I’m not one to follow food fads very often. That should read “I don’t follow food fads at all.” Most of the time if a meal is generally balanced & healthy and I can get everyone in the family to eat it then that’s good enough for me. I chose “Grains as Mains” to review, not because I am heavily into using ancient grains but because I have been looking for ways to save money on our shopping bills and using more grains is a great, healthy, cheaper alternative to using meat in every meal.
When I first flicked through the book, I was worried. “Curried Lentil Quinoa Pilaf” and “Caprese Farro Salad” sounded so far out of my comfort zone that I wondered if I had made a mistake in thinking I could take this cooking route. But nothing ventured, nothing gained so I kept looking for something that was more ‘me’ and found the “Beef and Barley Burgers.” I made these without telling anyone what they were and everyone ate them without the kind of complaint I would expect if I told them they were eating barley & beef burgers!
With this success I tried a few other recipes such as the ‘Millet Cashew Stir Fry” and the “Strawberry Polenta Shortcakes” – they were all a big hit. Money saved, the menu expanded and bellies happily filled – what could be better?
Grains for Mains has more than just recipes; it has sections explaining grains, how to cook them, the nutrients they contain and which grains can be substituted for others in a recipe. Everything you need to know is here and the Dorling Kindersley YouTube channel has some great videos too.
Grains and Mains can be found in the Dorling Kindersley Food & Drink Boutique which is full of fantastic tomes on everything from soups & tea to BBQ and birthday cakes.
