According to research data that was recently published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, Americans are not accepting whole grains into their diets.  Less than 5% of Americans 19-50 years old reported eating at least 3 servings of whole grains each day, from surveys carried out between 1999-2004.  The first thing that comes to my mind is how far our food supply has come since then – whole grains are now found in many cereals, pastas, and are generally more abundant than they were 10 years ago.  However, I have heard from clients who are unsure of how to incorporate more whole grains in their diets, so I’ve compiled a short list below.

1. Quinoa. My favorite whole grain, quinoa has found a permanent place in my kitchen over the last few years due to its stellar protein value.  Quinoa, pronounced “keen-wa”, has a slightly nutty taste and cooks in about ten minutes.  Try: using quinoa as the base for stirfries, or make a whole-grain breakfast bowl with Greek yogurt and fruit!
2. Bulgur. Also known as cracked-wheat, bulgur can be found in most bulk-food or baking sections of the grocery store – even try finding it in the cereal/oats section!    It also cooks quite quickly, and is extremely versatile when adding it to your meals.  Try: tossing bulgur in homemade soup to increase the fiber content, or make it the base for a “salad” of sorts with chicken, black beans, veggies, and salsa on top!
3. Whole grain rice and pastas. This is especially where the food industry has come leaps and bounds in terms of what is appearing on the shelves in our supermarkets.  Now you can find dozens of different whole grain pastas in front of you, and whole grain rice that doesn’t take as long to cook as it used to.  Try: swap your white pasta and rice out for whole grain versions instead, or mix them half-and-half until your family adjusts to the taste!
4. Oats. Another one of my faves, a warm bowl of oatmeal is especially comforting as we gear up for these colder mornings.  Choose old-fashioned/large flake oats at the supermarkets, or steel-cut oats – which take longer to cook but are wonderfully chewy.  Try: making your own oatmeal at home (here’s a fave recipe of mine for Almond-Banana Oatmeal!), or using oats for half of the flour in your next muffin, bread, or cookie recipe!

Assistance provided by Megan Skinner

What comes to your mind when you think of oatmeal?  Is it an image of the plain porridge you used to have to scarf down as a child?  Or is it an image of a package of instant, just-add-water oatmeal?  Well, not to worry – oatmeal has come leaps and bounds from being the “boring breakfast” it used to be!  In addition to all the different flavor combinations you can add to it, there are also many health benefits associated with eating oatmeal.

1.  Fiber is Your [Weight Loss] Friend

Oats are full of filling fiber, and this fiber does wonders for keeping your appetite satisfied for long periods of time.  This high fiber content will keep you feeling full, so you’ll be less likely to reach for any junk food lying around.  Have a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast, and you’ll find you won’t be hungry for at least 2-3 hours!

2.  Cholesterol Control

The type of fiber found in oats is the soluble kind, and this travels around your body picking up extra cholesterol and getting rid of it so it never makes it to your bloodstream.  Adding oats to your meals can help to cut down on the “bad” cholesterol in your body, leaving your arteries clog-free!

3.  Energy Maintenance

The fiber from oats can also help to maintain energy levels by managing your blood sugar levels.  This means you won’t experience those highs and lows that you do after eating a meal or snack high in sugar.  To watch your sugar intake even further, try making oatmeal from scratch using old-fashioned oats instead of buying instant oatmeal packages (although they’re still good in a hurry!).

4.  Variety is the Spice of Life

This one’s a no-brainer – oatmeal is perhaps the most versatile breakfast out there, since there are endless amounts of combinations!  Try adding a tablespoon of your favorite nut butter and berry preserves for a fun PB & J version, toss in some canned pumpkin for an autumn-inspired bowl, or just load up on your favorites – granola, mini chocolate chips, dried cranberries, chopped almonds, whatever you like!

Recipe:  Almond-Banana Oats

Adding the banana to your oats is completely optional, but it does help to produce a creamier bowl.  That also goes for the milk – feel free to use water instead!  This will serve 2 healthy portions, or 3 mid-sized ones.

1 cup old-fashioned oats
1 cup water
1 cup milk (can be organic cow’s milk, almond, or hemp – they all work!)
1 banana, sliced (fresh or frozen)
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground flaxseeds
1 tbsp almond butter
1 tbsp chopped almonds

Bring oats, water, milk, banana and cinnamon to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat.  Stir rapidly for a minute or so to ensure the banana is fully mixed in.  Continue to cook for a few minutes until the oats reach your desired consistency.  Spoon into a bowl and top with the flaxseeds, almond butter and almonds.  Enjoy!

What’s your favorite oatmeal-topper?  What else do you use oats for as part of your breakfast – smoothies, pancakes, muffins?

By Mitzi with assistance from Megan Skinner