Opinions: Whole Grain Sides

I know that most people don't appreciate my nutrition opinions, my husband being the first in line. But he just got the results from blood tests from the doctor (luckily he is healthy, this was just a check-up) and the doctor says they need to keep an eye on his cholesterol, and please follow the attached guidelines. He read the guidelines out loud to me, and I just laughed and laughed. Because they are exactly what I try to tell him all the time that he thinks are "too extreme." So even though I do want to reiterate that my nutrition training is very informal and should be taken with a grain of salt, I'm not completely crazy if doctors are mailing very similar information to their patients. And since my husband doesn't listen to me much, this will be very interesting to see if he listens to the doctor.

So, building on what I wrote about proportion control, I wanted to talk about that one small portion (1/4 of your plate) that is grains. At least half of your grains should be whole, and since I figure I get plenty of white flour here and there throughout the day, I try to do whole as much as possible. But some meals just need white, like stir fry or other asian style food just isn't the same with brown rice, or a meal that needs potatoes for a side. Don't want to be "too extreme" ya know. If it isn't every day, it is still a good balance.

Here are some of the things that we do:

Brown rice--takes much longer to cook, but you can freeze leftovers in a ziplock bag and next time it is ready in a flash.

Quinoa--be sure to rinse well because it has a bitter coating

Whole Wheat Couscous--I cooked couscous for the first time a few years ago. I had no idea it was "instant!" (The kids love it, but they make a mess with it.)

Millet--kind of like couscous, although not instant

Barilla Plus Pasta--This is a brand (and the Safeway Eating Right brand equivalent) we have found that is multigrain, but still pretty similar taste/texture to regular pasta. Some of the whole grain pasta is grainy and tough, but I'm sure there are other good brands.

Whole grain bread--make sure the first ingredient is whole grain (unbleached, enriched, or wheat without the "whole" are NOT the same thing) and it is best to avoid high fructose corn syrup, or make your own. There are also other bread products like pitas (my kids like them toasted into chips), bagels, etc.

Crepes--we sometimes eat these with fruit or applesauce, but once I used some leftover chicken and vegetables and it was very tasty. My friend Emily has a recipe she calls Whole Wheat Flat Pancakes that I use (although they take some practice to flip them if you aren't used to making crepes):

3 eggs

3/4 c whole wheat flour

1/2 t salt

1 1/4 c milk

1 T sugar

1 T oil

Beat eggs until thick. Stir in milk. Add dry ingredients. Mix until smooth. Pour 1/4 c of batter in hot, oiled pan, lifting and tipping pan to spread batter around. Turn when bottom is slightly brown. Serve with sweet or savory filling.

Tortillas--again, read the ingredients. First ingredient should be whole. Avoid hydrogenated oils, shortening, and lard. I shop around until I find a brand I like, there are a few at Trader Joes that meet all my criteria. Corn is a whole grain as long as it isn't degermed, so corn tortillas are also a good option.

Slow-Cooker Italian Wedding Soup

Super easy. From my friend Kathi's website, but I couldn't figure out how to make it link there, so I'll just copy/paste. Sorry Kathi. I tried the turkey like she suggested, but I'm not sure they worked very well. Probably beef works better. I used spinach (and added it at the end) instead of escarole. What I had.

"I might add a little less pasta because it expands like crazy. You could use ground turkey in place of beef if you would like."

Slow-Cooker Italian Wedding Soup

1 egg, lightly beaten

3/4 pound lean ground beef

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

3 tablespoons plain bread crumbs

3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

8 cups low-sodium chicken broth

3 large carrots, chopped

1 small head escarole, washed, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch strips

1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

1-3/4 cups acini di pepe pasta

Directions:1. In a large bowl, stir together egg, beef, onion, bread crumbs, 1 tablespoon Parmesan, 1 tablespoon parsley and 1/4 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper. Form into 1-inch meatballs and place on baking sheet; refrigerate while preparing soup.

2. Combine broth, carrots, escarole and oregano in slow cooker. Gently add meatballs. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours. Stir in pasta for last 20 minutes of cook time. Stir in remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Sprinkle each serving with remaining parsley and Parmesan cheese and serve.

Pasta Primavera

1 1/2 c chicken or other broth
2 sprigs fresh thyme
salt
1/2 c peeled and diced carrot
1 c asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 c diced zucchini
1/2 c peas (I use frozen)
1/2 lb. pasta
1 T olive oil or butter
pepper
1 c Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions. While it is cooking, bring stock to a boil in a medium skillet, add thyme and salt. Add carrot, cook for 3 minutes. Add asparagus and cook for 2 minutes. Add zucchini and cook for 2 minutes. Add peas and cook until all the vegetables are tender. Add the oil and toss. Drain pasta and add to cooked vegetables and broth. Top with pepper and parmesan.

(I usually add much more vegetables, and freely substitute whatever vegetables I have around.)

As long as I cook extra pasta to leave plain, everyone is happy.

Sole Filet

I usually use the same basic ingredients in any kind of fish I make: olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper, lemon, and parsley. But I bought a package of Dover Sole Filet and decided to do something different, since really not all fish are created equal. I read several recipes online, and kind of got a general consensus about what to do with sole.

Sole filets, or other fish
1 T butter, melted
1/2 small onion, finely diced (or green onion)
dill to taste

Coat the fish in the butter and place in pan. Sprinkle with onions and dill. Bake in 375 degree oven for 20 minutes or until fish flakes with a fork.

A very different flavor, it was a nice change from the same old, same old.