Whole wheat pastas have come a long way.  In fact, I sometimes prefer wheat pasta because of the deliciously nutty flavor.  A typical serving of whole wheat pasta can pack up to 6 grams of filling fiber, which makes it much easier to eat a normal-sized portion compared to white pasta (averaging less than 2 grams of fiber per serving).  Not all wheat-y pastas are made from 100% whole wheat so read your labels.  If you are trying whole wheat pasta for the first time you might want to start out with pasta that is only 50% whole wheat while you get used to the flavor and texture.  (Whole wheat pastas are chewier and denser than traditional white pasta). 

Experiment with different brands until you find one that you like and try this easy and delicious pasta for your Labor Day party this weekend.  Tastes great warm or at room temperature.

Ingredients:

½ pound whole wheat pasta

4 oz fresh mozzarella cheese, cubed

4 large tomatoes, cubed

¾ cup fresh basil, chopped

¼ cup reserved pasta water

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

 Directions:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and add a generous amount of salt to the water once it is boiling.  Stir in whole wheat pasta and cook until pasta is al dente (about 10 minutes).  Reserve ¼ cup of the pasta water and drain remaining pasta.

 Meanwhile, chop the mozzarella cheese, tomatoes and basil.  Combine with cooked pasta, pasta water and olive oil.  Stir, adding salt and pepper to taste.

Did you know that half of the grains you eat each day should come from whole grains?  As Americans we aren’t doing so well at meeting that goal.  In fact, only 11% of our grain intake comes from whole grains. 

September is National Whole Grains Month, and to encourage more people to get creative and crazy with their whole grains, I am going to blog about a new whole grain recipe every Monday, Wednesday and Friday during the month of September. 

Do you have any favorite whole grain recipes or ideas for adding whole grains into your normal routine?  Send them to me at a.wilson@new-life-nutrition.com and I’ll talk about them on my blog.

Whole grains are great for weight maintenance – they keep you fuller longer – and they are packed with healthful nutrients.  Whole grains have fiber, selenium, potassium and magnesium and eating three servings of whole grains per day has been associated with a reduced risk of diseases, such as heart disease and cancer. 

So what counts as a whole grain?  By definition, a whole grain has three key components of a grain:  bran (the fibrous outside part of the grain), endosperm (the inside of the grain and the part that remains when grains are processed) and the germ (the heart of the grain). 

In terms of food that we eat, examples of whole grains include:  amaranth, barely, buckwheat, bulgur, brown rice, corn (including popcorn!), millet, oats, quinoa, whole wheat bread, pasta and crackers, and wild rice.  If you have never heard of some of these whole grains, and have no idea what to do with them, follow me this month as I experiment with new, grainy recipes.

Pick up some delicious tomatoes from the farmers market and try my Summer Quinoa Pilaf for dinner!

SUMMER QUINOA PILAF

Why I love quinoa:  this whole grain is also a complete protein.  Quinoa is super versatile and cooks in only 15 minutes, which makes it an easy, healthy and quick weeknight dinner option.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup dry quinoa

2 zucchini, grated

½ Tablespoon olive oil

2 heirloom tomatoes, chopped

1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

1 Tablespoon olive oil

Zest and juice from 1 lemon

½ cup chopped fresh basil

Salt and pepper to taste

 Directions:

Cook quinoa according to package directions.  Meanwhile, heat a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add ½ Tablespoon olive oil and add grated zucchini.  Sprinkle with a little bit of salt and sauté, stirring often, until zucchini is just starting to brown.  Remove from heat.

When quinoa is finished cooking, stir in sautéed zucchini, chopped heirloom tomatoes, garbanzo beans, parmesan cheese, olive oil, lemon zest and juice and chopped basil.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy Summer Quinoa Pilaf as a side dish or a meatless main meal.  Also great for lunch the next day.

Pick some up from your local farmer’s market and mix with arugula, parmesan, white beans, and fresh basil and parsley for a refreshing spring-into-summer salad.  Drizzle with lemon juice and olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

1 12-ounce can chunk light tuna, drained

1 cup chopped, canned artichoke hearts

½ cup chopped olives (your favorite variety will work – black olives, kalamata, green, etc)

1 Tablespoon capers

1/3 cup non-fat, plain Greek yogurt

2 teaspoons lemon juice

½ teaspoon dried dill

Salt and pepper

Sliced avocado

Large leaf lettuce, such as red leaf lettuce, butter lettuce, or romaine lettuce

Whole wheat pita (optional)

Directions

Combine all ingredients through the dried dill in a bowl.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve with a few slices of avocado on top of the lettuce leaves to make a lettuce wrap.  As an alternative, stuff the tuna into a whole wheat pita along with a few slices of avocado and lettuce.

1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed

6 garlic cloves, peeled and halved

1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 Tablespoon fresh chopped thyme

Salt and pepper

 Directions

Preheat oven to 375°.  Toss all ingredients together in a medium sized baking pan.  Cover pan with foil and bake for 50 minutes.  Roasted chickpeas can be served hot or room temperature.

1 ½  Tablespoon olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 ½ cups Arborio rice*

1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed off and cut into ½ inch pieces

1 cup dry white wine

4-5 cups chicken stock, low sodium

1 Tablespoon butter

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

½ cup chopped fresh parsley

Salt and pepper

Directions:

Heat chicken broth in sauce pan over medium high heat, until just about to boil.  Turn down heat to medium and keep chicken broth warm while making the risotto. 

Meanwhile, blanch the asparagus.  Bring a medium or large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add asparagus and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until barely tender.  While asparagus is cooking, fill a large bowl with ice water.  After asparagus have cooked for 2-3 minutes, transfer with a slotted spoon to the ice bath.  Allow to cool in the ice bath for a few minutes, drain asparagus and set aside. 

Heat large sauté pan over medium high heat.  When hot, add olive oil and onion.   Sautee for 2 minutes, until onion is translucent.  Add garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently so that garlic doesn’t burn.  Add Arborio rice, cook for 2 minutes, stirring often.  Rice should become translucent.  Turn down heat to just above medium.  Add white wine and stir continuously for 2-3 minutes, or until almost all of the wine has been absorbed by the rice.   

Using a large ladle, add 1 ladle-full of warm chicken stock to the rice.  Stir continuously until almost all of the stock has been absorbed by the rice.  Repeat this process (adding 1 ladle-full of warm stock to the rice, stirring until almost all liquid is absorbed).  After 15 minutes, stir in the blanched asparagus and continue to add stock and stir for another 10-15 minutes.   After the risotto has been cooking for 25-30 minutes, rice should be tender but still firm, and the mixture should be thick and creamy.  Remove from heat.

Stir in 1 Tablespoon butter, ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese, lemon zest and juice, and fresh parsley.  Add salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!

*Arborio rice is special Italian rice that is quite starchy.  When cooked using the risotto method, Arborio rice absorbs the chicken stock and slowly releases its starch into the mixture, which allows the risotto to become thick and creamy.  You can find Arborio rice in most grocery stores as well as at specialty Italian markets.