05.10.07
Cooking Grains
In college, while living with a vegetarian foodie, I learned a lot about cooking grains. Varying grains, and using them in the place of pasta, means a healthier diet including more vitamins and fiber. They contain protein, but do lack some essential amino acids, so make a complete protein by eating grains along with green vegetables and legumes, such as lentils and beans. I recently discovered that my grocery store carries many kinds of grains in their organic (”biologique” in French) section, and so I’ve stocked up. The ratio of grain to water always escapes me, however, leaving me scrambling to find this information online while my vegetables are overcooking.
Thankfully, I found a Grains Cooking Guide website, which has excellent step-by-step instructions complete with photos. What I really wanted, however, was a quick chart that had the ratios of grain to water volume for each grain and any special instructions (do I cover and remove from heat? simmer? for how long?). I have now done my homework and made my own chart, which I happily share below and to which I will add as I find the need. Feel free to comment and let me know what’s missing. Click on the thumbnail below for the full-size version:
Jeff said,
May 15, 2007 at 10:45 pm
Oh my god! This is the table I’ve been waiting for
Thanks so much for the info Rachel. I’m printing it right now and taking it home to put on the fridge.
No more guessing and searching the interwebs!
RE: Essential Amino Acids
Warning this is long, but potentialy interesting… I read a vegetarian dietician’s book, and it said that all vegetables and grains contain all the essential amino acids.. wierd eh? The writer said that the confusion is that they are limited in essential amino acids, so you have to eat more of vegetable protein to get enough. Pairing helps to cover for foods limited in different amino acids (i.e. rice + beans). Studies were done on college kids where they were allowed only to eat one grain, or one vegetable and nothing else for months and months… none of the subjects ended up deficient in essential amino acids. Apparently, the value of protein is in acheiving Nitrogen balance. So, as long as you are getting enough calories from real food (not sugar or alcohol which have empty calories) then your amino acid count should be OK, and your nitrogen will be in balance. Grains are excellent for getting essential B vitamins, especially for vegans. Sorry for the long diatribe.. hopefully it’s interesting, anybody else heard anything like that about essential amino acids?
rachel said,
May 21, 2007 at 10:54 am
Thanks for the positive feedback about the table, and more importantly, for the info on amino acids!
The point is to eat more of these things, huh. I like the idea of experimenting on college students - anything is better than ramen everyday! haha