STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

it's not that hard. i am a whole grain fiend. at my grocery store they sell whole wheat pasta, brown rice, bulgur, and of course high-fiber whole grain cereals like kashi good friends, go lean, all bran buds (much better than regular all bran), and whole grain bread (i forget what brand it is, but i buy one called crunchy grains) (not just wheat--check the ingredients to make sure the first ingredient isn't "enriched wheat flour"--it needs to say 100% whole wheat). there are also lots of other whole grains you can use like quinoa, barley, and whole oats. even popcorn is a whole grain.

as for how to incorporate it into your diet, i always make brown basmati rice instead of white, and i make extra to make fried rice with later in the week. i also use brown rice and bulgur to make salads for lunch--mix with veggies, lentils, tofu, and some oil and vinegar. or lots of fresh herbs, or even seaweed. even if you're making turkey sausage or lemon chicken or something, you can make one of these whole grains as a side dish, just season it well or add frozen veggies. have oatmeal in the morning, make sandwiches on whole grain bread, etc.

there have been a ton of features on whole grain foods in newspapers lately because of the federal dietary guidelines.

some recipes from the san francisco chronicle:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/archive/2005/01/26/FDGRNASEDR1.DTL

and this was in last week's washington post:

Whole Grains, Practically Speaking

By Renee Schettler
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, January 19, 2005; Page F06

It's one thing to know that you should incorporate more whole grains into your daily routine. It's another to know how to do so.

Adjusting to whole grains takes place just as much in your mind as in your kitchen. The trick is to rethink your expectations. Not all whole-grain products are unpalatable -- in fact, most have a pleasant nuttiness. But none of them are going to taste like Wonder bread.

The increasing number of whole-grain products found in mainstream supermarkets and health food stores can be put into two basic categories: packaged foods such as familiar brands of cereals and breads, and the less familiar bins of raw grains that must be cooked at home.

PACKAGED PRODUCTS

Whole-grain products come in many guises. It is not sufficient for a label to include healthy-sounding -- but refined -- ingredients such as "seven-grain" or "oat bran." To distinguish faux whole grains from true whole-grain products, look at the list of ingredients; the word "whole" should precede the grain, and this should be the primary ingredient. Triscuits are whole-grain; Wheat Thins are not. Cheerios are whole-grain; Corn Flakes are not.

Whole-grain versions of bread, buns and pitas, crackers, pancake mixes, frozen waffles, pasta and couscous also are available. Treat them as you normally would and serve with pasta sauce, or butter and maple syrup, but expect a difference. Whole-wheat pasta has a hearty, earthy flavor, while brown rice pasta has a lighter, nuttier flavor similar to that of traditional pasta.

Many common cold cereal products found in supermarkets meet the standards for whole grains (including Cheerios, Grape-Nuts, Shredded Wheat and granola). In addition, health food stores carry several cereals loaded with whole grains, ranging from flakes made from quinoa, amaranth and millet to puffed brown rice kernels that look and taste surprisingly like Rice Krispies minus the sugar. If the kids can't bear to stop the Froot Loops cold-turkey, try to mix whole-grain cereals half and half with their favorite cereals to entice them.

Although instant oatmeal counts toward your servings of whole grain, consider steel-cut oats on mornings when you have a little time. They take about 20 minutes to cook on the stove top, but they contain substantially more fiber than instant oatmeal. Top them as you would regular instant or rolled oatmeal. Most health food stores now carry packaged hot breakfast cereals made from brown rice that are similar in flavor and texture to Cream of Wheat.

RAW GRAINS

If you know how to cook regular rice or couscous, then you know how to cook raw whole grains such as barley, brown rice,buckwheat, bulgur, millet and quinoa. Each is simmered in a preset amount of water until the grain is tender and the water is absorbed, typically about 20 minutes. To impart additional flavor, try vegetable or chicken broth instead of water.

Some tips on choosing and selecting grains:

• Pearl barley can be simmered in mushroom or beef soups and used instead of rice in risotto (albeit with slightly less creamy results). Chewy in a good way.

• Brown rice comes in several varieties, from short-grain to basmati, and must be cooked longer than white. It can be used much as white rice and makes terrific fried rice.

• Buckwheat groats, known as kasha when roasted, are hearty, earthy-flavored and commonly used as a hot breakfast cereal.

• Bulgur is steamed, dried and cracked wheat; it requires rehydrating in hot water, not cooking. It is common in tabbouleh.

• Millet is similar to couscous in appearance but with a mild corn flavor. Best if toasted in a dry skillet just until aromatic prior to cooking.

• Quinoa (KEEN-wah) is mildly nutty in flavor with a tender texture. Exceptionally high in protein. The kernels are coated with a bitter, resinous substance that must be rinsed off in several changes of water before cooking. A pale curlicue appears on the germ of each grain when heated.

Once cooked, these grains can be added to soups or served plain, topped with almonds, cashews or pistachios, or tossed with fresh herbs and/or citrus zest. They can also be tossed with raw or roasted vegetables and a vinaigrette.

Several grains that are cooked in water -- including brown rice, buckwheat and quinoa -- can be used instead of oatmeal as a hot cereal to make a quick, hearty, hot breakfast. Top whole-grain cereals the same way as oatmeal -- whether with bananas and maple syrup or brown sugar and cinnamon -- for children accustomed to Quaker Instant. To please adults, try maple syrup and dates, dried cherries and pumpkin seeds, or a pinch each of ground cardamom and cinnamon.

COOKING INFORMATION

Bring the liquid to a boil, add the grains, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer gently until the grains are tender and the liquid almost completely absorbed. Let the cooked grains stand for about 5 minutes prior to serving. Cooking times are approximate; grains tend to turn to mush if overcooked.

• Barley 1 cup, 3 to 3 1/2 cups liquid; 30 minutes

• Brown rice 1 cup, 2 cups liquid; 20 to 40 minutes, depending on the variety

• Buckwheat groats 1 cup, 2 cups liquid; 12 minutes

• Millet 1 cup (toasted), 2 1/2 to 3 cups liquid; 25 to 30 minutes

• Quinoa 1 cup (rinsed), 2 to 2 1/2 cups liquid; 15 minutes

• Hot whole-grain breakfast cereal Rewarm about 3/4 cup cooked grain, pour over some milk and top with spices, sweetener, fruits and/or nuts of your choice.

Recipe tested by Renee Schettler; e-mail questions to food@washpost.com

Ingredients too variable for meaningful analysis.