Category Archives: WHOLE GRAIN RECIPES

CHICKEN AND WILD RICE SALAD

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I recently served this salad as part of a cold soup and three salad luncheon for a JazzVox audience. It was the hit of the meal. Well, this salad and the Mixed Berry Trifle. (Recipe for the trifle to follow within the next few days.)

Everyone loved the nutty flavor of the wild rice, but the best part for me was the fact that I knew I was serving my guests a very healthy salad without their knowledge. (It’s fun once in a while to slip one over on my friends.) But in all honesty, who would find fault with me for such a deception when the “deception” tasted so good and was so good for them?  According to the care2 website, wild rice has several very impressive health benefits:

  • Wild rice is gluten free
  • It does not contain sodium
  • It contains twice as much protein as brown rice
  • Wild rice is actually a grass and the grains are not polished or refined and can be eaten by diabetics in moderation
  • It is very rich in antioxidants – containing 30 times more than white rice
  • Because of its high fiber content, wild rice keeps your digestion smooth and helps lower cholesterol
  • Wild rice is a good source of essential minerals such as phosphorus, zinc and folate, which give you energy and nurture your bones
  • It contains vitamins A, C and E which are essential for overall health and immunity
  • A serving of wild rice is lower in calories than other rice varieties

And as you can read from the ingredients list, wild rice isn’t the only healthy ingredient in this salad. Pecans contain unsaturated fats that contribute to heart health. Avocados also contain healthy fats and loads of nutrients. Throw in some white meat chicken, 3 types of veggies, and some garlic for good measure, and even though the salad contains a small amount of vegetable oil and a kiss of sugar, the health-o-meter remains at the top of the green zone when you consider the recipe as a whole.

So I guess all things considered, a salad that tastes wonderful and contains healthy ingredients is by definition a winner. And this winning recipe comes to me from my dear friend Sandy. The recipe actually appeared in my second cookbook, but after all the praise it received at our last concert, I just had to share it with my internet readers too.

So do not hesitate to prepare this salad in the near future. It is the perfect dish to serve on a warm summer evening along with a rustic loaf and a nice crisp Sauvignon Blanc or Viognier. And Sandy, as always – you are the greatest. Thanks again for this lovely recipe.

  • 2¼ c. chicken broth
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt, divided
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 c. wild rice, rinsed in cold water
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • ¼ tsp. sugar
  • 1 T. Dijon mustard
  • ¼ c. rice vinegar
  • 1/3 c. vegetable oil
  • 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cooked and cut into bite sized pieces
  • 3 green onions, thinly sliced (both white and green parts)
  • ½ red bell pepper, diced
  • 12 sugar peas, cut in 3rds
  • 2 ripe avocados, diced
  • 1 c. toasted pecans
  • juice of 1 lemon, divided

Bring chicken broth, ½ tsp. salt, and a couple grinds of pepper to a boil. Add the rice, stir, and return broth to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cover. Cook for about 30-40 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender. Remove from heat, uncover, fluff with fork, and toss with half of the lemon juice. Set aside to cool. (If you have extra liquid, drain the rice before adding the lemon juice.)

Meanwhile whisk the garlic, sugar, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, pepper, mustard, vinegar, and oil together; set aside. This is the dressing for the salad.

When the rice is cool, gently add the cubed chicken, green onions, red pepper, and snap peas. Stir in the dressing, adjust seasoning (it may need more salt), cover, and refrigerate for at least two hours to blend flavors. Just before serving, gently stir in the avocado, pecans, and remaining lemon juice.

 

PORK CHOP AND BROWN RICE BAKE

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OK, either I’m getting lazy, old (nah) or there are just too many exciting things to do in the summer for me to spend long hours in the kitchen. (I know you can’t believe I am actually writing this down for the entire culinary world to read. But none-the-less, it’s true! Patti Carr, the person who loves to cook more than attending hot yoga kick-boxing classes, avoids long hours in the kitchen at this time of year as if the area was plague infested. And if truth be known, I don’t even appreciate going to the grocery store when it’s beautiful outside.)

But, as crazy as it sounds, it’s usually summer when I come up with some of my best recipe ideas. My inventive juices really start to flow, when, like yesterday morning, I knew I was going to be busy all day long. (I wanted to watch at least 2 of the World Cup games, grout a mosaic piece, and post my recipe for Hunk of Beef Chili on this blog.)

So, not having the time or inclination to drive to the grocery store, I paid a visit to my local freezer to see what delectable ingredient presented itself to me. What I found were 2 thick pork chops. I immediately placed the chops on defrost mode.

So while I was grouting my new vase, I thought about how I could prepare these 2 little beauties. I knew I had about 20 minutes to do my prep work, and that whatever concoction I came up with had to include about 2 hours in the oven while I watched the US/Ghana game that started at 3:00pm. (We won BTW!) I also knew that Mr. C. had to be out of the house by 6:00pm for an evening rehearsal. So that left me almost no time after the match to do any real cooking. (Does this time pressure thing I’m describing sound all too familiar? If so, this is the recipe for you!)

So I came up with this simple and pretty darn tasty recipe. Like many of the dishes I dream up, this one includes fairly simple ingredients. And yes, there is the little step of baking the chops for 2 hours and 15 minutes.  So for many of you this recipe is probably not going to help you out on a weeknight. But come Saturday or Sunday, between doing loads of laundry, changing all the bed linen, cleaning the bathrooms, etc. etc., find a few minutes to whip up this dish and tuck it safely in the oven while you continue slaving away. Then when all your work is done (like housework is ever really done!), whip up a simple salad, pull the chops and rice out of the oven, slice up a crunchy baguette, open a bottle of nice wine, and look like the local hero to your family and friends. And, if by some unforeseen chance your family and friends start calling you “Martha”, take it as a compliment. Of course, if your name actually is Martha, then that’s a whole different matter. I have no advice if that’s the case. Enjoy!

  • 1 T. extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 thick bone-in pork chops
  • kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 can mushroom soup
  • ¾ c. water
  • ½ c. low fat sour cream
  • ½ c. chopped onion
  • 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/3 c. Madeira
  • ¼ tsp. dried thyme
  • slightly rounded ½ c. uncooked brown rice
  • paprika

Heat the oil in a medium sized covered fry pan. Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels and sprinkle lightly with salt and heavily with pepper. Fry the chops until golden brown on both sides. Meanwhile, combine the soup, water, sour cream, onion, Worcestershire, Madeira, thyme, and brown rice. When the chops are brown, pour the rice mixture over the chops. Cover the pan and bake in a pre-heated 275 degree oven for 2 hours. Remove the lid, sprinkle with paprika, and return uncovered to the oven for 15 more minutes. Remove from oven and cool for about 4 minutes before serving.

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Note: this recipe can easily be doubled, tripled ad nauseam……………..

BROWN RICE PILAF

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There is nothing I like better than starch. I have no idea why God made me this way, but she sure as heck did! And for that very reason this is the kind of dish that I simply can not resist! But I should at least try, especially when we dine out at one of our favorite restaurants! After all, I’m not getting any younger. Any lingering dreams of ever weighing 128 lbs. again like I did in college have gone the way of the dodo bird. (With just about as much grace as one of those extinct flightless birds, I might add!) But seriously, I almost always look at a menu with an eye to what kind of starch is being served with each entrée. And routinely, even if the entrée features one of my favorites, like duck, if the starchy side dish is not to my liking, I will pass on that duck dish as fast as Superman can save Lois Lane from the arms of the Mad Hatter.  (I don’t get out much, so please excuse if I don’t have all the names of Superman’s arch enemies down pat!)

But that’s restaurant dining where I tend to indulge myself.   When I want the same kind of starchy side dish at home, I tend to be much more realistic about the ingredients I use and the preparation method. I use much less fat, much less salt, and try to incorporate other ingredients to ramp up the nutritional content. But I refuse to skimp on the flavor. I want my starchy side dishes to have as much flavor as any dish I can order in a restaurant.

So in truth, this pilaf is pretty healthy for being a part of the class of dishes thought by some to be detrimental to good health. (You know, the wicked starch prejudice thing.) But in truth, brown rice is a fairly nutritious ingredient. And there is very little fat in this dish, and even then it’s good fat, along with some vegetable action in the form of onion, garlic, and vegetable stock. And last but not least, nutrient rich almonds which help promote heart health. All things considered, not a bad choice as a fairly healthy side dish. Of course, there is still the small matter of the number of calories in a serving of this pilaf, but no dish is perfect! So when I serve this pilaf I keep my portion fairly small. But even a small serving is enough to assuage my starch cravings and not coincidentally get some well needed vitamins and minerals into my body. So give this ever so tasty brown rice dish a try. Even if you are strongly committed to white rice and have never enjoyed the flavor of brown rice or worse yet even given brown rice a try, I am positive you will be pleasantly surprised. You will soon become an advocate for this amazing grain.

Some interesting facts about the difference between brown rice and white rice:

According to the www.whfoods.org web site (the “wh” stands for world’s healthiest), “Our food ranking system qualified brown rice as an excellent source of manganese, and a good source of selenium, phosphorus, copper, magnesium, and niacin (vitamin B3). The complete milling and polishing that converts brown rice into white rice destroys 67% of the vitamin B3, 80% of the vitamin B1, 90% of the vitamin B6, half of the manganese, half of the phosphorus, 60% of the iron, and all of the dietary fiber and essential fatty acids. By law in the United States, fully milled and polished white rice must be “enriched” with vitamins B1, B3, and iron. But the form of these nutrients when added back into the processed rice is not the same as in the original unprocessed version, and at least 11 lost nutrients are not replaced in any form even with rice “enrichment.”

  • 1 T. olive oil
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 c. long grain brown rice
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 ½ c. vegetable broth (I use 2½ cups water and 2 teaspoons Better Then Bouillon Vegetable Base)
  • ¼ c. slivered almonds, toasted, opt.

Pour oil into a small covered sauce pan. Add onion and garlic and fry for about 4 minutes. Add rice and sauté for 1 minute. Stir in the broth (or water and bouillon base), and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 45-50 minutes. Stir rice occasionally. (If the rice is not done after 45 minutes and there is still a lot of liquid, remove the cover and cook an additional 10-15 minutes.) When the liquid has all been absorbed and the rice is tender, remove from heat, adjust seasonings, and let  stand for about 5 minutes. Just before serving, stir in the toasted almonds.

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SPLIT EMMER FARRO AND WILD RICE WITH MUSHROOMS AND PECANS

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As Mr. C. is fond of saying – “hail, oh mighty pharaoh (or as we like to spell it) farro”! And why you might ask? Well – because farro (an ancient strain of hard wheat) is said to have been found in Egyptian tombs. (Sounds like a pharaoh to me!) But enough frivolity!

Emmer (farro) has been cultivated in the Fertile Crescent (the region in the Middle East which curves like a quarter-moon shape, from the Persian Gulf, through modern-day southern Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, and northern Egypt) and in Italy for over 10,000 years. Farro, which is just the Italian name for emmer wheat, has a delicate roasted nutty flavor and a distinctive chewy texture. It has a higher fiber and protein content than common wheat, is rich in magnesium, niacin, zinc, and B vitamins, and holds the distinct honor of containing the lowest glycemic index of all cereal grains. In addition, emmer farro just happens to be delicious. Ta-da!

So last time we were visiting Rick and Katie (Katie is Mr. Cs sister) in Winthrop, Washington, Katie served a side dish made with Bluebird Grain Farms Emmer Farro. We both absolutely loved the dish. So much so, that I had to go out the next day and buy a couple of packages to bring home with us. For information about retail locations in your area, visit www.bluebirdgrainfarms.com

So if you want to add some variety and nutrition to your side dishes, give emmer farro a try. And this recipe, which is my take on the recipe provided on the Potlatch Pilaf package is just amazingly delightful.

  • 2 T. extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 c. chopped yellow onion (I like Copra yellow onions the best)
  • 10 large mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp. herbes de Provence (try to use one without lavender)
  • 1 c. Potlach Pilaf* – from Bluebird Grain Farms in Winthrop, Washington – for more information on this wonderful product go to their website noted above
  • ¼ c. dry sherry
  • 2 c. vegetable broth (I use 2 cups water and 2 teaspoons Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Base)
  • 1/3 c. chopped toasted pecans, opt.

*or you can use ¾ cup split farro and ¼ cup wild rice

Heat the olive oil in a medium covered saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook for another couple of minutes. Stir in the salt, pepper, herbes de Provence, and emmer and wild rice blend. Cook, stirring frequently for 3 minutes. Add the sherry and stir until all of the liquid is absorbed. Add the vegetable broth, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 45 minutes, stirring periodically. Remove cover and stir in pecans. Adjust seasoning. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

 

LEMONY QUINOA WITH FRESH HERBS

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It isn’t just every side dish I prepare that inspires Mr. C. to regress to bachelor behavior. But last evening this quinoa* recipe brought out the “waste not/want not, eat every last bit of it right out of the pan” in him most often associated with people (especially men) who live alone and do their own cooking. (And I’m not talking about all you guys out there who know how to cook. I’m talking about those for whom cooking ramen is or was a major undertaking!)

So last night as we were starting to package up the leftovers and do the dishes, Mr. C. grabbed the quinoa pan out of my hand, and standing in front of the sink finished every last seed (yes quinoa is a seed rather than a grain) before I could say “like it, do you”? His answer was a big old happy grin and a hearty verbal “oh yah”. (I think he was actually shaking his head yes at the same time too.)

So next time you need a delicious, easy and healthy side dish (Andy’s wonderful sister Katie and her dear husband Rick refer to quinoa as the “side dish of the ancients”), give this recipe a try. Believe me there are times when Mr. C. is all thumbs. And if last night had been one of those times, I’m confident that he would have given this recipe, 10 thumbs up! Thanks Giada for this delightful recipe. (Sorry for the changes I made.)

*Interesting facts and health benefits associated with Quinoa: Quinoa originated in the Andean region of Ecuador, Bolivia, Columbia, and Peru where it was successfully domesticated about 5,000 years ago. According to the Huffington Post web site, quinoa is high in protein (its protein balance is similar to milk and has more protein than rice, millet, or wheat), is a good source of riboflavin (riboflavin helps reduce frequency of migraine attacks by improving the energy metabolism within the brain and muscle cells), is alkaline-forming (helps balance the bloods pH level), has only 172 calories per ¼ cup of dry quinoa, is gluten free, and is a complex carbohydrate that helps our bodies maintain a lower glycemic index. (In other words, it’s good for us!)

Quinoa Caution: Quinoa is coated with a naturally occurring toxic substance called saponin.  So always rinse quinoa before cooking. Place the quinoa in a strainer and run cold water over it until the entire soapy residue has been washed away. You can taste test a few seeds; if they still have a bitter taste, run more cold water over them.

  • 3 c. chicken stock
  • 1½ c. quinoa
  • ¼ c. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp. lemon zest
  • 2 T. fresh lemon juice
  • ¾ c. chopped fresh basil leaves
  • 2 T. chopped fresh parsley leaves
  • 1 T. chopped fresh thyme leaves
  • ¼ tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper

Rinse and drain quinoa thoroughly in cold water. In a medium saucepan, add the chicken stock and quinoa. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pan and cook until all the liquid is absorbed, about 12 to 15 minutes. (When done, the seed appears soft and translucent and the germ ring will be visible along the outside edge.)

Meanwhile combine the olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, basil, parsley, thyme, salt, and pepper. When the quinoa is done, pour the olive oil mixture over the quinoa and toss until all the ingredients are coated. Adjust seasoning and serve while still warm.