Grains,
Pasta, Rice
Grains
• Definition: single, hard seed
• Most common grains
– Wheat
– Corn
– Rice
Video Clip – Why eat whole grains???
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6OW
mgqrcbY&feature=youtu.be
Wheat Kernel
• Bran – Outer protective
coating – source of B vitamins
and fiber
• Endosperm – contains
most of the starch and hold the
plants food supply - starchy
carbohydrates
• Germ – reproductive part of
plant – B vitamins , proteins,
minerals and healthy fats
What’s a Whole Grain?
• Whole Grains: Made from
entire kernel including
bran, germ, endosperm.
• Fortified grains: Adding
10% or more of the daily
value of a specific
nutrient to a product.
• Enriched: Adding
nutrients lost during the
processing of the grain
back into the finished
product ex. White flour.
Why do Whole Grains Matter?
• Diets rich in whole grain foods and other plant
foods, and low in saturated fat and cholesterol,
may help reduce the risk of heart disease
• Consuming at least 3 or more ounce-equivalents
of whole grains per day can reduce the risk of
several chronic diseases and may help with
weight maintenance
– High fiber
– Low fat
– Low salt and sugar
-High in B Vitamins
-Rich Sources of Minerals
Wheat Cont…
• Common Wheat: used for flour
• Durum Wheat: type of wheat with high
protein and gluten contents
– Semolina: Endosperm only of Durum wheat
• Couscous: Granular form of semolina
– Bulgur: cracked durum wheat that has been
parboiled, dried, then cracked
• Spelt: Type of wheat
Less common types of grain
• Amaranth – a seed high in protein, calcium, iron, and
zinc.
• Kamut – a highly nutritious ancient wheat.
• Millet – an easily digestible grain that is high in iron and
protein
• Quinoa – originates in Peru and has the highest protein
of all grains.
• Spelt – another strain of wheat that is higher in protein
and fiber
• Triticale – a cross between rye and wheat.
• Couscous – made from semolina, the ground
endosperm of hard durum wheat (not “WHOLE GRAIN”)
• Bulgar – made from whole wheat berries that have been
steamed and cracked
What do you look for on a package that
identifies the product as Whole Grain?
Look for the words “whole grain” in large letters. 100% whole grain is best
Choose foods that name one of the following whole-grain ingredients first
on the label’s ingredient list:
brown rice”, “bulgur”, “graham flour” , “oatmeal”, “whole-grain
corn”, “whole oats”, “whole rye”, “whole wheat”, “wild rice”
Foods labeled with the words “multi-grain,” “stone-ground,” “100%
wheat,” “cracked wheat,” “seven-grain,” or “bran” are usually not wholegrain products.
Color is not an indication of a whole grain. Bread can be brown
because of molasses or other added ingredients. Read the ingredient list
to see if it is a whole grain.
PASTA
• Pasta is usually made from DURHAM wheat
because of its high protein and gluten.
• Pasta test for doneness- al dente (meaning firm
to the tooth)
• Pasta doubles as it cooks. 1 cup uncooked
pasta will yield 2 cups cooked.
• To Cook:
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Boil a large pot of water
Add pasta once boiling
Cook 10 minutes
Drain
Toss with oil to prevent it from sticking together
Avoid stirring to often
Rice
Worldwide there are more than
40,000 different varieties of rice!
Basic Categories of Rice
• Long grain Rice- Long, polished kernels. Bland and
somewhat firm in texture. Yields a drier, fluffy rice.
– Ex. Basmati and Jasmine
• Medium Grain Rice- has a shorter, wider kernel (two to three
times longer than its width) than long grain rice. Cooked grains are more
moist and tender, and have a greater tendency to cling together than long
grain.
– Ex. Sushi Rice
• Short Grain Rice- Short grain rice has a short, plump, almost
round kernel. Cooked grains are soft and cling together.
– Ex. Arborio Rice
Nutritional Differences of Rice
• Brown Rice- the whole grain form of rice with
only the husk removed
• Parboiled Rice- steam was passed through the
grains with the husks on. The nutrients are
embedded into the grain by this procedure. The
rice is polished after this steaming is done. This
results in more nutritious rice than white rice and
more digestible rice than brown rice.
• Instant Rice- Precooked and they dehydrated,
cooks quickly and the yield is doubled.
Cooking Rice
•
Double the amount of water for rice. (1:2 ratio)
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Bring water to boil.
Add and stir in rice.
Turn heat to low and put on lid.
Cook for 20-25 minutes (parboiled) 45-1hr (brown rice).
Rice is done if no water is visible.
Fluff with a fork.
Rice Triples as it cooks.
1 cup uncooked rice yields 3 cups of cooked rice.
Preparation Techniques
• Quick Bread - prepare in
a short amount of time, cook
fast, uses, baking powder,
baking soda, egg whites or
steam to leaven
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Crepes
Muffins
Biscuits
Waffles
Cream Puffs
Fruit and Nut Breads
• Yeast Bread - Leavened
with the gas (CO2) from
chemical reactions with yeast;
- knead process; more time to
prepare
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Breads
Rolls
French banquettes
Doughnuts
Pizza Crust
• Sugar needed to feed
yeast
• Salt needed to prevent
over processing
Why choose Grains?
• Cheap
• Easy to Store
• Variety in choice and in cooking methods
– Mixing Methods include:
• Pastry : Cut in fat, makes flaky
• Muffin: just until dry ingredients are mixed
• Knead: use palm of hand, rest, rise, shape rise
again, time
Grains used in Gravy/Sauces
• Flour - mostly for gravies
• Cornstarch – mostly used for puddings
and sweet sauces
– Used to thicken with a liquid and heat
– Prevent lumps by coating with a fat(butter,
meat drippings, etc.) and stirring constantly