Sub Categories in Grains

Category of: Grains

Rice with sprouted lentils, roasted cauliflower and pistachios

March 16, 2015

Rice is one of the pantry staples that helps you put together a good dinner without having to run to the store. I find that people divide between those who love potatoes and those who love rice. I have my foot in both camps and have developed a decent repertoire of main course rice (or other grains) dishes for vegetarian style dinners. I started pre-soaking the rice recently after reading about it in various sources.... View Article

Basic Recipe: Soft Polenta with Parmesan

March 2, 2015

I hear the temperatures have dropped in Canada so I thought I’d post a recipe for a nice warm, soft polenta to warm you up. Polenta is cooked cornmeal and not exclusive to Italian cooking, as anyone who has had grits or mamaliga (Romanian cornmeal porridge) or corn pudding knows. The simplest way to make polenta is to cook it with water or stock until the grains are soft and plump and this takes a... View Article

Mexican yellow rice with achiote

January 13, 2015

I am learning a little about Mexican cooking while we are vacationing here. The more I learn, the more there is to learn. I have been experimenting with different rice dishes lately and this red rice turned out to be one of my favourites. I used achiote paste that I heard about at a cooking class with Claudia of Can Cook in Cancun and after discussion (mostly with hand gestures) with staff at our place... View Article

Steel cut oats with caramel pear and chantilly (or cashew) cream

December 1, 2014

A warm bowl of oatmeal is one of my top of the list comfort foods. In that category, my favourite type of oats are the steel cut because they retain a nice chewy texture and do not get mushy when cooked. Steel cut oats (a.k.a Irish Oatmeal) are made by removing the husks from the grains and then putting the grains through a cutting machine with rotating steel disks that cut each oat into 2-3 small... View Article

Winter squash stuffed with lentil and quinoa

November 13, 2014

Temperatures dropped to zero today so I think it is officially cold. All the flowers on the patio are dead but surprisingly there is beauty even in death and I photographed some of the hydrangeas that turned amber-brown and are so delicate and beautiful even now. Some of the herbs are persevering, the thyme, rosemary, tarragon and sage. The various basil plants have succumbed to the cold as did some of the other more delicate... View Article

Quinoa-cauliflower-pomegranate salad with crisp-fried kale bits

November 10, 2014

Part of my culinary style is cooking with grains, legumes and vegetables and combine them in hot and cold dishes. I find it convenient to cook grains or legumes in advance and have them sitting in the fridge for a day or two waiting to be incorporated into a recipe for lunch or dinner (or breakfast). Quinoa cooks very quickly as it does not require soaking but still, I usually cook more than what I... View Article

Cabbage, Farro and Vegetables melange

October 18, 2014

I am not very good at using the freezer but my fridge always has some cooked items ready to be incorporated into my daily adventure in the kitchen. Any time you’d look in my fridge you are likely to find a container with cooked grain or legumes, homemade dressings and sauces in little jars, store bought sauces that I like, creme fraiche etc. These items make it easy to quickly assemble a lunch or dinner... View Article

Quinoa with roasted vegetables

September 25, 2014

Just like in fashion, the culinary world also has trends (kale, anyone?) and quinoa was a trend that took the culinary world by a storm. Unlike some other trends that come and go, quinoa is now comfortably embedded in the culinary repertoire of chef and home cooks alike, and for good reasons. It is easy to cook, adaptable to many preparation, packed with good nutrients and for those of you who are gluten intolerant, it’s... View Article

Quinoa buttermilk pancakes

September 22, 2014

If you have been following this blog you would know that I am a big fan of the breakfast ritual. I consider a leisurely breakfast a luxury and indulge in it whenever possible. Not every day. Most mornings breakfast is a steaming bowl of oatmeal with seasonal fruits enjoyed on the patio when the weather is good or indoors when it’s too cold outside, but even then, simple as it is, I try to enjoy... View Article

Farro with persimmons and herbs

July 24, 2014

Persimmons are quite special. I have seen them at the produce sections many times but didn’t really get to know them until we went to Spain recently. Although it is an Asian fruit, Spain has adopted it and it is now rising in agricultural importance and popularity there. What I heard in Spain is that the persimmon production “saved” their agricultural export. They are grown mainly in Valencia but also in Castellon and Andalusia and... View Article

Cauliflower tacos with lentils and quinoa

July 6, 2014

Part of my modus operandi (MO) in the kitchen is to have various foods already cooked in the fridge that I can pull together to create a flavourful and hopefully fun and nutritious meal. Running a vegetarian kitchen means that I often cook with grains and legumes and almost always have a couple of containers with these items on hand. Last week I went for lunch at the Eldorado Hotel and I had their cauliflower tacos.... View Article

Lentil and Quinoa with Herb Flowers

June 21, 2014

I found a recipe for lentil-quinoa-kale-avocado tacos in the China Study All Star Collection cookbook. You must have heard about the China Study conducted by Dr. Colin Cambell. In one sentence, the findings of the study indicate that incident of disease is in direct proportion to the amount of animal protein in your diet, specifically, casein, the protein found in milk and dairy. I am not here to preach or tell you what to eat... View Article