Main Ingredient: Rice/Grains
-
Maple-Oat Cookies

Toasting the oats adds great flavor to these simple oat cookies, sweetened with maple syrup and flavored with warm spices.
-
Chocolate Chip Zucchini Cupcakes with Orange-Cream Frosting

These are so moist and tasty, you'll hardly notice the Whole Foods Market healthy touch of zucchini and neufchatel. The flavors are kid-friendly, yet sophisticated enough to honor a birthday boy or girl of any age. For a lighter alternative to frosting, whisk together 2 cups powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons orange juice and 1 teaspoon orange zest and then dip the top of each cupcake in the glaze. Decorate each with additional chocolate chips...or a candle!
-
Fruity Flapjacks

Here's a great way to surreptitiously get everyone's day kicked off right with filling whole grains and fruit antioxidants. Breakfast foods provide a lot of opportunity for confusion over "wheat" vs. "whole wheat" so always remember you want the "whole" thing! Add nuts and/or substitute chopped nectarines for the grapes, if you like. And if you prefer your syrup warm, gently heat the thinned fruit spread in a small pot on the stove before serving.
-
Homemade Peanut Butter and Banana Dog Treats

The parsley in these treats makes them a secret breath freshener for your pooch; substitute dried mint for half of the parsley, if you like. Don't hesitate to adjust the size of the treats to accommodate very small or very large dogs, baking them a few minutes less or a few minutes more, as needed. If your dog has challenges chewing, grind the rolled oats in a food processor before adding them to the mixture.
-
Brown Rice Salad

Crisp carrots, cucumbers, radishes and celery combine with fresh basil, mint and parsley in this honey-Dijon dressed rice salad. Served chilled or at room temperature, this versatile dish is perfect for al fresco dining alongside your choice of protein.
-
Basic Millet with Onion and Parsley

This also makes a terrific recipe for other small grains like quinoa or amaranth. Just be sure to adjust the cooking time so grains are tender but not mushy. Use this tasty pilaf as a bed for seared salmon or scallops.
-
Learn to Cook: Quinoa

Quinoa is a complete protein containing all eight essential amino acids. It's light and fluffy in texture but has that whole grain ability to fill people up--and if you've got company coming, this recipe easily doubles to serve eight people.
-
Quinoa Loaf with Mushrooms and Peas

Welcome spring--or vegetarian guests--to your table with this delicious main-course recipe that is destined to become a favorite for family and feasts alike. For killer veggie burgers, serve any leftover slices on toasted whole wheat buns with lettuce and spicy mustard.
-
Pineapple-Ginger Rice with Edamame

Serve as a vegetarian main course or as a side dish with steamed fish or roasted chicken. If you don't have any leftover brown rice on hand, use a package of frozen cooked brown rice as a shortcut.
-
Simple Barley

Spoon cooked barley into soups or stews or use it to make hot breakfast cereals and grain salads.


