12 Steps to Whole Foods

Making Plant-Based Main Dishes
The four most effective ways to lower the glycemic index of your meals are to leave the peel on (as in the case
of potatoes), add vegetables, add legumes and whole grains, and/or add good fats—all of which are the primary
focus of this book for this reason and many others.
Introducing Grains/Seeds You Can Cook With
A number of grains and seeds you may be unfamiliar with will significantly expand your repertoire of cooking
whole foods, especially as you are looking to serve hearty, filling main dishes that replace an old habit of
serving meat. Protein is found in ideal ratios in grains and legumes, and when served with vegetables, these
extremely inexpensive plant foods are easy to digest.
We will leave a more detailed discussion of the virtues of each grain and their various combinations for
Chapter 9, specifically dedicated to whole grains. But this month, we will use some grains that are easy to cook
with for main dishes. Living in an abundant age with access to whole foods from all over the globe, you may be
surprised at how many options you have for nutty, varied, and interesting tastes and textures that are also high
protein, low glycemic index, and low gluten.
Quinoa, millet, and buckwheat are each featured in several “hot meal” recipes in this chapter. Although
commonly thought of as grains, they are technically seeds or fruit.
Quinoa. Most people do not know about the ancient grain (actually a seed) quinoa (pronounced “KEENwah”),
used for 5,000 years in South America, grown primarily in Bolivia. It is high in protein and is, in fact, a
“complete protein” because it contains all nine amino acids. It is exceptionally high in lysine, an amino acid
that isn’t particularly easy to find. Quinoa is also a good complement for legumes, which are low in methionine
and cystine. It’s also high in calcium, phosphorous, iron, vitamin E, and several of the B vitamins.
Because of its recent discovery on this continent, it has not been hybridized for high yields and pest resistance;
thus, its a more simple and natural food than wheat. It is less than 1% gluten (and, therefore, tolerated well by
most with allergies) and it is an excellent addition to your diet. This book provides several easy main dishes
featuring this unique, delicious food that is the fastest whole grain to cook.
The bitter outside layer of quinoa, called saponin, must be rinsed off very well. Because the grains are tiny,
they will run through a sieve. To avoid this, soak them for a few minutes before rinsing/draining, stir well to
clean thoroughly, and pour them through the sieve wet and in large amounts on top of each other, to avoid
losing them down the drain. Rinse at least twice.
162 12 Steps to Whole Foods
© Copyright Robyn Openshaw