Chapter 2: Great Grains
Grains are the basis of many diets around the world. Whole grains provide slow-burning, high-quality energy and are packed with vital nutrients such as iron, vitamin E, and vitamin B-complex. Don’t shy away from grains because they’re carbohydrates—remember, they’re not all created equal. What I mean by this is that refined carbohydrates like white rice and bread break down much faster in our bodies, playing havoc with our blood sugar levels. Have you ever experienced an energy crash? That was a probably a result of eating a refined-carb-rich meal. Compare this to complex carbohydrates like brown rice that are digested much slower and help maintain steady blood-sugar levels. These delicious and nutritious grains will keep you full and give your body the fuel it needs to thrive. In the Great Grains chapter, I’ll teach you how to cook these staples for maximum nutrition and flavor.
Classic Quinoa
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Ingredients
Serves 5–6
1 cup dry quinoa
2 cups water
1 medium onion
1 carrot
2 stalks celery
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp black pepper
Method
- Rinse quinoa thoroughly in fine mesh strainer.
- Add to pot and cover with 2 cups water.
- Add a tablespoon of olive oil, bay leaf, and sea salt and bring to boil.
- Once it comes to a boil, turn to lowest heat, cover and cook for 20 minutes, until fluffy and translucent.
- Mince onion, carrot, and celery finely.
- In medium skillet, bring 1 tablespoon olive oil to medium heat.
- Add onions first and cook for 5 minutes, or until translucent.
- Add carrot and celery and cook for 5–7 more minutes.
- Add 1 cup cooked quinoa to pan along with sea salt and pepper and combine well.
- Store extra quinoa in container to use at another time.
Superfood Granola with Goji Berries
Prep time: 10 hours
Cook time: 60 minutes
Ingredients
Serves 5–6
3 cups gluten-free rolled oats
½ cup sliced almonds
3 tbsps chia seeds
½ cup goji berries, soaked
¾ cup coconut palm sugar
¼ cup melted coconut oil
2 tbsps cinnamon
2 tsps fine Himalayan salt
Method
- Soak goji berries overnight. Strain and dry on paper towels.
- Preheat oven to 300°;F.
- Combine all ingredients except goji berries in large bowl and mix thoroughly.
- Spread out in an even, ½-inch layer on a baking sheet and transfer to oven.
- Bake for 15 minutes, then stir, then return to oven for 10 minutes, then stir and return to oven again. Continue stirring every 10 minutes until granola is golden brown.
- Remove from oven and stir goji berries into mixture.
- Allow to cool for 15 minutes and store in a large glass jar and serve with coconut milk or yogurt.
Millet Porridge with Caramelized Apples, Toasted Almonds, and Coconut
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
Serves 5–6
1 cup dry millet
2 ½ cups water or milk of choice
1 apple
½ cup sliced almonds
½ cup coconut flakes
3 tbsps coconut oil or butter
Small pinch sea salt
Method
- Rinse millet in fine mesh strainer and transfer to medium pot.
- Add water or milk of choice and sea salt and bring to boil.
- Once it comes to a boil, reduce heat to lowest setting, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Toast sliced almonds and coconut flakes together in dry pan over medium heat for five minutes until fragrant and lightly browned. Set aside.
- Bring coconut oil or butter to medium heat and add apple.
- Allow to caramelize for eight minutes, stirring only every few minutes.
- Serve millet topped with caramelized apples, almonds, and coconut.
Warming Kasha with Winter Vegetables and Sage Glaze
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 65 minutes
Ingredients
Serves 5–6
1 cup dry kasha
2 cups water, vegetable stock, or chicken stock
1 medium onion
1 winter squash of choice
1 lb shiitake mushrooms
¼ cup fresh sage
2 tbsps maple syrup
2 tbsps butter or olive oil
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp pepper
Method
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Trim squash ends, rinse, and pat dry.
- Cut in half, scoop out seeds, and pierce each side a few times with a fork.
- Rub with butter or olive oil.
- Set skin-side up on baking dish and bake for 30–45 minutes until very tender.
- While squash is cooking, bring liquid of choice to a boil in medium pot with sea salt.
- Rinse kasha in fine mesh strainer.
- Add kasha to boiling water and bring back to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 10–12 minutes.
- Finely dice onion. Wash and pat dry mushrooms, then slice.
- In medium pan, bring butter or olive oil to medium heat.
- Sauté onion for five minutes, or until translucent.
- Add mushrooms and cook for five more minutes.
- Add cooked, diced squash.
- Add minced sage and 2 tablespoons maple syrup, along with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add kasha to pan and cook for five minutes.
- Serve as a side dish or simple, grounding main dish.
Savory Teff Crepes
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
Serves 3–4
½ cup teff flour
½ tsp sea salt
½ cup whole milk or full-fat coconut milk
1 egg
2 portobello mushrooms
1 medium yellow onion
½ tsp coriander
1 tbsp minced garlic
4 tbsps butter or olive oil
Additional sea salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Method
- Combine teff flour with sea salt and whisk together in bowl.
- Combine milk of choice, egg, and melted butter or olive oil in separate larger bowl and whisk well.
- Add teff to liquid mixture and whisk well. Cover and set aside.
- Slice onion thin. Rinse mushrooms, trim, and slice thin.
- Add butter or olive oil to pan and bring to medium heat.
- Add onion and cook for five minutes, stirring frequently, until translucent.
- Add mushrooms and cook for eight minutes, until wilted and combined.
- Add minced garlic, coriander, sea salt, and black pepper and cook for five more minutes.
- Transfer vegetable mixture to serving bowl.
- Bring two tablespoons butter or olive oil to medium-high heat in medium nonstick skillet.
- Pour crepe mixture into pan.
- Cook for three minutes on each side.
- Remove crepe and transfer to serving plate.
- Add ½ cup vegetable mixture in the center of each crepe and fold like a burrito or simply roll it up.