Cooking Guide to Grains

Cooking grains is very easy and it doesn't take long. Here is a handy cooking guide with some ideas for flavor additions.

QUINOA    (pronounced Keen-Wah)  

A mild yet satisfying flavor, with a texture like pasta. Goes well with anything.

Serve cold or hot

While cooking you can add chopped or pressed garlic, onions, broth, herbs, ginger, sun dried tomatoes, etc.

QUINOA    (Keen-Wah)  

Rinse Quinoa thoroughly

1 C Quinoa

2 Cups liquid (water or broth)

½ to 1 tsp salt

Bring water to boil, add Quinoa and salt

Cook (simmer) 15 minutes, let stand 5 min

Yield 3+ cups

Goes well with anything

MINI DISH  of QUINOA

Rinse thoroughly,

½ Cup Quinoa

1 Cup Water (or broth)

¼ salt

Bring water to boil, add Quinoa and salt. Simmer 10 to 15 min

Let stand 5 min. 

AMARANTH

A great taste, like corn and a silken texture, makes its own silky smooth broth.

While cooking you can add chopped or pressed garlic, onions, unsalted broth, herbs, ginger, sun dried tomatoes, etc. NOTHING with SALT added. I like it plain with chicken flavor broth added at the end.

AMARANTH

Do not rinse, too small. DO NOT SALT WHILE COOKING.

1 C Amaranth

2 ½ Cups Liquid (water or UNsalted broth, Not even tomato juice- too salty)

Bring to boil, Add Amaranth only, cover, 

cook (simmer) 20-25 minutes.

Add ½ to 1 tsp salt after cooking or add broth powder (chicken is good) to flavor.   

Yield 2 Cups

Goes well with beans or red lentils, I don’t mix it together with other grains tho, I like it plain.

MINI DISH of AMARANTH

½ Cup Amaranth

1 ¼ Cup water

Bring water to a boil, add Amaranth, cover, reduce heat

Simmer 15 to 20 min. Add salt or broth powder right after it’s done.

CRACKED WHEAT

Wheat flavor, deep and robust, and chewy, yet still able to blend with many other vegetables, beans and other grains. Good cold or hot. It makes a great cold salad with scallions and chopped fresh tomatoes, lemon juice or a dressing.

While cooking you can add chopped or pressed garlic, onions, broth, herbs, ginger, sun dried tomatoes, etc

Bulgur is cracked wheat but pre-cooked, more processed, cooks faster and is slightly lighter in texture and flavor.

CRACKED WHEAT

Rinse

1 ½ C Cracked Wheat         

3 C Water, stock, or Broth (I use good broth powder)              

½ t salt (If broth is salty cut salt.)

1 clove pressed garlic (optional)

Bring water to boil, add wheat and salt. Cover, simmer until wheat is desired texture, about 20 to 30 min. If too much water left for taste, drain it off.  

Yield About 3 ½ cups

Especially good with onions, tomatoes and good Olive oil

Can be added to other grain or bean and mixed except Amaranth.

Can also add tomato juice to the cooking water to anything but Amaranth (salty)

MINI DISH of CRACKED WHEAT

½ cup Cracked Wheat

1 Cup Water

Pinch Salt

Bring to boil, add wheat and salt, cook covered about 15 min.

COUSCOUS

Whole wheat is best, otherwise you are getting mainly white flour. Couscous is really tiny pieces of pasta. Texture smooth and creamy.

While cooking you can add chopped or pressed garlic, onions, broth, herbs, ginger, sun dried tomatoes, etc

COUSCOUS

1/3 Cup Couscous

2/3 Cup water, milk or broth (tomato juice is good too)

pinch Salt

1 teaspoon (OPTIONAL) Olive oil or butter

In Medium saucepan combine water with any of the optional salt, oil or butter. Bring just to a boil , stir in Couscous and COVER. Remove from heat immediately and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and eat.

Couscous makes a great base for any vegetables, stew or stir-fry. Add parmesan cheese to it with any appropriate meal, really excellent.   

Microwave Couscous

In 2 Quart casserole add water and opt salt. Microwave on high until boiling. Add Couscous and optional oil, stir and cover. Let stand 5 minutes, fluff with fork and eat.