Take a page from history: Cook, eat ancient grains

When I get tired of even Moroccan-spiced oatmeal, next on the breakfast menu is hot millet-amaranth cereal.

No, this isn’t some new Malt-O-Meal product. It’s a porridge made from two ancient grains that get little play in modern life.

While “whole grains” became a buzzword in the last decade, Americans did little to progress beyond whole versions of the old standbys: wheat, corn, oats and rice. But there’s a whole world of grains that were never processed on such an industrial scale waiting to be discovered.

I started stocking my pantry with alternative grains about a decade ago after reading about their benefits in the best-selling blood-type diet books by a Seattle naturopath. Happily, the foods mentioned were readily available even then at Ashland Food Co-op and Shop ’N’ Kart.

Within the past few years, even the bulk section at Medford’s Food 4 Less started carrying some of the more popular grains, like quinoa, in bulk. What you don’t find in bulk are located around the corner with all the Bob’s Red Mill products, my source for amaranth, which cooks up sticky like oatmeal.

Knowing which grain to use in which dish takes a little practice, but a good place to start is simply by substituting an ancient grain for cooked rice. Serve stir-fry or curry on top or fold in other fresh and cooked ingredients for a pilaf. I love using quinoa this way with sauteed spring morels and millet as a stand-in for couscous in tabbouleh with summer cucumbers and tomatoes. Of course, that also makes the dish friendly to diners with celiac disease or a wheat sensitivity.

Millet is one grain that benefits from toasting before cooking. It also can contain tiny stones, so try to locate those and remove them. Many grains contain debris, so it’s always a good idea to rinse them before cooking.

If you only put one ancient grain on the menu, make it quinoa, experts say. High in protein, quinoa (pronounced keen-wa), originated in the Andes Mountains and was eaten by the ancient Incas. It’s actually the seed of a plant from the spinach family. The red variety is now available locally and provides a visually interesting change of pace from most brown and beige grains.

Some 50 people already have signed up for the Southern Oregon Research and Extension Center’s “Ancient Grains Cooking” class tonight. A follow-up class Feb. 23 at the Josephine County Extension Center still has plenty of space. The class, from 6:30 to 8 p.m., costs $7. Call 541-776-7371 to register.

Or bone up on your grains with this glossary courtesy of the Akron Beacon Journal, then try some of the newspaper’s recipes using amaranth, millet and red quinoa.

Amaranth: So tiny, it resembles a mustard seed. Try toasting the grains, then cooking as a breakfast cereal or as a side dish like polenta.

Barley: The perennial soup ingredient is fiber-rich and heart-healthy.

Buckwheat: You may use the flour for pancakes, but the whole toasted groats, known as kasha, are popular for breakfast or as pilafs. Buckwheat flour is used for Japanese soba noodles.

Corn: Fresh sweet corn, of course, but whole grain corn can also be found in the form of grits, hominy and corn meal, which is cooked into polenta or baked into corn bread or muffins.

Millet/teff: Both forms of the same grain, millet does have a bird-seed appearance that turns off some eaters. But when toasted, it’s great for breakfast cereal or for use instead of corn meal in polenta. As a cooked grain, it can substitute for rice. Teff is the main ingredient in Ethiopian flatbread injera.

Oats: Perhaps the best-known breakfast grain, rolled oats are full of antioxidants, and are as heart-healthy as you can get. Try oat groats or steel-cut oats if you prefer a chewier variety.

Quinoa: This ancient grain, eaten by the Incas, comes in yellow or red varieties. It cooks quickly and makes a great side for any meal. With a slightly nutty flavor, it works well in salads or instead of rice for dishes like stuffed tomatoes.

Rice: If you want the benefits of whole grain, avoid white rice, which has been stripped of its bran and germ. For maximum dietary benefits, substitute whole grain brown rice, or experiment with more exotic brown, black or red rice varieties.

Rye: It’s not just for whiskey or bread; rye berries cook up similarly to wheat berries for use in salads and side dishes.

Wheat: We are so used to using wheat flour, we forget about its other forms: bulgur, wheat berries, couscous and spelt. Bulgur grains, soaked in water to soften, are popular in Middle Eastern cuisine, while wheat berries are nutty and flavorful when eaten as a breakfast grain or in salads. Couscous, which is made from wheat flour, cooks up as a pasta-like side dish. Emmer or farro, kamut and spelt are all forms of ancient wheat varieties that are available as flours or berries, and sometimes can be tolerated by those who suffer from wheat sensitivities.

Wild rice: These skinny black shoots that we typically see in soups or pilafs aren’t actually rice, but the seeds of a wild grass that is native to North America. Wild rice was a staple of the Native American diet.

Hot Millet-Amaranth Cereal

1⁄2 cup millet

1⁄2 cup amaranth

Place the millet and amaranth into a dry skillet over medium heat and stir until grains begin to crackle and release their nutty aroma, about 5 minutes. In a saucepan over medium heat, bring 2 1⁄2 cups water to a boil. Add toasted millet and amaranth in a steady stream, stirring constantly. Return to a boil.

Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer until grains are tender and liquid is absorbed, about 25 minutes. Serve hot, garnished with milk and sugar, honey or maple syrup. Top with dried fruits and chopped nuts, such as raisins, cranberries, pecans or almonds, if desired.

Makes 6 servings.

— Recipe from “The Complete Whole Grains Cookbook,” by Judith Finlayson.

Red Quinoa With Green Beans and Tomatoes

2 cloves garlic, chopped finely

1⁄2 small onion or shallot, sliced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup red quinoa

1⁄4 cup dry white wine

2 cups vegetable or chicken stock (at room temperature)

1 1⁄2 cups green beans, sliced into 1-inch lengths

1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained well

1⁄2 teaspoon thyme, dried

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Saute the garlic and onion in the olive oil in a skillet for about 3 minutes, until onion is tender. Add the red quinoa and stir until well coated. Add the wine and stir for about 1 minute. Add the vegetable stock, green beans, tomatoes and thyme. Cover, bring to boil, then lower heat and cook until beans and quinoa are soft, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Remove lid and let cook another 5 minutes to finish absorbing most of the liquid. Season to taste with the lemon juice.

Makes 4 servings.