WHOLE GRAIN RECIPES

Amaranth with Kale, Oregano and Tomato Sauce

Makes 4 servings.

This is a delicious, quick easy recipe to introduce you to Amaranth. Amaranth is a grain with a pronounced flavor so you can use bigger and bolder ingredients, like tomato sauce or meat gravy, when creating dishes with Amaranth.

1 cup amaranth seed
2 ½ cups water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 bunch kale, stemmed and roughly chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon onion, minced
1 6-oz can peeled tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 ½ teaspoons basil
1 ½ teaspoons oregano
½ cup crumbled feta cheese
sea salt and pepper to taste (or use a salt substitute)

Add amaranth to boiling water; bring back to boil and reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 18-20 minutes. While the amaranth is cooking, heat oil in a skillet over medium heat and add the garlic and onion. Sweat for 2 to 3 minutes until they start to become translucent. Add tomatoes, basil, oregano and black pepper. Cook for an additional 2 minutes. Add the kale and once it starts to wilt turn off the heat. Once the amaranth has finished serve the tomato and kale mixture over the top. Sprinkle on crumbled feta.

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Barley & Chicken Pilau

Makes 4 entrée servings.

Basically all cultures have a rice base dish that has an assortment of ingredients that are mixed together. The concept of a rice base dish is universal and a Pilau is the Low Country equivalent to a classic French rice Pilaf, a rice dish that is started on the stove and finished in the oven.

My version can be prepared using one pot or two. If using one pot, bake altogether in the oven or use two pots and cook separately on top of the stove; then mix together. This barley recipe makes a quick easy dinner.

Pot 1: Medium Saucepan with Lid
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 cup pearl barley
2 ½ cups chicken stock or water
pinch Kosher or Sea Salt
3 tablespoons Marv's Seafood Spice
2 green onions, sliced
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Pot 2: Medium Skillet
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 cup skinless diced chicken parts (breast and thighs)
½ cup medium diced onion
½ cup medium diced celery
1 cup medium diced carrots
1 cup sliced button mushrooms
1 cup broccoli florets
1/3 cup water
1 tablespoon fresh grated gingerroot or 1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

In Pot 1, a medium saucepan with a lid, heat canola oil. Add garlic and barley; sauté 2 to 3 minutes over medium heat. Add stock and pinch of salt. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook 45 minutes or until barley is tender and liquid is absorbed.

In the meantime in Pot 2, a medium skillet, heat oil. Add chicken, onion, celery and carrots. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Add mushrooms and broccoli; sauté 1 to 2 minutes. Add gingerroot and lemon. Add barley to mixture cook and stir for another 2 to 3 minutes on low heat.

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Barley Seafood Stew

Makes 6 servings.

This barley recipe requires attention in the beginning, but only uses one pot. So clean up is a snap. And the best part... when it's finished... this is some good eatin' right here.

8 ounces shrimp, shelled and deveined
8 ounces flounder, snapper, or sea bass cut in medium squares
8 ounces little neck clams
2 tablespoon Marv's Blackening Spices
2 tablespoon canola oil
½ cup onion, chopped
½ cup red and green pepper, finely chopped
1 cup fresh or frozen broccoli florets, (if using frozen thaw out first)
1 medium carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
¾ cup pearl barley
½ cup white wine
2 ½ cups mild fish, vegetable or chicken stock (or you can add water after your sauté the fish)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon of your favorite hot sauce

Place fish in a bowl and season with blackening spice; hold clams and shrimp to the side. Add canola oil to a large pot on moderate heat. Add shrimp to the pot and cook for 2 minutes, turning them after a minute of cooking. Remove shrimp from the pot and set aside in a large separate bowl. Cook the fish for 2 minutes and remove and add to the bowl with the shrimp. Add the clams, onions, peppers, carrots, celery and garlic to the pot, cover and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on low moderate heat, until the vegetables start to become translucent and the clams start to open. Remove the clams from the pot and add with the rest of the fish and shrimp.

Pour the wine in the pot and reduce the wine by half. Add the barley and the stock or water and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 35 minutes, stirring occasionally. At the 30 minute mark just before the barley is done, add back the seafood, and add the lemon juice and broccoli and stir together gently. Place the lid back on pot and cook for another 5 minutes until barley is done. For more heat and spice you can garnish with hot sauce.

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Colombo Chicken and Barley

Makes 6 servings.

Colombo is the French West Indies version of curry. If you don't have Marv's Colombo Dust, substitute your favorite curry blend in its place. Because this is a one-pot-meal, cleanup is easy. Easy dishes like this are great for busy weeknights.

1 cup pearl barley
3 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoon Marv's Colombo Dust or curry powder
1 cup cooked cannelloni beans
½ cup chopped onion
6 whole chicken parts -- breast, legs, thighs bone in
½ cup raw unsalted almonds
1 cup coconut milk, natural unsweetened
2 tablespoons dry white wine or dry sherry
pinch salt
black pepper, to taste

In medium saucepan with a lid, add oil, Colombo dust, chicken and onions. Sauté until the chicken gets a little color and the onions are translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add wine and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Add coconut milk, barley, chicken stock, almonds, mushrooms and salt. Bring the pot to a boil; then reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 45 minutes or until the barley is tender and the liquid is absorbed. Stir in the beans until they are hot and heated thoroughly. Season with pepper.

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Farro Salad with Apples and Chicken, and Broccoli

Makes 4 servings.

Often mayonnaise is used as the dressing for salads. This farro salad uses fruit juice and herbs to give the flavor and dressing, a more delicious and healthy approach.

½ cup natural unsweetened mango juice or orange juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 ½ tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon sea salt
¾ cup flat parsley, finely chopped
2 cups farro, cooked and cooled
1 ½ cup cooked chicken breast, cubed
1 tablespoon Marv's All purpose seasoning (or substitute 1/4 teaspoon of each paprika, nutmeg, celery seeds, black pepper)
1 small red apple
1 small green apple
2 tablespoons green onion, chopped
12 fresh broccoli florets, trim and blanched (if using frozen broccoli, defrost before using)
2 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard

Blend the mango juice, oil, vinegar, salt and parsley in a food processor or blender. Set farro in a medium bowl. Pour the dressing over the farro. Meanwhile, core the unpeeled apples and cut them into medium dice. Stir in chicken, seasoning, apples, green onions, and broccoli.

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Grilled Chicken, Quinoa and Bok Choy

This is a great alternative to the usual chicken and rice dish. Using quinoa includes great texture, great taste and of course great nutrition.

2 boneless chicken breasts
sea salt and fresh black pepper
½ cup quinoa, cooked and cooled
½ red onion cut into ½ inch thick slices
1 red pepper
bok choy, cut into inch size pieces
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Tamari
½ fresh garlic clove minced
1 teaspoon cilantro
2 teaspoons honey
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
small paper bag

Preheat grill to hot. Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Place chicken on the grill and cook for 2 minutes. Find another hot spot on the grill and place the red pepper directly on the grill cooking until black on all sides. Go back to the chicken; change its position and cook for on the same side for another 2 to 3 minutes. Then turn the chicken over and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Similar to before, change the position of the chicken but leave it on the same side and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Check the chicken with a thermometer and make sure the internal temperature is at 165°F and then remove the chicken from the grill. Allow the chicken to cool down to the touch. Once the pepper has blackened on all sides remove the pepper and place it inside the paper bag. Fold over the bag to hold in the steam and let sit until cool to the touch.

Place the Dijon mustard in a large bowl and add vinegar and Tamari. Add garlic, cilantro and honey. Pour in extra virgin olive oil in a slow steady stream while mixing with a fork or whisk.

Clean the outside of the pepper off by rubbing your hands or a paper towel on the skin. Once skin has been removed cut into finger size strips. Cut chicken into diced pieces. Cut the peppers and onions into diced pieces. Roughly chop the bok choy into one inch pieces. Add the bok choy, chicken, pepper and onions to the large bowl with the dressing. Toss together with the quinoa; check for salt and pepper and serve.

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Healthy Chicken Risotto with Farro

Makes six servings.

Instead of rice, use farro, a healthier cousin of the popular grain. If you can, make your own stock, which helps keep the sodium levels in check. Reducing risotto's traditionally heavy butter and cheese and adding shitake mushrooms and fresh corn on the cob help kick up the flavor while keeping down the fat.

Stock Ingredients
2 lbs. chicken bones
2 onions
4 whole carrots
4 ribs of celery
4 cobs from whole corn (bonus - stalks and peels)
1 handful of mushrooms, the stems only
1 handful of peels from onions, shallots, or carrots

Stock Instructions
Place everything into a large pot of water with heat on medium high, bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat and simmer for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Set aside one quart.

Risotto Ingredients
12 ounces farro
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 shallots
3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1/2 cup fresh peas
1/4 cup corn on the cob
1/4 cup white wine
3 ounces of skinless chicken breast
1/4 cup mushrooms, preferably shitake
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, rough cut
2 tablespoons fresh Parmesan Reggiano
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Cracked black pepper
Sea salt to taste

Risotto Instructions
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and shallots and "sweat" for 1 to 2 minutes. Add peas and corn and cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Add farro and continue to cook and stir for another 2 to 3 minutes.

Add white wine and reduce by half. Add enough stock to cover the farro. Lower heat and let cook, stirring frequently.

When liquid has disappeared, repeat, adding the same amount of stock. Repeat this process for 30 minutes. Add chicken and cook for another 5 minutes.

Stir in mushrooms and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Add butter, Parmesan and basil. Add black pepper and check seasoning. Add salt if needed. Top with freshly shaved Parmesan.

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Quinoa Turkey Sausage and Shrimp Pilau

Makes 4 to 6 servings

This is a quick easy dinner, particularly since it uses only one pot. Pilau is the Low Country equivalent to a classic French rice Pilaf, a rice dish that has an assortment of ingredients that are mixed together.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil or more as needed
6 ounces turkey sausage, cut
12 jumbo shrimp (1-1/2 to 2 pounds), peeled and deveined
1 yellow onion
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 medium tomato, peeled, seeded and diced
1 cup fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels
2 cups quinoa, cooked and cooled
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage leaves
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves or 1/2 tablespoon dried
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 tablespoon dried
1 teaspoon celery seeds
1 teaspoon Braggs Liquid Amino Acid
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Place oils in sauté pan over medium heat. Add the turkey sausage and cook thoroughly. Add the shrimp and cook until they become bright pink; then remove them from the pan. Add the onions, garlic, and peppers and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until they become soft. Add the corn, quinoa, and shrimp back to the pan. Stir together and season with salt and pepper as needed.

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Wild Mushroom Farro Risotto

Serves 6-8

This is a great alternative to the rice version of risotto. Using farro includes more texture, more taste and of course more nutrition. Serve as a side dish or as a quick easy dinner.

Pot 1: Stock Pot
4 cups vegetable or chicken stock
3 tablespoon fresh sage, minced
3 tablespoons white truffle oil
2 teaspoons fine-grain sea salt
black pepper
½ cup raw almonds, lightly toasted
¼ cup parmesan grated

Pot 2: Large Heavy Sauce Pan
2 tablespoons canola oil
½ cup yellow onion finely chopped
1 cup semi-pearled farro
1/3 cup white wine
3 cups mixed mushrooms (crimini, portobello, oyster, button), cut into ½-inch dice

Bring the stock to a boil in Pot 1. In Pot 2, heat the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy sauce pan. Add the onions and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until the onions become translucent. Lower the heat and add the farro. Cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes stirring occasionally. Stir in the wine and cook until it evaporates about a minute. Stir in half of the mushrooms. Stir in 2 cups of the stock from Pot 1, 2 tablespoons of fresh chopped sage or ½ teaspoon of dried sage. Simmer, stirring from time to time, until the mixture becomes thick, about 10 minutes.

Gradually stir the remaining broth into Pot 2, each time returning to a boil, then reducing to a simmer until the mixture thickens. After the farro has cooked for a total of 20 minutes, begin tasting for doneness. When farro is tender, add the rest of the mushrooms, sage, salt and pepper to taste. Mix together and turn off the heat. Stir in the truffle oil and garnish with a dusting of parmesan cheese and almonds.

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