Whole Grains

Whole grains are the new darling in the nutrition world. The trouble is, most of us don’t eat enough of them or know where to get them.

Scores of studies suggest that eating whole grains may offer protection against heart disease, stroke, diabetes and certain cancers. Whole grains may even help you manage your weight—particularly if you eat them for breakfast.

One recent study found that women who eat high-fiber cereal in the morning tend to weigh less than women who opt for other breakfast foods or skip breakfast entirely. They also eat less at lunchtime. That’s because whole grains supply fiber, which promotes a feeling of fullness and delays hunger.

The new food pyramid, released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture last year, recommends that we eat at least three servings of whole grains every day. Because most of the breads, cereals and pasta on our grocery shelves are made from refined grains, not whole grains, nine out of 10 Americans fall short of the guideline.

If you’re motivated to eat more whole grains, be sure you know how to spot them. Color is not a good indicator. Just because bread is brown doesn’t mean it’s whole grain. Caramel coloring, molasses or other ingredients often are used to darken bread. Look for the words "whole grain" or "whole wheat" on the front of the package or listed as the first ingredient. Don’t be fooled by the terms "multi-grain," "cracked wheat," "stone ground," "7-grain" or "100 percent wheat." More than likely, refined grains are used.

The best way to add whole grains to your diet is by eating whole grain breads, cereals, crackers, rice and pasta. Also consider adding popcorn and whole grain chips. If cooking with whole grains strikes your fancy, try some of these breakfast recipes. Each packs a good dose of fiber and provides a delicious way to start your day.

Mixed Berry Whole-Grain Coffee Cake

Packing 3 grams of fiber per serving, this coffee cake is great for brunch or as a snack. The recipe is provided by Green Mountain at Fox Run, a women’s retreat for healthy living without dieting, in Ludlow, Vt.

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup quick-cooking oats
• 1 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup skim milk
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 1 12-ounce bag frozen, unsweetened mixed berries, thawed and drained, or 2 cups fresh berries
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease, or coat with cooking spray, a 9-inch round or square cake pan. Mix butter, oats, 1/4 cup of the all-purpose flour and brown sugar in small bowl with a fork or pastry cutter until crumbly. Set aside. Combine whole wheat flour, remaining cup of all-purpose flour, sugar, oil, milk, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and egg in large bowl. Beat mixture with whisk or mixer for 1 to 2 minutes, until well blended. Stir in berries. Spread half the batter in pan and sprinkle half the oat mixture on top. Add remaining batter and sprinkle with remaining oat mixture and walnuts. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm. Serves 12.

Wild Rice Waffles

Bonnie Ponstein of the Red Bluff Cottage Bed and Breakfast in Montgomery, Ala., says she usually doubles this recipe and freezes any batter she has left over. To use after freezing, thaw the batter overnight. This recipe provides 4 grams of fiber per waffle.

• 1/2 cup unbleached flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 and 3/4 cups cooked wild rice, well drained
• 1/3 cup dried cherries or dried cranberries
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 and 1/4 cups buttermilk
• 2 large eggs, separated
• 1/4 cup melted butter

In a large bowl, mix flours, rice, cherries, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt until combined. In another bowl, combine buttermilk and egg yolks. Add butter and whisk until well combined. Add buttermilk mixture to dry ingredients. Stir well. [Recipe can be made several hours ahead and refrigerated.] Beat egg whites in a separate bowl, then slowly fold into batter. Ladle batter onto preheated, greased waffle iron; cook until browned and slightly crisp. Serve with fresh fruit and warm maple syrup. Yield: 4 waffles.

Yogurt and Granola Parfaits with Blueberry Sauce

This recipe from Fit Food: Eating Well for Life by Ellen Haas (Hatherleigh Press, 2005) highlights the adaptability of whole grains. Each parfait has 4 grams of fiber.

Granola:

• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 and 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3/4 cup raisins

Blueberry sauce:

• 1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 2 to 4 tablespoons sugar

Parfaits:

• 1 cup cubed cantaloupe
• 1 cup blueberries
• 4 cups plain, nonfat yogurt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine oats and almonds in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan, combine honey, molasses, water, vegetable oil and cinnamon. Heat through, stirring for about 1 minute. Pour over oat mixture and stir to blend. Spread on a baking sheet and toast, stirring every 10 minutes until golden-crisp, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and add raisins. Cool completely before serving. Store in an airtight container for up to three weeks in the refrigerator or at room temperature.

Purée berries in a blender with lemon juice. Blend in sugar by the tablespoonful, tasting after each addition, until desired degree of sweetness is reached. Strain through a fine strainer, pressing with a rubber spatula to release the juices.

Layer granola, cantaloupe, blueberries and yogurt in glasses; drizzle with blueberry sauce. Serves 8.

Whole Wheat Muffins

For a breakfast-on-the-run, whip up a batch of these muffins the night before. Each muffin provides 2 grams of fiber. From The Ultimate Muffin Book: More Than 600 Recipes for Sweet and Savory Muffins by Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough.

• 1 and 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray or insert paper liners into cups. Whisk together whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt until well blended. In a large bowl, whisk eggs until lightly beaten. Whisk in honey and maple syrup until smooth, about 30 seconds. Whisk in milk, oil and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture until incorporated. Fill prepared tins three-quarters full. Bake for 22 minutes, or until muffins have rounded, cracked tops. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove muffins from tin and cool an additional 5 minutes on the rack before serving. Yield: 12 muffins.

Variation:

Whole Wheat Cranberry Walnut Muffins: Add 1/3 cup dried cranberries and 1/3 cup chopped walnuts along with the whole wheat flour.

(Copyright © 2004 by Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough. Reprint by permission of William Morrow Cookbooks, an Imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.)

Coffee Can Boston Brown Bread

Boston Brown Bread is steamed rather than baked in an oven. You’ll need a lidded pot deep enough to hold a coffee can. This recipe, which provides 2 grams of fiber per serving, is adapted from one provided by Bob’s Red Mill Natural Foods of Milwaukie, Ore.

• 1/2 cup rye flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup cornmeal, medium grind
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup dark molasses
• 1 cup buttermilk

Mix flours, cornmeal, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Mix with a fork. Blend in molasses and buttermilk. Batter should be the consistency of pancake batter. Butter, or coat with cooking spray, a 13-ounce coffee can and pour in batter, filling the can no more than two-thirds full. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Fill a large stockpot with water (enough to come halfway up coffee can) and bring to a boil. Place covered can in water. Cover stockpot and steam for about 1 and 1/2 hours over medium heat or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted in the middle. Remove can from stockpot and cool on rack for 15 minutes. Remove bread from can and serve warm with cream cheese. Serves 8.

Janet Helm is a dietitian and nutrition consultant in Chicago.

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