"WHOLE GRAINS UNVEILED: 5 NUTRITIOUS RECIPES TO TRY"

Socializing over a cup of coffee and croissants became all the rage in the past decade. Needless to say the overuse of refined carbs took its toll and our guts started protesting with a myriad of health issues.  After so many years of crafting the finest baking recipes, we realized refined carbs were the actual reason behind so many ailments.

Hence, back to basics.  Whole grain rotis and chapatis are making a comeback . The South Asians had it right all along. The advantages of a healthy diet based on wholegrains simply cannot be ignored anymore. Here are five recipes incorporating wholegrains to get your gut back in order. So here goes:

  1. THE BUDDHA BOWL.

          Rinse and soak half a cup each of brown rice, quinoa, hulled barley, buckwheat and lentils for a couple of hours. Saute 4 cloves of crushed garlic in some butter, add 5 cups of water and bring to boil. Add the soaked grains and lentils with salt to taste and cook till water is absorbed. Let simmer on low heat for 15 minutes. Voila! You have a bowl fit to serve a Buddha. Or at least your own spiritually enlightened self. 

2. MEXICAN OATS.

A nutritious yet flavourful breakfast can't possibly be simpler than this. Boil a cup of water with a cinnamon stick. Add half a cup of quick-cooking oats and cook on low heat for a minute. Add half a cup of milk and cook until thickened. Stir in a tablespoon of piloncillo and half a teaspoon of ground cinnamon and vanilla extract each. Oats “Mexicano,” ladies and gentlemen!  

3.  VEGGIE BULGAR SALAD.

Submerge 1 cup fine bulgur in 1 cup boiling water and let stand for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, cook one chopped onion in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil until softened with a  translucent shine. Drain bulgur and transfer to a large bowl. 

Finely chop 2 tomatoes, 1 cucumber, 2 green bell peppers, 1 yellow one for the splash of color and 7 green onions.  Add this colorful medley to the bulger along with a teaspoon of red pepper flakes to up the spice level.  At this point introducing half a cup each of  parsley and  mint leaves to this devine concoction  will add a crisp, herbaceous flavor. 

Finally drench the salad in a marinade containing 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of pomegranate molasses in the juice of a large lemon. Refreshingly invigorating each bite will be, that I promise.

 4. SPINACH FETA TOSS

Cook 6 oz of wholewheat pasta in boiling water for 15 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Prepare marinade by mixing 2 cloves minced garlic in 3 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice with salt to taste. 4 cups chopped spinach leaves will give this toss a mild earthy flavor. Add a cup of canned chickpeas and 2 oz feta cheese to the pasta. Throw in the marinade and toss. This one needs to be chilled for an hour before serving.

      5. CURRIED BARLEY & RAISINS

Cook half cup whole grain barley in 2 cups of broth until all liquid is absorbed. Saute 1 large chopped onion in a couple of tablespoons of oil until golden brown. Add a teaspoon of minced garlic and another of curry powder and salt to taste. Add barley and mix so as to coat it with the spices. Turn the heat off. Adding raisins and slivered almonds will bring a crunchy freshness to the ensemble and a final sprinkling of parsley, a herbally freshness.

                                    CONCLUSION:

So there you go. The transitioning from refined carbs to wholegrains made easy. Just the mere act of purchasing fresh ingredients and cooking meals from scratch at home enhances the nutritional value of your diet. Do try this at home!