Low-Calorie, Whole-Grain Recipes

August 27, 2019

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Whole grains provide a healthy boost of vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants and phytonutrients. Whole grains are also rich in carbohydrates—the body’s main fuel supply—so we need a fair amount daily to feel satisfied. Our low-calorie, whole-grain recipes are delicious ways to get more whole grains into your diet. Try our low-calorie quinoa recipes, barley recipes, bulgur recipes, wheat berry recipes, farro recipes, wild rice recipes and more for a satisfying whole-grain recipe.

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Pecan & Mushroom Burgers

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Filled with toasted pecans, vinegar-splashed mushrooms and bulgur, these burgers have an earthy, nutty character that pairs perfectly with the luxurious Blue Cheese Sauce.

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Sugar Snap Pea & Barley Salad

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You get two sides in one with this dish--whole-grain barley along with crisp matchsticks of vitamin- and fiber-rich snap peas. Serve with roasted or grilled salmon or chicken.

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Half-Hour Chili

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This truly tasty half-hour vegetarian chili is made possible by using convenient canned beans and tomatoes (no pantry should be without them). Whole-grain bulgur adds another layer of toothsome texture and nutritional heft. This chili is relatively mild, so it's a good crowd-pleaser. If you like it spicy, add extra chili powder or serve with hot sauce.

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Healthy Pancakes

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EatingWell reader Kathy Moseler of Barrington Hills, Illinois, contributed this convenient recipe to our Kitchen to Kitchen department. The pancakes are made with 100 percent whole-wheat flour and get an additional fiber boost from flaxseed meal.

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Pineapple Upside-Down Muffins

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Glistening like sticky buns, these unusual muffins are packed with wholesome ingredients--vegetables, fruit and whole grains--so you can feel good about serving them to your family. If you prefer to make simple carrot muffins for lunchboxes or breakfasts-on-the-go, omit the topping; sprinkle 2 tablespoons chopped nuts over the muffins before baking, if desired.

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Bean Burgers with Spicy Guacamole

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These bean burgers will even please carnivores. The cornmeal coating gives a pleasant crunch and smoked paprika, cumin, cilantro and guacamole add Southwestern flavor.

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Zesty Wheat Berry-Black Bean Chili

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This rib-sticking chili offers a hearty mix of wheat berries, beans, peppers and onion. Feel free to add an additional chipotle pepper to crank up the heat in this one-pot meal. Cooked wheat berries will keep for up to 1 month in your freezer and there's no need to thaw them; just stir them directly into the chili.

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Toasted Quinoa Salad with Scallops & Snow Peas

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This scallop-studded quinoa salad gets an exciting texture from crunchy snow peas, red bell pepper and scallions. Feel free to substitute shrimp or thin slices of chicken for the scallops.

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Spring Chicken & Barley Soup

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You might think of barley as an addition to hearty, wintery soups, such as mushroom-barley or beef-barley soup, but it also works well in lighter soups like this one with chicken, asparagus and peas.

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Farro with Pistachios & Herbs

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Here we stir fresh parsley and crunchy pistachios into farro for a simple side dish. Serve this simple grain right in the same dish with a rich stew. The nutty flavors of farro and pistachios are the perfect complement to the rich broth of the stew.

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Chicken, Mushroom & Wild Rice Casserole

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In Minnesota, chicken, mushrooms and wild rice are often bound together in a casserole with cream of mushroom soup. We forgo the sodium-rich canned soup and make a light, creamy sauce that gets depth of flavor from dry sherry and Parmesan cheese. If you already have cooked chicken, use 4 cups and skip Step 2.

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Oatmeal-Rhubarb Porridge

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Perk up your morning oatmeal with the addition of tangy rhubarb. Using milk for this oatmeal gives it a calcium boost, but the recipe also works well with water--and you'll save about 60 calories.

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Cumin-Scented Wheat Berry-Lentil Soup

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Freshly squeezed lemon juice adds a bright note to this toothsome and hearty winter soup, perfect for a weeknight supper with a hunk of crusty bread. It freezes beautifully--you can keep individual portions in the freezer for healthy weekday lunches. For homemade vegetable broth, see Roasted Vegetable Stock at eatingwell.com.

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Meatloaf

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The addition of richly flavored dried mushrooms and the whole-grain goodness of bulgur increases the vitamins and minerals and decreases the saturated fat of this meatloaf. The loaf is free-form, rather than baked in a loaf pan, which means more delicious, browned crust. This recipe is large enough to feed a big group or, even better, have leftovers for a cold sandwich the next day.

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Pear-Quinoa Salad

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Quinoa is a quick-cooking whole grain with a slightly nutty flavor--a perfect partner for pears and walnuts in this fresh-tasting salad recipe. The flavor is best when the salad is at room temperature or cold. Refrigerate the salad for at least 15 minutes before serving.

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Wheat Berry Pudding

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Here, wheat berries are cooked with maple-sweetened, spiced milk to make a homey pudding. Try it for dessert or even breakfast--adjusting the maple syrup to your preference.

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Cream of Mushroom & Barley Soup

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This sophisticated take on creamy mushroom soup is rich with earthy porcini mushrooms and has the added goodness of whole-grain barley.

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Quinoa with Latin Flavors

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Cilantro, lime and scallions lend a bright finish to delicate quinoa. This versatile side pairs well with seafood, poultry or pork.

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Mushroom & Wild Rice Frittata

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Packed with a flavorful medley of chewy wild rice and three kinds of mushrooms, this satisfying frittata is perfect for Sunday brunch. Don't worry if you can only find one kind of mushroom--the richly aromatic top of baked Parmesan and crisp prosciutto will make up for it.

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