Mix of Cooked Grains

[blissful]

We use a lot of brown basmati rice, almost always mixed with cooked onions, peppers, and peas. I use it as a base for our stir fries (steamed glazed).

What I'm looking for are mixes of grains (grains, grasses, seeds) that could be used in grain bowls or under the stir fry. More variety of mixes.

It's not that I don't have the grains/grasses/seeds, it's that I don't usually mix them.

I have farro (which we love), some quinoa (which is coming today), wheat and rye berries, barley, oat groats, brown basmati rice, brown rice, black rice, wild rice, millet, flax, chia, and I'm sure there is more in the pantry.

Are there combinations that you really like? I've heard or read that oat groats can be substituted for brown rice. It would be nice to have different texture combinations. Have you run across combinations you wouldn't recommend?

Many of these grains take different amounts of time to cook. Do you use cooked grains in your cooking?

 

[Meryl]

I've recently started experimenting with cooked grains and mixes, to substitute pasta. For the first time in my house I have packets of farro, barley, red rice with mixed cereals, brown rice, mixed grains with mixed legumes. Refined carbs are not advisable for people like me, with hypertension and high cholesterol levels (both inherited from my mum.) Thanks mum!
So far I've eaten them more as salads, adding tomatoes, cucumbers, peas, beans, and/or other veggies. Chick peas are particularly tasty in salads.
I've also done a stir-fry using chopped chicken breast, onions, zucchini, carrots, mushrooms, then added boiled farro at the end and cooked for another couple of minutes. Quite tasty.

 

[GinnyPNW]

I love farro! Sadly, DH is not so fond of it. I generally cook it in my Rice Cooker set to the Brown Rice setting. That leaves me free to make the rest of the dish. One of my favorites is show below. It isn't a mix of grains, but maybe it is of interest as it is a mix of stuff with farro? It is tasty!

Farro Salad with Roasted Veggies Recipe

This easy, authentic Italian salad features farro—aka wheat berries—and pairs perfectly with any entrée.

By World Market Editorial | worldmarket.com

Prep Time: 20 min.
Cook Time: 25-40 min.
Total Time: 45 min.-1 hr.
Servings: 6-8​

Ingredients
2 cups Bartolini Italian farro, cooked
10 Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced into strips
4 green onions, sliced thin, whites and light green parts
3 bell peppers, any colors cut into thin strips
3 to 4 summer squash such as zucchini, pattypan or Romanesco zucchini cut into 2-3 in. chunks
15 to 20 cipollini onions or 2 yellow onions cut into bite-size chunks
extra virgin olive oil to coat
salt & pepper

For the Dressing:
1 garlic clove, minced
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp flat leaf parsley, chopped

Directions
1. Cook farro according to package directions.
2. While farro is cooking make the dressing: Combine all the dressing ingredients except parsley and set aside.
3. When the farro is tender—about 12-14 minutes, drain and let cool a bit. Toss farro and dressing together, set aside and let the flavors meld.
4. Put all the vegetables on rimmed roasting pans so they fit in a single layer, toss with olive oil and salt and pepper.
5. Roast at 375 degrees F until tender and beginning to brown, about 25 min.
6. Toss the vegetables with the dressed farro, add parsley and serve.

​

 

[pepperhead212]

I add a lot of whole grains to lentil dishes - not traditional, but the nutrients go well together. I rarely mix the grains, but the lentils I do often mix, mainly for the textures. Most of grains take longer than the lentils, so I often cook them in the Instant pot, sometimes completely, sometimes just partway, dump it into a bowl, and whatever else I'm doing in the recipe - usually some onion, garlic, and other vegetables, sometimes some meat, and eventually the lentils. Some grains I'll finish with the lentils, some I'll add when the lentils are finished, just heating up, and simmering a few minutes. When cooking other beans I can cook most grains at the same time, as they'll cook in about the same time - if some take a little longer, I can plan in advance, and soak the beans or grains that take longer, an hour or two, and it will even them out.

In the summer, I make a lot of salads with chana dal - a lentil that stays fairly firm - and I cook it in the slow cook mode, which takes about 120 to 130 minutes on medium mode in IP, and grains can vary. Some I'll add at the same time as the dal, but some that will take less time, I'll add later. Freekeh is a type of cracked wheat that is a favorite of mine, and I add about 30 minutes after the chana dal, so they finish at about the same time.

One grain I don't eat as much as I used to, is white jasmine rice, but brown jasmine or basmati just don't come close to the flavor. But I found a nutritious grain that, when mixed with white jasime, allows the flavor to come through - millet. With only 1/3 jasmine rice it tastes like the rice, though I usually use half and half. Since the millet takes a little longer to cook, it can be cooked some in advance - I just pressure cook it 5 minutes, then let it release naturally 5 minutes or so, then release the valve. Then I add the rice, set it on rice mode, which is low pressure for 12 minutes in the IP, and let it release naturally. If I plan in advance, the millet can be soaked an hour or so in all of the water - 1.75 c/c of millet, and 1:1 for the rice. After soaking, stir in the rice, then do the rice mode.
Millet can be toasted for a great flavor in other dishes, but in this, you want it raw, so the rice is the main flavor.

 

[blissful]

Thank you each for your thoughts and ideas.
I read a lot of recipes today. Many of them had beans or lentils with grains/seeds/grasses. I also liked your idea of millet and jasmine rice @pepperhead212 . @Meryl I agree with eating less refined grains and going towards whole unprocessed grains to avoid health issues. @GinnyPNW nice salad with roasted veggies, yum.

I wanted to make a mix, so for today I made farro, red quinoa, and oat groats. I'll work it into our meals this next few weeks.

 

[Meryl]

Today's dish, made with mixed grains and red rice.

I stir fried onions, zucchini, carrots, celery, string beans in EVOO, then added the boiled grains mixture.

 

[kevinsstelly]

I've recently started experimenting with cooked grains and mixes, to substitute pasta. For the first time in my house I have packets of farro, barley, red rice with mixed cereals, brown rice, mixed grains with mixed legumes. Refined carbs are not advisable for people like me, with hypertension and high cholesterol levels (both inherited from my mum.) Thanks mum! Here. So far I've eaten them more as salads, adding tomatoes, cucumbers, peas, beans, and/or other veggies. Chick peas are particularly tasty in salads.
I've also done a stir-fry using chopped chicken breast, onions, zucchini, carrots, mushrooms, then added boiled farro at the end and cooked for another couple of minutes. Quite tasty.

I also love various cereals! They lower cholesterol levels and help maintain gut health! Tomato and cucumber salads also help me lose weight!

 

[pictonguy]

I also love various cereals! They lower cholesterol levels and help maintain gut health! Tomato and cucumber salads also help me lose weight!

Context and dosage is important because they can do the exact opposite as well.

Another fan of farro.

 

[KatyCooks]

I am going to throw in a vote for Puy lentils. They hold their shape and really seem to soak up flavour, so make a great side on their own (I cook them in stock and usually add some chopped onions and carrots, and often many other things like peas and broad beans - saving time and electricity!) Don't get me wrong. There is nothing wrong with all the other types of lentils, but they can end up a bit disintegrated so don't work as well as a replacement for things like rice or pasta. Personally, I could just eat a bowl of Puy lentils and veggies and feel perfectly satisfied.

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

Another fan of farro.

Mia?

 

[blissful]

Mia?

She is a beauty isn't she?

@KatyCooks I like the little green lentils too. I've been trying to incorporate them more into my dishes-but mr bliss keeps not caring for them (the lentils) much. This means I usually end up eating the rest of the dish myself. He's such a fan of all the whole wheat pastas, which I'm trying to reduce.
So many good ideas above. Thank you.

 

[KatyCooks]

She is a beauty isn't she?

@KatyCooks I like the little green lentils too. I've been trying to incorporate them more into my dishes-but mr bliss keeps not caring for them (the lentils) much. This means I usually end up eating the rest of the dish myself. He's such a fan of all the whole wheat pastas, which I'm trying to reduce.
So many good ideas above. Thank you.

Ah yes, trying to keep other people fed - bit of a challenge sometimes isn't it when they don't always like the same things you do! My brother, Ollie, hates prawns so I hardly ever get to have them at home! (He also hates mint, coriander (cilantro) and basil. Deeply vexing!) If they are just garnish, I just leave them off his food. If they are incorporated in something, I sneak some in and he never seems to notice.

Back to the grains... I've been experimenting with both Buckwheat and Bulgar wheat - both useful just to ring the changes and add a bit of variety. Again, I cook them in stock and add whatever I happen to have to make them a bit more interesting. Chopped up sundried tomatoes are a nice addition I find. (Also sweetcorn for a bit of colour and texture.)

 

[blissful]

@KatyCooks I cooked my three grains separately but I wish I had mixed in small cut veggies (kind of like the veggie rice w/peas/onions/pepper). The dried tomatoes and corn sound good too as you suggested! The tomato flavor is so concentrated it really adds some zip.
I haven't begun cooking the grains in broth yet. I have some lemon grass liquid I might use to give the mix of grains some fragrance.

 

[KatyCooks]

@KatyCooks I cooked my three grains separately but I wish I had mixed in small cut veggies (kind of like the veggie rice w/peas/onions/pepper). The dried tomatoes and corn sound good too as you suggested! The tomato flavor is so concentrated it really adds some zip.
I haven't begun cooking the grains in broth yet. I have some lemon grass liquid I might use to give the mix of grains some fragrance.

It's all about experimenting Blissful. I should mention, with the onions I give them a quick fry first before putting them in and if I was going to add mushrooms, I would fry them up with the onions as well. The brilliant part is, you can add any vegetables you like, or happen to have. I have put in frozen baby spinach, chopped up chargrilled peppers (added at the end), any variety of fresh or even dried herbs. There is literally no end to how you can perk up the grains!

 

[blissful]

I made up a walnut pesto sauce (sans oil) for tomorrow. We have asparagus, corn, and tomatoes, and I'll use the pesto sauce with the grain mix, served warm.

2 cups fresh basil leaves

• 1 cup arugula, Italian parsley or baby spinach
• 1-2 cloves garlic
• ¼ cup walnuts (pine nuts, cashews or almonds)
• 2+ tablespoons vegan parmesan cheese* (more to taste)
• 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
• kosher salt and black pepper (to taste)
• 3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

(https://simplyceecee.co/simple-delicious-vegan-pesto/) I didn't have a whole 2 cupc of basil but I had some ground in a jar frozen with garlic from last year and some fresh parsley from the garden (almost the only thing growing so far). It tastes very fresh and garlicy.

 

[larry_stewart]

I usually don't mix grains, but have been substituting them in places where I would have used more unhealthier options. I have lately been on a Bulgur wheat kick, making multiple different salads with them. Also been using a lot of farro or wheat berries too.

 

[taxlady]

I usually don't mix grains, but have been substituting them in places where I would have used more unhealthier options. I have lately been on a Bulgur wheat kick, making multiple different salads with them. Also been using a lot of farro or wheat berries too.

I really like bulgur. There are a lot of Middle Eastern recipes that use it. They have some lovely pilaf recipes that use white rice and I don't want white rice. They often also have a recipe for the same or similar pilaf that uses bulgur instead of white rice. i really prefer eating the whole grain stuff, so I will happily go with the bulgur version. There are even bulgur versions of mujaddara. It's easier to cook some bulgur together with lentils than brown rice, without having the lentils go to mush.

Mujaddara - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[KatyCooks]

I really like bulgur. There are a lot of Middle Eastern recipes that use it. They have some lovely pilaf recipes that use white rice and I don't want white rice. They often also have a recipe for the same or similar pilaf that uses bulgur instead of white rice. i really prefer eating the whole grain stuff, so I will happily go with the bulgur version. There are even bulgur versions of mujaddara. It's easier to cook some bulgur together with lentils than brown rice, without having the lentils go to mush.

Mujaddara - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

I may have mentioned this before, but I find Puy lentils don't turn mushy - and they really absorb flavours too! I have become a real fan lately. (Also a fan of bulgar wheat of course.)

 

[blissful]

We did really enjoy the mixed grains under some veggies with or without sauce. mr bliss likes how long they keep him feeling satisfied.
i made another batch of the mixed grains, oat groats, red quinoa, and farro. i had it with onions and brussels sprouts, very satisfying.

i have a green goddess type of tofu dressing the fridge with fresh garlic, parsley, chives, and green onions, that will turn a mixed grain and vegetable salad into a nice cold dish for tomorrow.