Are you struggling to eat more whole grains daily for those extra health benefits? It’s so easy, says Dietitian Kim Galeaz, when you add whole grains to family (and tailgate!) favorites, like cornbread, waffles, and side dishes.
Galeaz joins the FOX59 morning show to show us three recipes to get you started eating at least three servings (48 grams) of whole grains daily. Plus, she explains how to spot whole grains easily.
1. How to spot Whole Grains:
- Word whole, but not always 100% whole grain
- Part whole grain adds up, though.
- Whole grain stamp on food packages explains how much whole grain is needed.
- Aiming 3 servings or 48 grams daily.
2. Kim’s Cornbread:
- Swap traditional refined cornmeal with whole cornmeal.
- Kroger baking aisle – Bob’s Red Mill, coarse and medium grind, hearty texture.
- White whole wheat flour and all Purpose Flour, so this cornbread is about 80% whole grain.
- Gluten-Free 1-for-1 flour blend sub – does have WG also.
3. Whole Wheat Oatmeal Waffles:
- Oats! The natural 100% whole grain regardless of type (instant, quick-cooking, old-fashioned, etc.)
- White whole wheat flour, too – Kim’s favorite King Arthur brand.
- A modest protein boost in the waffles with milk and plain Greek yogurt
- Freezes extremely well.
4. Wild Rice with Mushrooms:
- Brown rice is 100% whole grain, but so is wild rice!
- Mushrooms are so healthy – for anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties – and low calorie.
Kim’s Cornbread recipe:
- 1 tablespoon of butter for melting in a large 12-inch large cast iron skillet
- 2 cups whole-grain cornmeal (stone-ground medium or coarse grind or blend of both)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (or 1 cup King Arthur Measure-for-Measure Gluten Free Flour Mix)
- 2/3 cup King Arthur white whole wheat flour (or 2/3 cup King Arthur M4M GF flour)
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 ¾ cups full-fat buttermilk
- ⅔ cup corn oil
- ½ to ¾ stick unsalted butter (for covering top of cooked cornbread)
Heat oven to 425°F. Add butter to skillet and place in oven to completely melt. (remove when it’s melted – don’t let it burn. Have batter READY to put in a hot skillet when you take it out of the oven.)
In a large bowl, combine cornmeal with flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and sugar. Whisk together eggs, buttermilk, and corn oil in a smaller bowl. Add liquid mixture to dry ingredients and stir until combined with a wooden spoon. Pour and spread cornbread batter evenly in a hot skillet. Cook 17 to 25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean or with just a smidgen of crumbs. Place skillet on wire cooling rack and immediately rub a stick of butter ALL over lightly, especially along rim edges. Enjoy hot. Cut any leftover cornbread into big pieces, place in a tightly covered container, and refrigerate. Makes 12 pieces roughly.
Whole Grain Oatmeal Waffles recipe:
- 1 ¾ cups white whole-wheat flour (King Arthur brand)
- 1 cup quick-cooking oats, uncooked
- 3 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon apple pie spice (or cinnamon)
- 1 cup plain full-fat 5% Greek yogurt
- 1 ½ cups whole milk
- 6 tablespoons melted butter
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
Whisk together flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and apple pie spice in a large bowl. Whisk together yogurt, milk, melted butter, and eggs in a separate medium bowl. Create a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the liquid mixture. Stir just until moistened, being careful not to over-beat. The batter will be slightly lumpy and thick. Let batter sit 5 to 10 while preheating the Belgian waffle maker. Add batter to waffle iron (according to manufacturer’s directions) and bake until waffles are entirely done, browned, and easy to remove. Remove cooked waffles to wire racks and enjoy immediately with desired toppings. If desired, cook waffles can be kept warm on a baking sheet in a 200⁰F to 300⁰F oven. Makes 6 Belgian waffles (about 6 1/2 -inches diameter each). Yield will vary depending on the size of your waffle iron.
Wild Rice with Mushrooms recipe:
- 2 cans (14 oz. each) of Kroger vegetable broth
- 1 ½ cups wild rice*
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 to 2 tablespoons Kroger Private Selection extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup chopped/diced celery
- 1 ½ cups chopped onion
- 1 ½ to 2 pounds (24 to 32 ounces) mushrooms, stems trimmed and cut into thick ¼-inch slices*
- 3 very finely minced garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup chopped Italian parsley
- ¾ to 1 cup chopped walnuts
Add broth to a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Add wild rice, lower heat to simmer, and cook for 45 to 50 minutes or until all water is absorbed.
While rice cooks, heat butter and a tablespoon of olive oil in a large 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add celery and cook, stirring, about 2 minutes. Add onion and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until celery and onions are slightly soft but not mushy. Add garlic along with half the sliced mushrooms, going for a minute or so until the mushrooms start to cook. Add the other half of the mushrooms along with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for a couple of minutes until mushrooms are your desired doneness. Remove from heat if rice isn’t done yet.
Once the rice is cooked, add it to the mushroom mixture, Italian parsley, and chopped walnuts. Serve immediately. Refrigerate leftovers in a tightly covered container and enjoy within 4 to 5 days.
*True wild rice will not have any white rice. If the wild rice you select contains white rice, it’ll require less cooking time, so adjust accordingly.
*Kim likes to use 24 oz of white button mushrooms and 8 oz of baby bella mushrooms.
Makes about 7 ½ cups rice mixture (roughly 10 servings of ¾ cup each).
