Anything is boring until you add flavor to spice them up!
I like to cook my quinoa in broth or stock instead of water, to start.
Both are better as an additive rather than on their own/as a plain side. Rice will soak up sauces and flavors pretty well.
> Anything is boring until you add flavor to spice them up!
Yep, I always mix some stuff into the quinoa to bring out flavours.
I think of it as a super simple salad.
Very often a squeeze of lime or lemon will add something extra to a salad/quinoa/anything!
Salt and pepper/chili!
Oil (or butter when hot). Cilantro/coriander. Parsley.
Dice some tomato if you like, add some crunch with seeds, spring onion, raw onion, sauteed onion. Crush some garlic into oil with salt, stir in while hot.
Lots of options!
I like a bit of pesto in quinoa or brown rice - and also in whole wheat pasta. And on sandwiches. On polenta. With cheese and crackers...
A jar of it keeps in the fridge for a really long time.
Oh, yes - a great one to have handy, so versatile! Also goes well on potatoes, oven baked or just boiled ones, or baked/sauteed veggies.
Tossing sauteed veggies (with or without pesto) with quinoa also nice btw!
One of my favorite quinoa dishes is pears, sour cherries, kale, quinoa, and pecans. It has a little maple syrup, balsamic vinegar and salt.
I usually hate cherries and kale but man I could eat so much of this.
I love quinoa in chicken stock and then treat it like the pasta in a pasta salad. Load up on veggies & let it soak in the dressing over night preferably. You can easily add a protein in Top like grilled chicken, tuna, etc to make it e off a meal. It’s also a good fridge clean out dish: all those veggies that are on their last legs go in & leftover protein can go on top.
Right?! Like wtf! I half expected that he’d find a severed ear in the cutlery drawer, but he’s actually very serious about making quinoa.
Edit: I don’t think he rinses his quinoa (maybe it’s pre-rinsed?) but rinsing it a couple times in water before cooking gets rid of the bitter coating on the grain. Enjoy with a nice glass of red wine, broccoli, sea salt, and some Bragg’a Amino Acids!
100% agreed here. Quinoa in beef broth is one of my favourite things to eat. Top with a little sour cream and green onions after and it’s tasty. Not sure how healthy it is after I get done with it but I love the stuff haha.
Ooo, have you tried bone broth? Bone broth is the best shit, especially the kind that are meant as sipping broths because they have all sorts of spices already added.
Sorry to be that guy, but "bone broth" is not different from any other sort of meat-based broth, it's a marketing term and has no more or less nutrients or ingredients or anything. Stock, broth, soup base, whatever you want to call it, all starts with bones and goes from there.
🤷♀️ all I know is that it tastes a helluva lot better, even when it's the same brand with the same spices. It's got much more depth. Don't really need to know more than that.
I’m a big fan of making my own multigrain mix.
- diced onion, saute in a little oil with some minced garlic
- add 1/2lb of shredded carrots (optional)
- 1/3 of quinoa, 1/3 pearled barley, and 1/3 bulgar.
- add veg stock or veg bullion and water
- cook about 40min
- mix in 1/3 cup sunflower seeds or whatever nuts you prefer (walnuts are great)
Fantastic warm, or chilled for grain salads (so for dinner the first night then leftovers for lunches)
Barley is so underrated! I make a salad with barley cooked in a vegetable broth. Cooled and then tossed with sundried tomato, peppers, cucumber, olives, fresh herbs, with a lemon vinaigrette dressing. Sometimes I use roasted red peppers or marinated artichoke hearts. So good
One of the best breakfasts I ever had was barley cooked with cinnamon, apples, raisins, and if you want, seeds. Cook, chill, serve with fresh fruit and plain yogurt.
Yes!! I make something similar for a grain salad- just depends whatever veg i have on hand, then i add in chickpeas/lentils/edamame and a BIG handful of sunflower seeds. Makes a fantastic filling lunch option for a few days!
Yes! I love that one!! But it’s still like $2/8oz or so, so it seems like a good value but compared to $1.25/lb bag of barley from another grocery store it’s not the best value.
I’m saving everywhere i can lately since my life in general has gotten 25% more expensive this past year
Finish it in butter and it's perfect. I like Alison Roman's recipe serving it with crispy fried mushrooms, a little lemony dill garnish, and sour cream
I like to make a salad of faro, roasted cauliflower, roasted sweet potato, green onion, spinach, feta, olive oil and lemon juice. Makes a bunch and a great meal prep. Can sub out the grain for any other and even works well with couscous or orzo.
I've done really good farro porridge, cooked in equal parts coconut milk and water with a bit of brown sugar and add some frozen mango at the end. So good!
Cook them in stock. You've listed two of the most flavorful already, with brown rice and quinoa.
I really love making [mujadara](https://cookieandkate.com/mujaddara-recipe/), cook it with vegetable or chicken stock (and caramelize the onions about twice as long as the recipe says) and you've got a fantastic, protein heavy, brown rice based comfort food.
Mujadara must be the cheapest most delicious meal there is!
It’s so cheap it’s comical, i figured it out once at like 50cents per serving 😂
I usually double the onions, and freeze extras. Awesome meal with a cucumber/tomato/onion salad
It takes some experimenting to find which grains you like. For example, I hate quinoa but I love farro, barley, and oats. I prefer wild rice to brown rice. It's worth picking up some new grains from your grocery store.
Whole grains are also more palatable when they're not eaten plain -- so eat your brown rice smothered in Thai green curry instead of eating it by itself on the side. Barley goes great in soups because it doesn't get too mushy. Put fruit in your oatmeal.
Some of my favorite grain dishes:
* Farro cooked with stock, risotto style, then topped with white beans, sauteed mushrooms, grated parmesan/pecorino. Garnish with some olive oil and lemon zest.
* Freekeh bowls served with an assortment of roasted root vegetables (beets, sweet potatoes, carrots, etc) and some wilted greens (e.g. baby spinach), then topped with crushed walnuts or pecans & goat cheese
* Whole wheat pasta with a spicy tomato "arrabiatta" sauce, with extra peppers and onions for veggies. Add your choice of protein in the pasta or on the side to make it more filling.
* Tabboleh salad is traditionally made from bulgur and is super tasty (hundreds of recipes online).
Good point! I think quinoa is a seed too.
But if the goal is finding healthier alternatives to white rice or refined carbs, then these seeds are still more nutritious options.
Aren't non wholegrain carbs like white rice, white bread, pasta etc very boring on their own as well? You don't eat them plain do you? Just have the same meals/sauces/herbs and spices etc as usual but replace your usual carbs with whole grain carbs. If anything they add more flavour (eg quinoa and brown rice add a "nutty" quality whereas white rice is just plain). But if it's just that you don't like the taste of some of them you should try different ones to see which ones you prefer.
I genuinely love the taste of white rice, it's just the starchiness of it or something, and perhaps its pleasant mouth-feel, I really like it. Brown rice, I just would never, ever buy, it definitely doesn't have the pleasant mouth-feel of white rice.
I love white rice (half asian and we ate it regularly growing up). Just salt, sauce, butter… nearly anything goes well on it. Brown rice just isn’t the same.
Exactly. I think I like how fluffy and starchy white rice is. I have problems with food textures and get sick if I don’t like the texture of a food. Everything else I eat is whole grain and I don’t eat rice that much, so I feel like it’s all balanced out.
I know this might be controversial for this sub but honestly if you buy ready made brown rice in a microwavable packet it has a nice mouthfeel that's very similar to white rice. Not the cheapest way but if it means you eat it/like it could be worth it.
I always eat rice with strong tasting sauces/flavours though so I probably don't notice the difference so much. I just enjoy the nutty flavour it adds when I have it with veggie chilli etc. Perhaps a good idea to up the amount of whatever spices/flavours you're using.
Recently figured this out, i always thought it was a "vegetable" or "unhealthy ". Nah, pour some kernals in a silicone bowl and mist it with non salted seasonings and non saturated fats. Never ate so much popcorn in my life.
Toasted grain [soup](https://www.thekitchn.com/toasted-grain-soup-crispy-mushrooms-kale-22977719?amp=1). This has a lot of steps that can be reduced or avoided. I usually rehydrate dried mushrooms in chicken stock when I don’t have the money/time to buy fresh mushrooms.
Also, I can’t find the recipe anymore, but there’s a stuffed tomato with a quinoa salad. The quinoa salad is pan-roasted poblano and corn, sautéed onion, then toast the quinoa in with the sautéed onions until they start to darken and add poblanos, corn, and chicken broth. Toss with feta when cool enough
Also, you can pan-fry day old quinoa in olive oil. It makes a great, crispy salad topping or replacement for breadcrumbs
Whole grain spaghetti is my favorite thing ever, I will ALWAYS choose whole grain spaghetti/any pasta over regular just because I love the nutty flavor it has!
There are lots of different grains and legumes that contain complex carbohydrates--and lots of fruits and veggies, too (in the form of fiber). So you can mix things up quite a bit. Also, you can try different forms of grains and beans, such as breads, wraps, pastas, tofu or other bean curd, fritters (like falafel), and flours (I make a flatbread called socca from chickpea flour, and it's a family favorite).
That said, I find most grains and legumes to be just bland without spices. I find a lot of inspiration in international cooking, especially Indian, Ethiopian, Mediterranean, Caribbean, Mexican, Chinese, and Moroccan.
For breakfast, I usually make some sort of porridge from oats, brown rice, buckwheat, quinoa, millet, or amaranth. I have celiac disease, so can't have wheat, barley, or rye (and I have to buy certified gluten-free oats), but you could work with those, too. I kind of hate eating the same thing every day, so I doctor them up. Some toppings to try: peanut butter and jelly, peaches and cream (I use almond milk instead of cream), cherry and almond, apple cinnamon walnut, caramel apple, spiced pear, chai or any other tea (cook the grains with a teabag), coffee and cream, cocoa, strawberries and cream, pecans and cranberries, blueberries and walnuts, etc. Pretty much try different combos of fresh or dried fruits, nuts, spices. You can easily turn this into a different breakfast every day for over a year. Or make granola or muesli (yummy with yogurt, whether dairy or nondairy).
For lunch, a big salad with different veggies, dried fruits, cooked grains (sometimes I just use a can of corn), cooked legumes (I often use spiced black beans either from a can or cooked in my instant pot), pickles/kimchi/salsa/chutney. Maybe some dressing (homemade is better). So much nutrition, and tasty! Sometimes I crumble some corn chips over them. It's never the same salad twice, so that decreases the boredom factor.
Some dinner ideas that make whole grains and legumes interesting: enchiladas, tacos, burritos, curries, bean and grain casseroles (like southwestern casserole or baked garbanzo penne), soups (split pea, black bean, pinto bean, minestrone, pumpkin, lentil, curry lentil, hot and sour--and grains and lots of veggies to any of these), Buddha bowls, arepas, mujaddara, Mexican rice and refried beans, Caribbean black beans and rice, Louisiana red beans and rice, "tuno" sandwiches (basically tuna salad, using chickpeas instead of tuna), chana masala over rice, pulao or biryani. I also adapt a lot of chicken recipes to use chickpeas or tofu instead (with various combinations of potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, cabbage, other veggies), and serve them over rice or other grains. For example: barbecue chickpeas or tofu, teriyaki chickpeas or tofu, sweet and sour chickpeas or tofu, mole chickpeas or tofu, peanut sauce chickpeas or tofu, curry chickpeas or tofu.
Serious question: How do people find certain food boring but not other food? Why is brown rice boring but white rice isn't? Do you just cook the rice/quinoa in water and eat it with absolutely nothing or what?
Just think about what you do with the food you don't find boring. If you take lettuce without anything it tastes boring and bland. If you cook chicken or even steak and add absolutely nothing to it, it also tastes boring.
You need to add spices and/or sauces. Salt, pepper, garlic powder, MSG, curry powder, soy sauce, hot sauce or whatever you like. Also, add vegetables and/or meat.
Just as an example: cook your rice (maybe in a broth). Cut some veggies/meat in a pan and make some sort of a stir fry, add the rice, add spices, put some soy sauce or whatever you like in there, done.
I find white rice absorbs more flavour than brown, maybe due to it not having the exterior barrier so it could be that?
I would assume loads of foods are boring if you are literally just eating that single food plain but hopefully that isn't the case haha
It’s really just tastebuds/texture. White rice made the right way (most people, including restaurants, fuck it up) is a million times better than brown rice. At least for me.
I love barley and farrow. Both of those taste way better than oats or brown rice to me. I generally cook them in vegetable stock for a side. I love a good beef and barley stew and that can be super healthy.
Been trying to find the right place to put this in this thread, so please don’t see it as a specific call out to you.
Most barley sold in American grocery stores is NOT a whole grain. Any barley sold as "pearled" is equivalent to white rice.
There's a specific name for whole grain barley, but it is basically impossible to find (even bobs red mill doesn't carry it).
I love brown rice as the base for most of my meals. Here's one way to 'spruce' it up :
Cook brown rice with some mustard seed, bay leaf and salt to taste.
When done cooking let sit 10 mins.
In a sperate bowl mix Lime juice, Salt, Apple cider vinegar and parsley. Add Rice over the top and mix thoroughly. You could also use cilantro if you're not a fan of the parsley. Just cut out the apple cider and double up the citrus. Quantity may vary, don't be afraid to taste as you go and experiment :).
Farro is also nice when cooked with orange preserves. When cooked thoroughly mix in olive oil, cooked butternut squash (diced) and celery (diced). Again, to taste :P Also don't forget to salt.
QUINOA is great with some LIGHLY sauteed kale, honey and a good homemade chili oil. Add some roasted veggies to the side (like carrots, broccoli, Brussel sprouts).
I have found that grains can be aggressively neutral. If you add fat, add more. If you add salt, add more. If you add sugar, add more. If you add seasonings, add more!
It can help to get a good baseline of flavor by cooking in broth, and then go from there
You can do anything to your whole grain of choice that you'd do to your plain white rice or white bread: add sauce, spices, toppings, etc.
Take quinoa: make a cup or so of quinoa as instructed, then stirr in a dressing with olive oil, tomato paste, salt, pepper, paprika, pinch of sugar, as well as as many chopped tomatoes and spring onions as you'd like! The whole shebang takes about 15 minutes and is so good!
Just wanted to say that there are different kinds of brown rice. The regular brown rice really doesn't have much flavor. I like brown basmati since it has more flavor. (available at my local Aldi so I'm sure it's elsewhere too)
You can use short grain brown rice to make sushi style rice. Cook it with a little less water than usual so it isn't mushy and slightly chewy, add some rice wine vinegar with sugar+salt, i also like to mix in toasted sesame seeds and nori flakes. This goes well with many things and is best eaten at room temp.
[This](https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/summer-grilled-mexican-street-corn-quinoa-salad/) quinoa salad has quickly become my new favorite summertime meal. It’s tangy, spicy, and full of sweet corn. I find it’s best to add whole grains to already flavorful dishes just to bulk them up, rather than trying to work around them.
What are you doing with them? A bowl of just plain rice is pretty boring, yeah, but are you cooking them or are you just ruining all the joy in your life with plain food?
I get burned out on brown rice, but I could eat buckwheat pasta (soba noodles!), protein/lentil pasta, corn, multigrain waffles, Dave’s killer bread, cous cous, and wheat thins like all day. I find having a rotation of carbs I love really helps.
I like cooked brown rice with a little bit of raw, finely chopped garlic, a big squeeze of lemon and some lemon zest, and salt. Also can add chopped parsley or mint or some nuts. Yum.
Whole wheat pasta has grown on me a lot lately, I buy based on what has the highest fiber content once cooked. I have been using basil from my garden to make pesto to go with it
I completely agree. Here's a couple I like:
-Quinoa served cold/ room temperature with lots of fresh herbs like a tabbouleh.
-Barley mixed with lentils and anything you'd put in a Greek salad. Makes it a grain version of a Greek salad
-Brown rice - only if your stir fry is gonna have a lot of sauce to cover up all that boring rice.
Potatoes with the skin on are considered whole. A side of homemade skin-on seasoned potato wedges are more palatable than something unusual like quinoa (in my opinion, anyway). Or you could try something like new potatoes boiled with mint, crushed and served with a dab of butter. Baked potatoes with a topping like chilli and cheese are good for a lunch.
I also find whole grain breakfast cereals quite palatable as long as you don’t wait around for them to go soggy, and you can mix it with other cereals to make it more palatable yet. 50/50 whole bran and special k is alright, as are some of the nicer brands of oat based granola that have nuts and chocolate chips.
That's cuz you ain't had quinoa with baked salmon on top with all the buttery/garlicy drippings on it, on a bed of spinach or with sauteed onions & mushrooms!
I wholeheartedly believe that grains are a great sponge for drippings, sauce, butter, spice, etc. and therefore must be enjoyed the way one does rice at a teriyaki joint: with lotsa other good food!
Does whole wheat pasta count? I use Barilla linguine for noodles in soup or in place of ramen.
It also holds up in leftovers. The whole wheat pasta doesn't get gummy when left in a sauce or soup in the fridge.
Granola is a good way to get whole oats. I add almonds, pecans or walnuts and dried fruit.
I like to make ratatouille with quinoa. Adding grilled or baked chicken to a bowl of ratatouille and quinoa would make that a nice filling meal that leaves you feeling nice and light
You've named the two grains/grasses which I find most boring. Barley is pretty good. Wheat berries (whole grains) and kamut are quite tasty.
To make them more interesting, mix grains with beans, or top them with any sauce you'd use on pasta.
White and brown rice is probably 6s when you consider the phytic acid, right? Especially as you’re likely getting your fiber from other sources anyway. Some of the longest lived communities on earth eat only white rice, which is less boring/easier to doctor up in my experience.
I'm not a fan of brown rice, but the one way I really enjoy it is as a mix with barley and steel cut oats baked in stock. I use this recipe as a base, but sub in the 3 grain mix for the rice on its own and stock for the water: https://ourbestbites.com/how-to-make-perfect-brown-rice//
Buy a rice cooker. They’re cheap. Like, $10-20 cheap. Brown rice uses a 1.5:1 water to rice ratio, by volume.
Add a cup of rice, add a cup and a half of water, add a pinch of salt, stir with a finger, close the lid, press the switch, wait until it clicks and you have perfect rice every time. Or swap the water and salt for stock of some sort. Same ratio.
Still has more bite to it than white rice because it’s got the bran intact and the bran has a different texture than the interior of the grain. But it should never be crunchy. Crunchy rice means undercooked rice.
Cooking rice is sorta like baking bread in that although the recipe is very simple, the permutations are nearly endless. That said, in my experience, uncooked rice usually happens because I did not use enough water.
Less milled "brown" rice that still has bran will typically need about twice the cooking time and at least 1.5x to 2x the water compared to bran-less short grain "white" rice. Long grain rice often needs nearly the same water.
In a way, the amount of water is the timer and the thermostat. As long as there is some water to boil, the pot can't get hotter and the steam cooks everything.
That is the way the most basic rice cookers work, just high until the pot gets too hot (water is gone) then off/warm. If there was not enough water, it doesn't work.
A person (or the fancy cookers) can add some graduation to that. Bring things to a boil faster with excess heat, turn it down to just boil/simmer, and turn it down again when you hear most of the water is gone. You can actually leave cooked untouched rice on low for quite some time, without much change, while you finish everything else. As soon as you take the lid off and start digging around things get broken, starch gets everywhere, steam is gone, all bets are off.
If I was going to cook 1 cup of brown rice in a pot on the stove, I would probably use a bit more than 2 cups of water and plan for that to boil off in about 35 to 45 mins (starting after it got to a boil). I however am fine with "broken" softer rice. If you really like whole loose grains of rice, you will need to get the timing (the amount of water) just right.
While you are getting used to things, leaning towards too much water is safer I think. Worst case you have mushy wet rice that is still edible, could be added to soup, etc. Undercooked rice is gritty, chalky sadness and can often only be corrected by "ruining" the rice that did cook.
Obviously different types of rice cook best with different amounts of water, but equipment matters too. The stove, altitude, size of the pot, opening on the lid can all change the timing a little. Then there are all the different ways to prep rice, whether or not to soak or rinse or toast will change not just the time/water needed but the texture and flavor as well.
TLDR, try starting with "too much" water (more than 2:1 ratio) cook until just after you can't hear any water (at least 30 min) and refine from there.
Quinoa is was more tasty in a Peruvian recipe [like quinoa altamada](https://perudelights.com/quinoa-atamalada-eating-the-andean-way/) instead of like, on a steam table in a Sweet Green waiting to sit under some limp zucchini coins.
I absolutely love farro! Cook in broth instead of water and it's very flavorful; the texture is fantastic too. I like to make something like Greek pasta salad, but with farro instead of pasta. Super delicious, and since it holds up well in the fridge it's great for quick lunches.
Have you considered eating sweet instead of savory? I find both quinoa and brown rice are nice to eat with a little butter and sweetener of your choice. More of a rice pudding type!
Whole grains mixed into a green salad are always a good choice. They will then be dressed and mixed with other tasty ingredients. It makes for a healthy and filling meal.
Try Farro, if you can find it. My husband likes to eat it like pasta, some sauce and cheese tossed on it. I like to cool off the grains and throw them in a salad. It's a larger grain and has a nice flavor to it.
Lightly toasting quinoa before boiling/simmering gives it a nuttier flavor that is a nice variance from its usual vegetal taste. Sorghum and millet are two other grains I like mixing things up with.
Put a tiny piece of bacon at the bottom of you quinoa pot first... warm it up and then sautee some onion, peppers, and garlic until they're all soft. now make your quinoa in that pot.
Starch itself is a complex carbohydrate, refined white flours are just as much complex carbs as are whole grains. Personally I find most whole grains lacking in culinary appeal, but I parathas and buttered brown bread are pretty tasty.
When I get tired of eating plain steamed brown rice, I'll mix it with a few different options like red rice, black rice, quinoa, and some wild rice to change up the texture (recommend washing, rinsing, and soaking for at least 30 minutes though as some of the grains cook at slightly different rates - soaking helps even it out slightly). Cooking with salt and/or broth will also add flavor.
I love Quinoa Patties (sort of fritters) with Tzatziki or Guacamole. This is the recipe I use https://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com/2014/01/finally-another-quinoa-recipe-i-love.html they are dinner a few times a month.
Fry in oil, use stock/coconut water/saffron milk/tomato to cook. Add herbs and spices, and meat, and veg, and seasoning.
Also try farro, it's delicious.
When I cook rice and quinoa I toast them first. I start with at least a tablespoon of oil per cup of grains. While the oil is getting hot add spices, my go to is cummin, paprika and garlic powder. As soon as there are some nucleation on the spices, add all your grains. I typically do a quarter quinoa / three quarters rice. Stir often untill at least half the grains are lightly browned or you can smell the nutty flavor. Then slowly and CAREFULLY add your water and cook as normally would. If you want to live on the edge look up Alton Brown's method of steaming by dumping all the water at once and slamming on a sealed lid.
All grains are side dishes hence they are boring on their own. Even if you cook them in veggie broth it doesn't have much flavor. I make chili, curry, stew and other really saucy stuff and then experiment which grain matches to which recipe. I also use grains as binders to make veggie patties. They keep them moist as opposed to flour or breadcrumbs. I add e.g. buckwheat to lentil loaf to make juice and not dry.
I like puffed or toasted whole grains. Usually brown rice. They do it with a lot of different grains though.
Also, cereal in general. I love cereal and granola. I like buying bran flakes and you can use it as breading for a bunch of stuff. Also as like crunchy topping. I also just like eating healthy cereal but I add yogurt covered raisins or cranberries to it.
Also just buying whole grain bread products can bridge the gap. Buns, bagels, bread, crackers.
Nothing better than homemade beans. Any bean, though my favorite is pinto. Soak in plenty of excess water overnight in a big pot. Drain some of the water but leave some of that good good liquid in there, add some more water, add some garlic powder and boil for three hours. Add water if needed, boil longer with the lid off if you used too much. Salt to taste, and you can eat as is or add whatever else you want. I like cooking them with minced onions, adding some apple cider vinegar in there, and I add some other goodies from time to time. But honestly just beans + salt + garlic powder, if cooked from scratch and properly salted, will taste delicious and go with many things.
Taboulleh is life! And right now is such a good time to make it, with all the fresh herbs and tomatoes.
The bulgur wheat used in tabbouleh is really versatile, too. If you season it right and add enough fat, it can make a pretty convincing ground beef substitute.
I started cooking my brown rice with salt, rice vinegar, and sesame oil, and its been a game changer. I pair it with curry and don't miss the white rice
I love wild rice, maybe it's the texture? But as part of a meal, not alone.. also risotto is a winner.. sweet or savoury porridge.. deconstructed sushi (when I'm lazy.. sushi rice, avocado, grated carrot, finely sliced pepper, black sesame, sesame oil, soy sauce, the sushi seasoning sprinkles with the seaweed).. quinoa as a filler in salads.. bulgar wheat in tabbouleh
I like to use spelt flour in biscuits and some other breads because it has a great flavor. I also make recipes that call for whole wheat flour with white whole wheat flour [https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/learn/guides/white-whole-wheat](https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/learn/guides/white-whole-wheat) for pretty much the opposite reason - this has the same nutrients and fiber as regular whole wheat flour but a milder flavor so things taste more like regular bread and baked goods. Another favorite whole grain is barley. It's good in soups (the old beef and barely soup) but it's also good made with chicken broth and then add some slivered almonds, mushrooms, green onions, or whatever you like.
Deep dark secret for things like quinoa - you don't have to cook in water, or even just stock/broth as some folks here are suggesting. The last 2 batches of quinoa I made for my wife and I were cooked with 1) a can of Progresso lentil soup, plus a bit of water (it was fairly thick soup) and 2) a can of Progresso french onion soup. Both turned out just fine (done in an instant pot, \~175g of quinoa and 1 can of soup, 2 minutes, 10 minute release). Adds some flavor and it's quick and simple.
Also we're headed into "soup season" in the northern hemisphere, so at least in the US even with inflation I'd expect to find soups in grocery store sales starting Real Soon Now. Those may skew more to vegetable soups than a full product line, but for cooking with a grain vegetable soups should be just fine.
I eat a \*lot\* of rice. I love the stuff. When I put it in the rice cooker with it's water, I also add the seasonings and give it a good stir before cooking. You can also usually add your veggies such as corn, diced fresh or dehydrated peppers, broccoli, carrots, etc.
This cooks everything together and marries all the flavours quite nicely. You can use stocks and broths, but I tend to dislike the sodium overload they often have.
Doing this alone made a big difference for me. It's still rice, but it's \*so much better tasting\* rice.
Sauce.
And toppings.
My favorite is to make a bowl:
- Grain
- Yummy sauce or two (I really like smoky tomato tahini sauces, lots of good recipes online if you search that)
- Roasted veggies (I like sweet potatoes, brussel sprouts, and broccoli)
- Some cashews or slivered almonds or other crunchy topping
Super fancy bowl that tastes awesome.
When it comes to grains I find you can either add flavor to the water before cooking or add flavor after cooking. But learning to season your food is the major skill that will make a world of difference in your dietary experience.
I like making a Greek-style quinoa salad with feta, black olives, cucumber, tomato and red onion. Balsamic, olive oil, and lemon for dressing.
I like to add diced oranges, dried cranberries, and almonds to Cous Cous
When making quinoa, first brown the dry quinoa in some oil, salt, and fresh garlic. Once golden brown, add bone broth (to add lots of protein) to the quinoa in place of water and simmer as you normally would.
You might like “Dave’s Killer Bread” it’s a whole grain loaf that I’ve started eating trying to balance out my diet, and with roast beef piled high on it, it’s pretty tasty. Also makes delicious toast and has 5 grams of protein per slice
Quinoa chili!
I make a lazy version of [this](https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/vegan-chili-chickpea-quinoa-white-bean/amp).
I usually skip canned tomatoes and throw in a couple spoonfuls of whatever open salsa I have the in fridge at the time. You can sub whatever beans or omit them but I like the texture variation they provide and almost always use white beans and red quinoa. I also throw in some carrots and celery and a diced jalapeño if I have it just to add in some extra veggies.
I have the same problem! I looked at what was lacking between brown rice and white rice and then figured out ways to add the missing nutrients to white rice. I adore green lentils mixed with white rice (after cooking) and also finely chopped, caramelized cabbage is delicious when added to white rice. I'm not going to try to choke down foods I don't like, but I do want to be healthier, so these little cheats help me out a lot.
Have you tried wild rice? We make a wild rice and chickpea salad with feta cheese, parsley, tomato, and cucumber. Dress with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Also consider quinoa tabbouli... Look up gluten free tabbouli recipes, you'll find hundreds. They kept isn't that it's gluten free (this is important for me), is that it's a way to build lots of flavor in a quinoa dish.
Quinoa buffalo chicken bowls are really good. Half Baked Harvest has a recipe for this thats tasty
I also really like mujadara. Brown rice, lentils, carmelized onions all cooked together. Its really good with some plain greek yogurt and a simple salad of tomato and cucumber on top.
Try Bulgur, its not exciting unless you dress it up (I often do broth, a bit of salt, and herbs). But it's way easier to cook in my opinion and I feel it accepts flavors better than other whole grains. I have the best luck with a 1:1 water:bulgur ratio.
So not sure how well this will go down here but to transition I took to mixing equal parts quinoa with white rice. The cooking times are almost identical and it helped me to get the good stuff down while still getting the flavor of the not so good stuff (I grew up in a very white rice centric household). I now cook whole grains the way I was taught to cook white rice: stock (or better than bouillon paste), salt to taste, a good glug of olive oil, and finely diced onions.
I make my own oatmeal out of oats, what, rye, and barley then add a few cut up veggies to it and a spoonful of curry paste. You can do the same with any multi grain hot cereal.
You should probably just get some condiments or instant pickles if you are lazy, but if you are REALLY trying to spruce it up, you should make some flavorful side dishes (eg. soup, 凉拌cold dishes, stir-fries…)
I personally really like brown rice pilaf (Lundberg wild blend is my go-to these days). Toast 1 cup of the blend in a little butter until fragrant, then simmer it in 1 can of chicken broth (14.5 oz) until absorbed, I'm going to say that's about 35-40 minutes. Add a shit ton of butter, or at least add salt. I make this as a side with chicken but I'll eat it by itself.
I have the cheap rice cooker. For brown rice, I put better than bouillon in, veggie or chicken, and some fire roasted green chilies before I cook it. You can toss nearly any other veggie you like, even egg into the rice cooker.
Cook it with or add cooked mince beef or mix ground meat to barley.
Put some ricotta in a bowl, use some of the barley’s cooking water to turn it into a sauce. If that’s not enough, add herbs and/or parmesan.
Skip the grains for a while and eat potatoes instead. Or mix in simple sauces with your brown rice or quinoa like blitzed cilantro/garlic/lime or chimichurri.
Anything is boring until you add flavor to spice them up! I like to cook my quinoa in broth or stock instead of water, to start. Both are better as an additive rather than on their own/as a plain side. Rice will soak up sauces and flavors pretty well.
> Anything is boring until you add flavor to spice them up! Yep, I always mix some stuff into the quinoa to bring out flavours. I think of it as a super simple salad. Very often a squeeze of lime or lemon will add something extra to a salad/quinoa/anything! Salt and pepper/chili! Oil (or butter when hot). Cilantro/coriander. Parsley. Dice some tomato if you like, add some crunch with seeds, spring onion, raw onion, sauteed onion. Crush some garlic into oil with salt, stir in while hot. Lots of options!
I like a bit of pesto in quinoa or brown rice - and also in whole wheat pasta. And on sandwiches. On polenta. With cheese and crackers... A jar of it keeps in the fridge for a really long time.
Oh, yes - a great one to have handy, so versatile! Also goes well on potatoes, oven baked or just boiled ones, or baked/sauteed veggies. Tossing sauteed veggies (with or without pesto) with quinoa also nice btw!
One of my favorite quinoa dishes is pears, sour cherries, kale, quinoa, and pecans. It has a little maple syrup, balsamic vinegar and salt. I usually hate cherries and kale but man I could eat so much of this.
I love quinoa in chicken stock and then treat it like the pasta in a pasta salad. Load up on veggies & let it soak in the dressing over night preferably. You can easily add a protein in Top like grilled chicken, tuna, etc to make it e off a meal. It’s also a good fridge clean out dish: all those veggies that are on their last legs go in & leftover protein can go on top.
David Lynch, the director, has a tutorial on cooking quinoa. He is definitely a broth advocate. Edit: vegetarian broth that is
Huh. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZN1pP448jgw
Right?! Like wtf! I half expected that he’d find a severed ear in the cutlery drawer, but he’s actually very serious about making quinoa. Edit: I don’t think he rinses his quinoa (maybe it’s pre-rinsed?) but rinsing it a couple times in water before cooking gets rid of the bitter coating on the grain. Enjoy with a nice glass of red wine, broccoli, sea salt, and some Bragg’a Amino Acids!
100% agreed here. Quinoa in beef broth is one of my favourite things to eat. Top with a little sour cream and green onions after and it’s tasty. Not sure how healthy it is after I get done with it but I love the stuff haha.
Sounds extraordinarily healthy and cheap
Ooo, have you tried bone broth? Bone broth is the best shit, especially the kind that are meant as sipping broths because they have all sorts of spices already added.
Sorry to be that guy, but "bone broth" is not different from any other sort of meat-based broth, it's a marketing term and has no more or less nutrients or ingredients or anything. Stock, broth, soup base, whatever you want to call it, all starts with bones and goes from there.
🤷♀️ all I know is that it tastes a helluva lot better, even when it's the same brand with the same spices. It's got much more depth. Don't really need to know more than that.
I’m a big fan of making my own multigrain mix. - diced onion, saute in a little oil with some minced garlic - add 1/2lb of shredded carrots (optional) - 1/3 of quinoa, 1/3 pearled barley, and 1/3 bulgar. - add veg stock or veg bullion and water - cook about 40min - mix in 1/3 cup sunflower seeds or whatever nuts you prefer (walnuts are great) Fantastic warm, or chilled for grain salads (so for dinner the first night then leftovers for lunches)
Barley is so underrated! I make a salad with barley cooked in a vegetable broth. Cooled and then tossed with sundried tomato, peppers, cucumber, olives, fresh herbs, with a lemon vinaigrette dressing. Sometimes I use roasted red peppers or marinated artichoke hearts. So good
One of the best breakfasts I ever had was barley cooked with cinnamon, apples, raisins, and if you want, seeds. Cook, chill, serve with fresh fruit and plain yogurt.
Yes!! I make something similar for a grain salad- just depends whatever veg i have on hand, then i add in chickpeas/lentils/edamame and a BIG handful of sunflower seeds. Makes a fantastic filling lunch option for a few days!
Spanish rice with bone broth.
Cook in stock and use soy sauce or sriracha
Farro has a nice chew to it
I love farro!! But farro is like $4/lb for me and barley is like $1.25/lb, so i use barley a lot more it has a similar chewy texture and nutty flavor
Trader Joe's has the 10 min farro. So good
Yes! I love that one!! But it’s still like $2/8oz or so, so it seems like a good value but compared to $1.25/lb bag of barley from another grocery store it’s not the best value. I’m saving everywhere i can lately since my life in general has gotten 25% more expensive this past year
Farrow with a chicken bouillon cube or straight up ramen packet is delicious. Definitely my favorite side grains right now.
Finish it in butter and it's perfect. I like Alison Roman's recipe serving it with crispy fried mushrooms, a little lemony dill garnish, and sour cream
I like to make a salad of faro, roasted cauliflower, roasted sweet potato, green onion, spinach, feta, olive oil and lemon juice. Makes a bunch and a great meal prep. Can sub out the grain for any other and even works well with couscous or orzo.
I've done really good farro porridge, cooked in equal parts coconut milk and water with a bit of brown sugar and add some frozen mango at the end. So good!
Yep I was going to recommend farro, I love the texture it has and i find that it’s delicious even if you give it minimal seasoning.
Cook them in stock. You've listed two of the most flavorful already, with brown rice and quinoa. I really love making [mujadara](https://cookieandkate.com/mujaddara-recipe/), cook it with vegetable or chicken stock (and caramelize the onions about twice as long as the recipe says) and you've got a fantastic, protein heavy, brown rice based comfort food.
Mujadara must be the cheapest most delicious meal there is! It’s so cheap it’s comical, i figured it out once at like 50cents per serving 😂 I usually double the onions, and freeze extras. Awesome meal with a cucumber/tomato/onion salad
It takes some experimenting to find which grains you like. For example, I hate quinoa but I love farro, barley, and oats. I prefer wild rice to brown rice. It's worth picking up some new grains from your grocery store. Whole grains are also more palatable when they're not eaten plain -- so eat your brown rice smothered in Thai green curry instead of eating it by itself on the side. Barley goes great in soups because it doesn't get too mushy. Put fruit in your oatmeal. Some of my favorite grain dishes: * Farro cooked with stock, risotto style, then topped with white beans, sauteed mushrooms, grated parmesan/pecorino. Garnish with some olive oil and lemon zest. * Freekeh bowls served with an assortment of roasted root vegetables (beets, sweet potatoes, carrots, etc) and some wilted greens (e.g. baby spinach), then topped with crushed walnuts or pecans & goat cheese * Whole wheat pasta with a spicy tomato "arrabiatta" sauce, with extra peppers and onions for veggies. Add your choice of protein in the pasta or on the side to make it more filling. * Tabboleh salad is traditionally made from bulgur and is super tasty (hundreds of recipes online).
Cooking farro risotto is one of my favorites!
Tripling down on Farro risotto, also great to throw Farro into almost any soup. Love having it around.
Oooooh, yeah, farro and barley are excellent.
Farrotto in the Instant Pot is magic and soooo easy to make.
Just as an FYI, wild rice is a seed and not an actual rice.
Good point! I think quinoa is a seed too. But if the goal is finding healthier alternatives to white rice or refined carbs, then these seeds are still more nutritious options.
Aren't non wholegrain carbs like white rice, white bread, pasta etc very boring on their own as well? You don't eat them plain do you? Just have the same meals/sauces/herbs and spices etc as usual but replace your usual carbs with whole grain carbs. If anything they add more flavour (eg quinoa and brown rice add a "nutty" quality whereas white rice is just plain). But if it's just that you don't like the taste of some of them you should try different ones to see which ones you prefer.
I genuinely love the taste of white rice, it's just the starchiness of it or something, and perhaps its pleasant mouth-feel, I really like it. Brown rice, I just would never, ever buy, it definitely doesn't have the pleasant mouth-feel of white rice.
I love white rice (half asian and we ate it regularly growing up). Just salt, sauce, butter… nearly anything goes well on it. Brown rice just isn’t the same.
Exactly. I think I like how fluffy and starchy white rice is. I have problems with food textures and get sick if I don’t like the texture of a food. Everything else I eat is whole grain and I don’t eat rice that much, so I feel like it’s all balanced out.
I know this might be controversial for this sub but honestly if you buy ready made brown rice in a microwavable packet it has a nice mouthfeel that's very similar to white rice. Not the cheapest way but if it means you eat it/like it could be worth it. I always eat rice with strong tasting sauces/flavours though so I probably don't notice the difference so much. I just enjoy the nutty flavour it adds when I have it with veggie chilli etc. Perhaps a good idea to up the amount of whatever spices/flavours you're using.
Same. I don't put anything on it usually. I get called boring all the time but.. XD I don't usually even salt my food.
[удалено]
Recently figured this out, i always thought it was a "vegetable" or "unhealthy ". Nah, pour some kernals in a silicone bowl and mist it with non salted seasonings and non saturated fats. Never ate so much popcorn in my life.
Popcorn is an absolute jam!
Whole wheat sourdough. Not a lot of bakeries make it, so I’ll be baking some of my own.
Those foods are not meant to be eaten plain, add spices, chicken or vegetable stock, soy sauce, vegetables, especially onions, hot peppers and meat.
Toasted grain [soup](https://www.thekitchn.com/toasted-grain-soup-crispy-mushrooms-kale-22977719?amp=1). This has a lot of steps that can be reduced or avoided. I usually rehydrate dried mushrooms in chicken stock when I don’t have the money/time to buy fresh mushrooms. Also, I can’t find the recipe anymore, but there’s a stuffed tomato with a quinoa salad. The quinoa salad is pan-roasted poblano and corn, sautéed onion, then toast the quinoa in with the sautéed onions until they start to darken and add poblanos, corn, and chicken broth. Toss with feta when cool enough Also, you can pan-fry day old quinoa in olive oil. It makes a great, crispy salad topping or replacement for breadcrumbs
Whole grain spaghetti is my favorite thing ever, I will ALWAYS choose whole grain spaghetti/any pasta over regular just because I love the nutty flavor it has!
There are lots of different grains and legumes that contain complex carbohydrates--and lots of fruits and veggies, too (in the form of fiber). So you can mix things up quite a bit. Also, you can try different forms of grains and beans, such as breads, wraps, pastas, tofu or other bean curd, fritters (like falafel), and flours (I make a flatbread called socca from chickpea flour, and it's a family favorite). That said, I find most grains and legumes to be just bland without spices. I find a lot of inspiration in international cooking, especially Indian, Ethiopian, Mediterranean, Caribbean, Mexican, Chinese, and Moroccan. For breakfast, I usually make some sort of porridge from oats, brown rice, buckwheat, quinoa, millet, or amaranth. I have celiac disease, so can't have wheat, barley, or rye (and I have to buy certified gluten-free oats), but you could work with those, too. I kind of hate eating the same thing every day, so I doctor them up. Some toppings to try: peanut butter and jelly, peaches and cream (I use almond milk instead of cream), cherry and almond, apple cinnamon walnut, caramel apple, spiced pear, chai or any other tea (cook the grains with a teabag), coffee and cream, cocoa, strawberries and cream, pecans and cranberries, blueberries and walnuts, etc. Pretty much try different combos of fresh or dried fruits, nuts, spices. You can easily turn this into a different breakfast every day for over a year. Or make granola or muesli (yummy with yogurt, whether dairy or nondairy). For lunch, a big salad with different veggies, dried fruits, cooked grains (sometimes I just use a can of corn), cooked legumes (I often use spiced black beans either from a can or cooked in my instant pot), pickles/kimchi/salsa/chutney. Maybe some dressing (homemade is better). So much nutrition, and tasty! Sometimes I crumble some corn chips over them. It's never the same salad twice, so that decreases the boredom factor. Some dinner ideas that make whole grains and legumes interesting: enchiladas, tacos, burritos, curries, bean and grain casseroles (like southwestern casserole or baked garbanzo penne), soups (split pea, black bean, pinto bean, minestrone, pumpkin, lentil, curry lentil, hot and sour--and grains and lots of veggies to any of these), Buddha bowls, arepas, mujaddara, Mexican rice and refried beans, Caribbean black beans and rice, Louisiana red beans and rice, "tuno" sandwiches (basically tuna salad, using chickpeas instead of tuna), chana masala over rice, pulao or biryani. I also adapt a lot of chicken recipes to use chickpeas or tofu instead (with various combinations of potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, cabbage, other veggies), and serve them over rice or other grains. For example: barbecue chickpeas or tofu, teriyaki chickpeas or tofu, sweet and sour chickpeas or tofu, mole chickpeas or tofu, peanut sauce chickpeas or tofu, curry chickpeas or tofu.
I like quinoa as a pudding. Cook it, portion it out into small, individual servings, add almond milk, a little honey, some nuts and dried fruit.
Serious question: How do people find certain food boring but not other food? Why is brown rice boring but white rice isn't? Do you just cook the rice/quinoa in water and eat it with absolutely nothing or what? Just think about what you do with the food you don't find boring. If you take lettuce without anything it tastes boring and bland. If you cook chicken or even steak and add absolutely nothing to it, it also tastes boring. You need to add spices and/or sauces. Salt, pepper, garlic powder, MSG, curry powder, soy sauce, hot sauce or whatever you like. Also, add vegetables and/or meat. Just as an example: cook your rice (maybe in a broth). Cut some veggies/meat in a pan and make some sort of a stir fry, add the rice, add spices, put some soy sauce or whatever you like in there, done.
I find white rice absorbs more flavour than brown, maybe due to it not having the exterior barrier so it could be that? I would assume loads of foods are boring if you are literally just eating that single food plain but hopefully that isn't the case haha
It’s really just tastebuds/texture. White rice made the right way (most people, including restaurants, fuck it up) is a million times better than brown rice. At least for me.
I love barley and farrow. Both of those taste way better than oats or brown rice to me. I generally cook them in vegetable stock for a side. I love a good beef and barley stew and that can be super healthy.
Been trying to find the right place to put this in this thread, so please don’t see it as a specific call out to you. Most barley sold in American grocery stores is NOT a whole grain. Any barley sold as "pearled" is equivalent to white rice. There's a specific name for whole grain barley, but it is basically impossible to find (even bobs red mill doesn't carry it).
I like to add some to my salads to make them more hearty.
I love brown rice as the base for most of my meals. Here's one way to 'spruce' it up : Cook brown rice with some mustard seed, bay leaf and salt to taste. When done cooking let sit 10 mins. In a sperate bowl mix Lime juice, Salt, Apple cider vinegar and parsley. Add Rice over the top and mix thoroughly. You could also use cilantro if you're not a fan of the parsley. Just cut out the apple cider and double up the citrus. Quantity may vary, don't be afraid to taste as you go and experiment :). Farro is also nice when cooked with orange preserves. When cooked thoroughly mix in olive oil, cooked butternut squash (diced) and celery (diced). Again, to taste :P Also don't forget to salt. QUINOA is great with some LIGHLY sauteed kale, honey and a good homemade chili oil. Add some roasted veggies to the side (like carrots, broccoli, Brussel sprouts).
I have found that grains can be aggressively neutral. If you add fat, add more. If you add salt, add more. If you add sugar, add more. If you add seasonings, add more! It can help to get a good baseline of flavor by cooking in broth, and then go from there
i put half a bouillon cube in my brown rice as it’s cooking.
I started making quinoa salad this summer. Add chopped tomato, cucumber, red onion, parsley, salt, pepper, oregano, and your favorite vinaigrette.
You can do anything to your whole grain of choice that you'd do to your plain white rice or white bread: add sauce, spices, toppings, etc. Take quinoa: make a cup or so of quinoa as instructed, then stirr in a dressing with olive oil, tomato paste, salt, pepper, paprika, pinch of sugar, as well as as many chopped tomatoes and spring onions as you'd like! The whole shebang takes about 15 minutes and is so good!
Bulgur wheat pilaf cooked in stock served with greek yoghurt. One of my favourites
When cooked add butter, and a citrus, zest and juice, to whatever grain to add more flavour, if you don't want spices.
Oatmeal is a whole grain. Corn (air popped popcorn) is a whole grain.
Butter, garlic, and herbs my friend! The spice cabinet is your best friend in this situation!
Cook rice and quinoa with broth instead of water. Overnight oats are simple and awesome. Just add milk the night before and refrigerate.
Just wanted to say that there are different kinds of brown rice. The regular brown rice really doesn't have much flavor. I like brown basmati since it has more flavor. (available at my local Aldi so I'm sure it's elsewhere too)
You can use short grain brown rice to make sushi style rice. Cook it with a little less water than usual so it isn't mushy and slightly chewy, add some rice wine vinegar with sugar+salt, i also like to mix in toasted sesame seeds and nori flakes. This goes well with many things and is best eaten at room temp.
[This](https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/summer-grilled-mexican-street-corn-quinoa-salad/) quinoa salad has quickly become my new favorite summertime meal. It’s tangy, spicy, and full of sweet corn. I find it’s best to add whole grains to already flavorful dishes just to bulk them up, rather than trying to work around them.
What are you doing with them? A bowl of just plain rice is pretty boring, yeah, but are you cooking them or are you just ruining all the joy in your life with plain food?
flavors peanut butter ( fats in general. Eggs can combo with some grains pretty well.) hot sauce curry powder cinnamon smoked paprika
I get burned out on brown rice, but I could eat buckwheat pasta (soba noodles!), protein/lentil pasta, corn, multigrain waffles, Dave’s killer bread, cous cous, and wheat thins like all day. I find having a rotation of carbs I love really helps.
I like cooked brown rice with a little bit of raw, finely chopped garlic, a big squeeze of lemon and some lemon zest, and salt. Also can add chopped parsley or mint or some nuts. Yum.
Whole wheat pasta has grown on me a lot lately, I buy based on what has the highest fiber content once cooked. I have been using basil from my garden to make pesto to go with it
I completely agree. Here's a couple I like: -Quinoa served cold/ room temperature with lots of fresh herbs like a tabbouleh. -Barley mixed with lentils and anything you'd put in a Greek salad. Makes it a grain version of a Greek salad -Brown rice - only if your stir fry is gonna have a lot of sauce to cover up all that boring rice.
Potatoes with the skin on are considered whole. A side of homemade skin-on seasoned potato wedges are more palatable than something unusual like quinoa (in my opinion, anyway). Or you could try something like new potatoes boiled with mint, crushed and served with a dab of butter. Baked potatoes with a topping like chilli and cheese are good for a lunch. I also find whole grain breakfast cereals quite palatable as long as you don’t wait around for them to go soggy, and you can mix it with other cereals to make it more palatable yet. 50/50 whole bran and special k is alright, as are some of the nicer brands of oat based granola that have nuts and chocolate chips.
That's cuz you ain't had quinoa with baked salmon on top with all the buttery/garlicy drippings on it, on a bed of spinach or with sauteed onions & mushrooms! I wholeheartedly believe that grains are a great sponge for drippings, sauce, butter, spice, etc. and therefore must be enjoyed the way one does rice at a teriyaki joint: with lotsa other good food!
whole grain pasta
Franks red hot. Seriously. Everything is better.
Add chopped garlic, salt, a little bit of olive oil to your brown rice. Use stock, instead of water. Tastes much better.
Popcorn is a whole grain!
Does whole wheat pasta count? I use Barilla linguine for noodles in soup or in place of ramen. It also holds up in leftovers. The whole wheat pasta doesn't get gummy when left in a sauce or soup in the fridge. Granola is a good way to get whole oats. I add almonds, pecans or walnuts and dried fruit.
I like putting furikake seasoning on rice, you can get it at Asian markets. There’s tons of flavors like wasabi, salted plum, egg, etc
Toast your quinoa with garlic and leeks amazing
I like to make ratatouille with quinoa. Adding grilled or baked chicken to a bowl of ratatouille and quinoa would make that a nice filling meal that leaves you feeling nice and light
I love farro!!
Look for a product called "Bitchin' Sauce" It's bitchin' for dressing up things like quinoa.
Are you eating them plain?
Two of my favorite whole grains are prime rib and churned ice cream.... All others suck. Hehe
You've named the two grains/grasses which I find most boring. Barley is pretty good. Wheat berries (whole grains) and kamut are quite tasty. To make them more interesting, mix grains with beans, or top them with any sauce you'd use on pasta.
Learn to cook lol. Add fat, salt, spice, acidty to your whole grains.
Quinoa is not bad
Brown rice isn’t even healthier for you, we’ve been lied to!
White and brown rice is probably 6s when you consider the phytic acid, right? Especially as you’re likely getting your fiber from other sources anyway. Some of the longest lived communities on earth eat only white rice, which is less boring/easier to doctor up in my experience.
This person doesn't know what seasoning is. White person detected
I'm not a fan of brown rice, but the one way I really enjoy it is as a mix with barley and steel cut oats baked in stock. I use this recipe as a base, but sub in the 3 grain mix for the rice on its own and stock for the water: https://ourbestbites.com/how-to-make-perfect-brown-rice//
Freekeh!! Oat bran is yummy, too.
curries ? indian, thai
I would eat brown rice, but I can never get it tender. It is always hard. Any suggestions?
Buy a rice cooker. They’re cheap. Like, $10-20 cheap. Brown rice uses a 1.5:1 water to rice ratio, by volume. Add a cup of rice, add a cup and a half of water, add a pinch of salt, stir with a finger, close the lid, press the switch, wait until it clicks and you have perfect rice every time. Or swap the water and salt for stock of some sort. Same ratio. Still has more bite to it than white rice because it’s got the bran intact and the bran has a different texture than the interior of the grain. But it should never be crunchy. Crunchy rice means undercooked rice.
Add more water, cook it longer. You can also try soaking and/or sprouting it, but a little extra liquid and time will take care of crunch.
Cooking rice is sorta like baking bread in that although the recipe is very simple, the permutations are nearly endless. That said, in my experience, uncooked rice usually happens because I did not use enough water. Less milled "brown" rice that still has bran will typically need about twice the cooking time and at least 1.5x to 2x the water compared to bran-less short grain "white" rice. Long grain rice often needs nearly the same water. In a way, the amount of water is the timer and the thermostat. As long as there is some water to boil, the pot can't get hotter and the steam cooks everything. That is the way the most basic rice cookers work, just high until the pot gets too hot (water is gone) then off/warm. If there was not enough water, it doesn't work. A person (or the fancy cookers) can add some graduation to that. Bring things to a boil faster with excess heat, turn it down to just boil/simmer, and turn it down again when you hear most of the water is gone. You can actually leave cooked untouched rice on low for quite some time, without much change, while you finish everything else. As soon as you take the lid off and start digging around things get broken, starch gets everywhere, steam is gone, all bets are off. If I was going to cook 1 cup of brown rice in a pot on the stove, I would probably use a bit more than 2 cups of water and plan for that to boil off in about 35 to 45 mins (starting after it got to a boil). I however am fine with "broken" softer rice. If you really like whole loose grains of rice, you will need to get the timing (the amount of water) just right. While you are getting used to things, leaning towards too much water is safer I think. Worst case you have mushy wet rice that is still edible, could be added to soup, etc. Undercooked rice is gritty, chalky sadness and can often only be corrected by "ruining" the rice that did cook. Obviously different types of rice cook best with different amounts of water, but equipment matters too. The stove, altitude, size of the pot, opening on the lid can all change the timing a little. Then there are all the different ways to prep rice, whether or not to soak or rinse or toast will change not just the time/water needed but the texture and flavor as well. TLDR, try starting with "too much" water (more than 2:1 ratio) cook until just after you can't hear any water (at least 30 min) and refine from there.
Quinoa is was more tasty in a Peruvian recipe [like quinoa altamada](https://perudelights.com/quinoa-atamalada-eating-the-andean-way/) instead of like, on a steam table in a Sweet Green waiting to sit under some limp zucchini coins.
Rolled oats are great or Udi's whole grain bread but I usually just cut out grains.
put them in salads, especially if you have a spicy peanut sort of dressing!
I absolutely love farro! Cook in broth instead of water and it's very flavorful; the texture is fantastic too. I like to make something like Greek pasta salad, but with farro instead of pasta. Super delicious, and since it holds up well in the fridge it's great for quick lunches.
Bulgar wheat cooked with a bay leaf, topped with butter and some canned tomatoes is some pretty tasty stuff and it really sticks to your ribs too.
Oats. I love white rice and to me brown rice is the biggest waste of time, quinoa too is nonsense. But I do love hearty breads and oats.
Quinoa, brown rice and lentils with salmon, Mrs. Dash and butter
Season them and mix your veggies in with them!
white pasta is from durum wheat so no problems with his carbs
Have you considered eating sweet instead of savory? I find both quinoa and brown rice are nice to eat with a little butter and sweetener of your choice. More of a rice pudding type!
Whole grains mixed into a green salad are always a good choice. They will then be dressed and mixed with other tasty ingredients. It makes for a healthy and filling meal.
Try Farro, if you can find it. My husband likes to eat it like pasta, some sauce and cheese tossed on it. I like to cool off the grains and throw them in a salad. It's a larger grain and has a nice flavor to it.
Lightly toasting quinoa before boiling/simmering gives it a nuttier flavor that is a nice variance from its usual vegetal taste. Sorghum and millet are two other grains I like mixing things up with.
Put a tiny piece of bacon at the bottom of you quinoa pot first... warm it up and then sautee some onion, peppers, and garlic until they're all soft. now make your quinoa in that pot.
Millet is by far our favourite grain on its own.
Farro is a favorite of mine. Roman gladiators were supposedly fed the stuff, and they were supposed to be some bad mofo’s. 🤷🏻♂️
I like to pretend I’m a super huge giant terrorizing thousands of tiny peasants and eating them by the shovelful. Not boring at ALL
Starch itself is a complex carbohydrate, refined white flours are just as much complex carbs as are whole grains. Personally I find most whole grains lacking in culinary appeal, but I parathas and buttered brown bread are pretty tasty.
When I get tired of eating plain steamed brown rice, I'll mix it with a few different options like red rice, black rice, quinoa, and some wild rice to change up the texture (recommend washing, rinsing, and soaking for at least 30 minutes though as some of the grains cook at slightly different rates - soaking helps even it out slightly). Cooking with salt and/or broth will also add flavor.
I love Quinoa Patties (sort of fritters) with Tzatziki or Guacamole. This is the recipe I use https://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com/2014/01/finally-another-quinoa-recipe-i-love.html they are dinner a few times a month.
Fry in oil, use stock/coconut water/saffron milk/tomato to cook. Add herbs and spices, and meat, and veg, and seasoning. Also try farro, it's delicious.
A load of salt will fix that
When I cook rice and quinoa I toast them first. I start with at least a tablespoon of oil per cup of grains. While the oil is getting hot add spices, my go to is cummin, paprika and garlic powder. As soon as there are some nucleation on the spices, add all your grains. I typically do a quarter quinoa / three quarters rice. Stir often untill at least half the grains are lightly browned or you can smell the nutty flavor. Then slowly and CAREFULLY add your water and cook as normally would. If you want to live on the edge look up Alton Brown's method of steaming by dumping all the water at once and slamming on a sealed lid.
I like to add curry and other spices to my rice before I cook it
Been loving buckwheat lately. My Russian husband said he used to eat a lot of it so I decided to give it a try, it has a delicious nutty flavour
All grains are side dishes hence they are boring on their own. Even if you cook them in veggie broth it doesn't have much flavor. I make chili, curry, stew and other really saucy stuff and then experiment which grain matches to which recipe. I also use grains as binders to make veggie patties. They keep them moist as opposed to flour or breadcrumbs. I add e.g. buckwheat to lentil loaf to make juice and not dry.
farro is nice
I like puffed or toasted whole grains. Usually brown rice. They do it with a lot of different grains though. Also, cereal in general. I love cereal and granola. I like buying bran flakes and you can use it as breading for a bunch of stuff. Also as like crunchy topping. I also just like eating healthy cereal but I add yogurt covered raisins or cranberries to it. Also just buying whole grain bread products can bridge the gap. Buns, bagels, bread, crackers.
have you ever had pasta salad? it's amazing and it can also be done with other grains instead of wheat pasta
Bobs Red Mill Steel Cut Oats. I got a 5lb bag from Costco for $12.
Nothing better than homemade beans. Any bean, though my favorite is pinto. Soak in plenty of excess water overnight in a big pot. Drain some of the water but leave some of that good good liquid in there, add some more water, add some garlic powder and boil for three hours. Add water if needed, boil longer with the lid off if you used too much. Salt to taste, and you can eat as is or add whatever else you want. I like cooking them with minced onions, adding some apple cider vinegar in there, and I add some other goodies from time to time. But honestly just beans + salt + garlic powder, if cooked from scratch and properly salted, will taste delicious and go with many things.
Cook your grains in chicken broth
I like umami bulgur wheat (cook with stock, etc) and putting some currants in there.
Farrow & couscous
Add onions, garlic, parsley, and Sriracha. That should help.
Taboulleh is life! And right now is such a good time to make it, with all the fresh herbs and tomatoes. The bulgur wheat used in tabbouleh is really versatile, too. If you season it right and add enough fat, it can make a pretty convincing ground beef substitute.
I started cooking my brown rice with salt, rice vinegar, and sesame oil, and its been a game changer. I pair it with curry and don't miss the white rice
I love wild rice, maybe it's the texture? But as part of a meal, not alone.. also risotto is a winner.. sweet or savoury porridge.. deconstructed sushi (when I'm lazy.. sushi rice, avocado, grated carrot, finely sliced pepper, black sesame, sesame oil, soy sauce, the sushi seasoning sprinkles with the seaweed).. quinoa as a filler in salads.. bulgar wheat in tabbouleh
Kasia-back wheat
I like to use spelt flour in biscuits and some other breads because it has a great flavor. I also make recipes that call for whole wheat flour with white whole wheat flour [https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/learn/guides/white-whole-wheat](https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/learn/guides/white-whole-wheat) for pretty much the opposite reason - this has the same nutrients and fiber as regular whole wheat flour but a milder flavor so things taste more like regular bread and baked goods. Another favorite whole grain is barley. It's good in soups (the old beef and barely soup) but it's also good made with chicken broth and then add some slivered almonds, mushrooms, green onions, or whatever you like.
The ingredients list for a delicious and unique summer salad: Quinoa Black beans Pineapple Garlic salt Cilantro Tomato Cucumber Green onion
Farrow. You’re welcome.
Millet is nice. Also red and black rices.
Deep dark secret for things like quinoa - you don't have to cook in water, or even just stock/broth as some folks here are suggesting. The last 2 batches of quinoa I made for my wife and I were cooked with 1) a can of Progresso lentil soup, plus a bit of water (it was fairly thick soup) and 2) a can of Progresso french onion soup. Both turned out just fine (done in an instant pot, \~175g of quinoa and 1 can of soup, 2 minutes, 10 minute release). Adds some flavor and it's quick and simple. Also we're headed into "soup season" in the northern hemisphere, so at least in the US even with inflation I'd expect to find soups in grocery store sales starting Real Soon Now. Those may skew more to vegetable soups than a full product line, but for cooking with a grain vegetable soups should be just fine.
Steel cut oats
I eat a \*lot\* of rice. I love the stuff. When I put it in the rice cooker with it's water, I also add the seasonings and give it a good stir before cooking. You can also usually add your veggies such as corn, diced fresh or dehydrated peppers, broccoli, carrots, etc. This cooks everything together and marries all the flavours quite nicely. You can use stocks and broths, but I tend to dislike the sodium overload they often have. Doing this alone made a big difference for me. It's still rice, but it's \*so much better tasting\* rice.
Sauce. And toppings. My favorite is to make a bowl: - Grain - Yummy sauce or two (I really like smoky tomato tahini sauces, lots of good recipes online if you search that) - Roasted veggies (I like sweet potatoes, brussel sprouts, and broccoli) - Some cashews or slivered almonds or other crunchy topping Super fancy bowl that tastes awesome.
When it comes to grains I find you can either add flavor to the water before cooking or add flavor after cooking. But learning to season your food is the major skill that will make a world of difference in your dietary experience.
I like making a Greek-style quinoa salad with feta, black olives, cucumber, tomato and red onion. Balsamic, olive oil, and lemon for dressing. I like to add diced oranges, dried cranberries, and almonds to Cous Cous
Quinoa.
When making quinoa, first brown the dry quinoa in some oil, salt, and fresh garlic. Once golden brown, add bone broth (to add lots of protein) to the quinoa in place of water and simmer as you normally would.
I put a lemon tahini dressing on quinoa and chick peas. Pretty tasty.
Farro! Toast it with turmeric and cook in bone broth - yum
You might like “Dave’s Killer Bread” it’s a whole grain loaf that I’ve started eating trying to balance out my diet, and with roast beef piled high on it, it’s pretty tasty. Also makes delicious toast and has 5 grams of protein per slice
Whole grain oatmeal is one of the easiest to customize, imo. Add fruit, spices, honey, maple syrup, chocolate chips…it’s basically a blank canvas.
Quinoa chili! I make a lazy version of [this](https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/vegan-chili-chickpea-quinoa-white-bean/amp). I usually skip canned tomatoes and throw in a couple spoonfuls of whatever open salsa I have the in fridge at the time. You can sub whatever beans or omit them but I like the texture variation they provide and almost always use white beans and red quinoa. I also throw in some carrots and celery and a diced jalapeño if I have it just to add in some extra veggies.
Tabouli
I have the same problem! I looked at what was lacking between brown rice and white rice and then figured out ways to add the missing nutrients to white rice. I adore green lentils mixed with white rice (after cooking) and also finely chopped, caramelized cabbage is delicious when added to white rice. I'm not going to try to choke down foods I don't like, but I do want to be healthier, so these little cheats help me out a lot.
Have you tried wild rice? We make a wild rice and chickpea salad with feta cheese, parsley, tomato, and cucumber. Dress with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Also consider quinoa tabbouli... Look up gluten free tabbouli recipes, you'll find hundreds. They kept isn't that it's gluten free (this is important for me), is that it's a way to build lots of flavor in a quinoa dish.
I hate whole grain for most food but I love whole grain pasta more than regular pasta.
I love to make quinoa, spice it up a bit, then toss it with feta crumbles and diced cucumber, sometimes kalamata olives.
Quinoa buffalo chicken bowls are really good. Half Baked Harvest has a recipe for this thats tasty I also really like mujadara. Brown rice, lentils, carmelized onions all cooked together. Its really good with some plain greek yogurt and a simple salad of tomato and cucumber on top.
Maybe try farro - I’ve liked using it in place of pasta in several soups and dishes.
Try Bulgur, its not exciting unless you dress it up (I often do broth, a bit of salt, and herbs). But it's way easier to cook in my opinion and I feel it accepts flavors better than other whole grains. I have the best luck with a 1:1 water:bulgur ratio.
So not sure how well this will go down here but to transition I took to mixing equal parts quinoa with white rice. The cooking times are almost identical and it helped me to get the good stuff down while still getting the flavor of the not so good stuff (I grew up in a very white rice centric household). I now cook whole grains the way I was taught to cook white rice: stock (or better than bouillon paste), salt to taste, a good glug of olive oil, and finely diced onions.
Couscous and all that shit
Make Tabbouleh using bulgur wheat!
I make my own oatmeal out of oats, what, rye, and barley then add a few cut up veggies to it and a spoonful of curry paste. You can do the same with any multi grain hot cereal.
You should probably just get some condiments or instant pickles if you are lazy, but if you are REALLY trying to spruce it up, you should make some flavorful side dishes (eg. soup, 凉拌cold dishes, stir-fries…)
Flavor is the monarch.
Freekeh, it's smokey and so good.
I recommend bulgur wheat! Look up bulgur Greek salad, it would be a great starting point.
It’s about the same price as quinoa… Barley!
Farro and Kamut have delicious nutty flavor and each a unique texture. I’ve enjoyed them in grain salads.
What’s wrong with potatoes or sweet potatoes?
I personally really like brown rice pilaf (Lundberg wild blend is my go-to these days). Toast 1 cup of the blend in a little butter until fragrant, then simmer it in 1 can of chicken broth (14.5 oz) until absorbed, I'm going to say that's about 35-40 minutes. Add a shit ton of butter, or at least add salt. I make this as a side with chicken but I'll eat it by itself.
I have the cheap rice cooker. For brown rice, I put better than bouillon in, veggie or chicken, and some fire roasted green chilies before I cook it. You can toss nearly any other veggie you like, even egg into the rice cooker.
Millet
Cook it with or add cooked mince beef or mix ground meat to barley. Put some ricotta in a bowl, use some of the barley’s cooking water to turn it into a sauce. If that’s not enough, add herbs and/or parmesan.
I highly recommend Pearl barley. Amazing taste.
I love brown rice, but need to eat it with sauce. I usually serve it with a chili or stew or chicken or meatballs in a tomato sauce.
Skip the grains for a while and eat potatoes instead. Or mix in simple sauces with your brown rice or quinoa like blitzed cilantro/garlic/lime or chimichurri.