TPSS Co-op The Bulk Department

Quinoa:

The Incas who lived in the Peruvian Mountains centuries ago were sustained by a grain they called quinoa, which means "the mother grain." Food experts often call it "The Super Grain of the Future" for it is a complete protein, unlike most other grains. This means it contains all nine amino acids the body needs. Quinoa is also a very good source of iron, as well as riboflavin and magnesium. It can be used in the place of bulgur wheat in a tabouli salad, can be eaten savory or sweet or added to soups and stews. It is gluten free and easily digested.

Bulgur:

Bulgur

Bulgur is a quick cooking grain made from whole wheat kernals that have been cleaned, parboiled, then cracked or left whole. Bulgur is rich in vitamins, including vitamins E and B, as well as minerals and complex carbohydrates. The fiber in bulgur is insoluble, which means it absorbs water as it passes through the intestine, causing stools to get larger and heavier, which helps you keep regular. Bulgur is often used in tabouli salad, pilaf, soup, baked goods, stuffing and casseroles. Bulgur is a good meat extender and often a component of meatless burgers.

Barley:

Barley

Barley is a centuries-old grain packed with fiber that has a nutty flavor and a chewy texture. Barley contains niacin (vitamin B3), thiamine (B1), selenium, iron, magnesium, zinc, phosphorus and copper. It also contains antioxidants that help prevent damage done by free radicals. (Free radicals are harmful oxygen molecules that have lost an electron. In the blood stream, free radicals grab extra molecules from cholesterol, making it sticky so tht it clings to artery walls.) With hulled barley, only the outer hull is removed -- not the bran, so it is high in nutrients. Pearled barley is more popular since it is less chewy, but is less nutritious since not only the outer hull has been removed, but also the bran. Barley is an excellent food for diabetics since it helps control blood sugar. Barley can be added to a pot of soup or a stew as a thickening agent and to impart a robust flavor. It might also be added to casseroles and salads. Cracked barley and barley flakes can be made into a warm breakfast.

Kasha:

Kasha

Kasha, which is toasted buckwheat, is a staple in Northern Europe and Russia and is also called "buckwheat groats." Buckwheat is not related to wheat and is not a grain or a cereal. It contains iron, niacin, folate and vitamin k. it is gluten free and a good food for those who are allergic to wheat protein. You can use it like a grain as a filling for knishes or in pilafs, casseroles and stuffings or in Jewish dishes like varnishkes and matza ball soup.

Spelt:

Spelt

Spelt, an ancient grain mentioned in the Bible, has a nutty flavor, a delicate taste and a chewy texture. It contains iron, vitamins, includng B vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and fiber. It does contain gluten, but is easier to digest than wheat. Spelt can be used in baking the same way wheat is used or it can be added to wheat to give a chewier texture. It is best to soak Spelt grains overnight before cooking them. The grain might be added to a pot of soup, a stew or a casserole.

Millet:

Millet

Millet is a tiny white, yellow, gray or red seed with a slightly nutty flavor that is higher in protein than other grains. It is loaded with nutrients, including magnesium, phosphorus and manganese. It is easily digested. In fact, it is one of the least allergenic. Millet can be added to veggie burgers, fluffed like rice. creamed like mashed potatoes or added to muffins to make them crunchy. In Russia, millet is added to vegetable stews, eaten with meat and sometimes eaten with milk and sugar.

Amaranth:

Amaranth is a highly nutritious grain a with a strong, nutty, wild flavor that was a staple of the Aztecs in Mexico. The grain has a 30% higher protein value than such cereals as rice, wheat flour, oats, and rye and is a good source of iron, magnesium, phosphorous and copper. Amaranth is also high in fiber. The grain can be sprouted, added to soups and stews or popped in a pan like pop corn and the tiny kernals added to a salad or mixed with honey, molasses or chocolate to make a snack. Amaranth can also be ground into a flour that is combined with wheat four to make pancakes, muffins, cookies, bread and pasta.

Rye:

Rye

Rye is a cereal grain with a robust flavor and a large amount of fiber and nutrients, such as manganese, selenium, phosphorus, magnesium, and protein. It also contains phytonutrients. Rye bread might be better for diabetics since it does not create high spikes in blood sugar as white bread and other breads do. Try adding a small amount of cracked rye to the pot when cooking rice. Rye is often used to make crisp bread or mixed with 25 to 50% wheat flour in making baked goods.

Oats:

Amaranth

Oat protein is nearly equivalent in quality to soy protein, which has been shown by the World Health Organization to be equal to meat, milk, and egg protein. When rolled oats are made, the oats are steamed, put through a roller mill to flatten them, then air dried and cooled. The consumption of oat bran is thought to lower LDL ("bad") cholesterol, and may even reduce the risk of heart disease. Steel cut and rolled oats can be used to make a hearty porridge, baked goods, muesli or granola and can be used as a thickening agent in soups.

Teff:

Teff

Teff is a tiny ancient brown grain with a sweet chestnut or hazelnut-like flavor that has been a staple in Ethiopia for centuries. It is very high in protein, containing all 8 essential amino acids, has a very high calcium content, is high in fiber and contains twice as much iron as wheat and barley. It also has significant levels of the minerals phosphorus, magnesium, aluminum, iron, copper, zinc, boron, barium and thiamin. It is used In Ethiopia to make injera, a soft porous pancake. It can be used in soups, porridge, puddings and baked goods such as cookies, crackers and breads. Try substituting one-fouth of the all purpose flour in baked goods with teff.