can cook up a bowl in the morning, put them in a crockpot for overnight steel oats, or use in baked goods.

Cooking ratio: 1 cup oats to 3 cups water

Recipe to try: Overnight Steel Cut Oats

Quinoa

Quinoa has become popular due to its amazing nutritional content, including protein, vitamins, minerals and fiber. It's also versatile, able to be added to many dishes, although not exceptionally flavorful to be eaten by itself alone.

Cooking ratio: 1 cup quinoa to 2 cups water

Recipe to try: Quinoa Chicken

Farro

Farro is similar to rice but a little more thick and chewy. It can be used as a side dish, in soups or served in salads or with a mix of vegetables. You can cook farro similar to rice or like pasta: bring a pot of water to a boil, cook the farro for 20-30 minutes (taste test for perfect doneness) then draining through a sieve.

Cooking ratio: 1 cup farro to 3 cups water

Bulgur

Bulgur is easy to cook and another great addition to change up the texture and taste of your favorite dishes. One of the most popular uses of bulgur is in tabbouleh, and can also be used in other salad recipes.

Cooking ratio: 1 cup bulgur to 2 cups water

Rice

Rice may seem an obvious grain to have in your pantry, but sometimes it can get a bad rap for lacking nutrition. However, there are many different styles of rice to mix up the meals you are making. As with other foods, the type of rice you are buying matters - avoid highly processed white short-grain rice and stick to brown rice (brown jasmine or brown basmati are also great options).

Cooking ratio: depends on type of rice and method of cooking

Recipe to try: Thai Coconut Brown Rice

There are many other whole grain options to include and experiment with, not limited to the following:

  • Amaranth

  • Barley

  • Buckwheat

  • Freekeh

  • Millet

What other whole grains do you eat regularly and what is your favorite recipe or method of cooking?

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