Taking grains to a whole new level!

There are lots of ways to eat whole grains, but I have come to realize over the last few years that very few people know what a whole grain is, so I thought that I would dedicate this post to set the record straight when it comes to whole grains!

What is a whole grain? 
It's a cereal grain that contains all three parts: the germ, the endosperm, and the bran.  Examples include oats, wheat berries, barley, brown rice, millet, rye, kamut (ancient relative of durum wheat), spelt (a distant cousin of wheat), corn, and quinoa.  In contrast, refined grains retain only the endosperm, which is the largest part of the grain and lacks fibre, vitamins and minerals.

How do I make sure a product is made with whole grains or whole grain flour? 
This is the tricky part.  Don't rely on the claims made on food packages that say "Made with whole grains".  The reason for this is that the 'whole grain' portion of the product may be small.  For example, 'Multigrain bread' is not whole grain bread.  In fact, more often than not, your multigrain bread is made with white flour and a few grains added to give the bread some texture.  So if you want whole grain bread, see the ingredient list and look for 'whole grain whole wheat flour' as the first ingredient listed.

How are 'Enriched wheat flour' and 'whole wheat flour' different from 'whole grain flour'?

Enriched wheat flour: is stripped of the bran and the germ but enriched with vitamins and iron

Whole wheat flour: has the bran, so it is higher in fibre than enriched wheat flour, but may have much of the germ removed.

Whole grain whole wheat flour: contain all three part of the kernel! 

How can I get more whole grains in my diet?
Looking beyond breads, another way to include whole grains in our diet is by eating, well.... grains!  I have been making this recipe for several years now, it's great as a side dish, a light lunch, or even a mid-afternoon snack.  It uses kamut and spelt grains which give this salad a hardy texture, but also make it a source of both protein and carbohydrates and fibre.  You can find these grains in the bulk section of supermarkets.  This recipe is great for parties or pot lucks so I recommend doubling it.

Ancient Grain Salad
Makes 4 cups

Ingredients

1/2 cup kamut kernels
1/2 cup spelt kernels
1/2 cup corn kernels (frozen or canned)
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup currants
2 green onions, sliced
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 tsp honey
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 olive oil
1 tbsp finely chopped shallots
2 tsp freshly minced ginger
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In a medium saucepan, bring 4 cups water to a boil. Add kamut and spelt kernels, stir, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 45 minutes (kernels with be tender but chewy).

Let kernels drain in a sieve, then spread on a cookie sheet to cool to room temperature.

Combine cooked kamut and spelt kernels with corn, pepper, currants and green onion.  Whisk together vinegar, honey, mustard, salt, and pepper.  Gradually whisk in oil and remaining ingredients.  Drizzle vinaigrette over salad and toss.  Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight or until chilled.

Enjoy!

Photography by: Melissa LeBlanc