122 Part II: Now You’re Cooking! Healthy and Hearty Dishes
Having Healthy Whole-Grain Mornings
A wide variety of whole grains provide valuable vitamins and minerals. Whole
grains are high in fiber and help you feel full longer. Some whole grains, like
oatmeal, are good sources of soluble fiber, which helps lower bad cholesterol.
Many whole grains are convenient, quick to make, and taste good, making
them perfect foods for busy mornings.Choose products that list whole-grain foods as the first ingredient in the
ingredient list. Look for the key words whole or whole grain before the grain
ingredient’s name.Labels and packaging are designed to get you to purchase their product.
Beware of foods labeled with the words multigrain, stone-ground, 100% wheat,
cracked wheat, seven-grain, or bran because they are usually not 100 percent
whole-grain products. In addition, brown color is not an indication of a whole
grain; it can come from molasses or other added ingredients. Read the
ingredient list to see if something is a whole grain.Whole grains use warm, moist environments to expand, and your pouch is the
perfect place. After whole grains are eaten, they expand in your pouch and
may cause you discomfort and/or vomiting. To help prevent too much
expansion, add more liquid while the whole grain is cooking. This requires a
longer cook time, but better it absorbs liquid in the pot than in your pouch. As
a general rule of thumb, increase the liquid by one fourth. For example, rice is
usually cooked at a ratio of 1 cup rice to 2 cups liquid, but instead use 2^1 ⁄ 2 cups
liquid to 1 cup rice. Note: We have already adjusted the liquid for the recipes
in this book.Good old oats
One of the most popular whole grains is oats,
which are used in a wide variety of foods from
breakfast cereals to meatloaf to desserts.
Different kinds of oatmeal have different
cooking times and uses.
✓ Steel-cut oats are hulled and cracked oats
that are chopped into little pieces. They
require a longer cooking time and are
chewier than other types. You can usually
find them at your natural food store or in the
health food section of your grocery store.✓ Old-fashioned oats are also from hulled
and cracked oats, but they’re steamed and
rolled to flatten them. This is usually the
least expensive type of oats.
✓ Quick oats are old-fashioned oats that have
been rolled thinner to make them cook up
faster. They’re softer than the thicker oats.✓ Instant oatmeal comes is packets and
usually has flavoring and sugar added.
Buy the unflavored ones and add your own
sweeteners and flavors to make it the way
you like it and cut down on the added sugars.