By Judi Gallagher
There are some occasions that call for a perfect slice of white bread: The breadcrumb topping of a gooey dish of macaroni and cheese; a perfect BLT; a grilled cheese. That said, these days, I’ve been taking a step back and reevaluating how—and more importantly, what—I’m eating, and whole, non-GMO grains (and pseudo-grains) are making a big splash in my day-to-day eating habits. I’m talking about quinoa, farro, amaranth, millet, oats, brown rice, bulgur, spelt and the like. Not only are they tasty, they’re chock-full of health benefits—a total win/win.
Did you know, for example, that quinoa and amaranth contain all eight of the essential amino acids we’re encouraged to eat, making them both awesome choices for anyone looking to supplement his or her diet with more plant-based protein? (I’m looking at you, vegetarian friends!) And whole grains in general are packed with vitamins, fiber, antioxidants, proteins and iron.
Grains can be divided into quick-cooking and slow-cooking categories; quick-cooking grains, like quinoa, bulgur and millet, can be cooked and ready to eat in 30 minutes or less. Meanwhile, longer-cooking grains—spelt, rye, wheat berries—can take up to 70 minutes to prepare, so give yourself some extra time in the kitchen if you’re going to be cooking some of them.
Happily, I’ve been seeing more and more of these grains make their way into mainstream grocery stores these days—Trader Joe’s sells a great 10-minute farro, for example, and you’ll find quinoa on the shelf of almost every market. Flours made from grains—buckwheat, whole wheat and the like—are widely available, too (and buckwheat pancakes are an excellent breakfast treat). But this wasn’t always the case: Because of the way whole grains were processed (or not processed) and stored, they were a rarity in most supermarkets for many years. However, thanks to the great reputation they’ve been getting lately, I’m happy that I’m able to get my hands on them wherever I go. And a lot of them are even naturally gluten-free, which is helpful for those with celiac disease or gluten intolerance.
So welcome to my diet, whole grains. I think we’ll be very happy together.
Whole Grain Griddle Cakes
Adapted from Bon Appetit
1 egg
2 cups buttermilk
¼ cup pure maple syrup
1 cup oat flour (gluten-free)
2/3 cup yellow cornmeal
1/3 cup brown rice flour
¼ cup buckwheat flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp kosher salt
¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
Vegetable oil, for skillet
Butter and maple syrup, for serving
Whisk egg, buttermilk and maple syrup in a small bowl. Whisk oat flour, cornmeal, rice flour, buckwheat flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.
Whisk buttermilk mixture into dry ingredients, then whisk in butter until no lumps remain.
Heat a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium heat, lightly brush with oil. Working in batches, pour batter by 1/4-cupfuls into skillet. Cook until bottoms are browned and bubbles form on top of griddle cakes about 3 minutes. Flip and cook until griddle cakes are cooked through, about 2 minutes longer. Serve with butter and maple syrup.