SHOPPING & COOKING GUIDES

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Grain-Cooking Guide

How to cook 7 healthy grains.

Easy cooking instructions for seven healthy whole grains.

Trying to eat more whole grains? Keep trying! Grains provide a healthy boost of vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants and phytonutrients. Grains are also rich in carbohydrates—the body’s main fuel supply—so we need a fair amount daily (despite what low-carb/no-carb gurus say).

The key is to keep portions moderate and skew strongly to whole-grain versions as often as you can. While the government guidelines urge you to “make half of your grains whole,” we say aim for making most, if not all, of your grains whole. You’ll feel fuller longer, since whole grains and fiber take longer to digest.

Use this guide to cook tasty whole grains and keep in mind that directions are for 1 cup of uncooked grain; serving size is 1/2 cup cooked.

Directions are for 1 cup of uncooked grain.

Barley, Quick cooking

Bring 1 3/4 cups water or broth to a boil; add 1 cup barley. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, 10-12 minutes.

Yield: 2 cups

Per 1/2-cup serving: 86 calories; 1 g fat (0 g sat, 0 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 19 g carbohydrate; 3 g protein; 3 g fiber; 2 mg sodium.

Barley, Pearl

Bring 1 cup barley and 2 1/2 cups water or broth to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, 35-50 minutes.

Yield: 3-3 1/2 cups

Per 1/2-cup serving: 117 calories; 0 g fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 26 g carbohydrate; 3 g protein; 5 g fiber; 6 mg sodium.

Bulgur

Bring 1 cup bulgur and 1 1/2 cups water or broth to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed, 10-15 minutes.

Yield 2 1/2-3 cups

Per 1/2-cup serving: 96 calories; 0 g fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 21 g carbohydrate; 3 g protein; 5 g fiber; 7 mg sodium.

Couscous, Whole-wheat

Bring 1 3/4 cups water or broth to a boil. Stir in 1 cup couscous, Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Yield: 3-3 1 /2 cups

Per 1/2-cup serving: 140 calories; 1 g fat (0 g sat, 0 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 30 g carbohydrate; 5 g protein; 5 g fiber; 1 mg sodium.

Quinoa

Rinse in several changes of cold water. Bring 1 cup quinoa and 2 cups water or broth to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed, 15-20 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Yield: 3 cups

Per 1/2-cup serving: 106 calories; 2 g fat (0 g sat, 0 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 20 g carbohydrate; 4 g protein; 2 g fiber; 8 mg sodium.

Rice, Brown

Bring 1 cup rice and 2 1 /2 cups water or broth to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed, 40-50 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

Yield: 3 cups

Per 1/2-cup serving: 98 calories; 1 g fat (0 g sat, 0 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 20 g carbohydrate; 2 g protein; 1 g fiber; 3 mg sodium.

Rice, Wild

Cook 1 cup rice in a large saucepan of lightly salted boiling water— at least 4 cups — until tender, 45-55 minutes. Drain.

Yield: 2- 2 1 /2 cups

Per 1/2-cup serving: 82 calories; 0 g fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 17 g carbohydrate; 3 g protein; 1 g fiber; 4 mg sodium.

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