As I've mentioned before, my attempts to cook for solely for myself border on the ludicrously pathetic. It's a good thing that I live with Mike, otherwise my diet would most likely consist of oatmeal, popcorn, baked squash, microwaved frozen vegetables, and apples (judging by the sorts of things I make for myself for lunch on the weekends, this is not an exaggeration). Conceptually, I love the idea of wholesome, balanced lunches and eagerly pore over the healthy lunch recipe of the week on the The Kitchn. But I never get around to actually making any of the recipes, probably because I don't have the small portions of random ingredients required. Although I've reached a point where I do have whole grains on hand other than oatmeal (usually wheat berries and farro), when it comes to knowing what to do with them I'm stymied by a lack of creativity and ingredients.
But with several months trial and error, I finally came up with some whole-grain bowls that I can make for lunches or Stacy dinners, using ingredients that I usually have on hand and a minimum of effort.
Wheat Berries:
I discovered wheat berries through a community ed cooking class, and love their wholesome flavor and chewy texture. Since they're a bit time-consuming to make, I cook one cup of wheat berries at a time and refrigerate or freeze half for later. To prepare two hearty servings of wheat berries, combine 1 cup dry wheat berries and 2 1/2 cups water in a medium saucepan. Bring to boil, cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 40 minutes or until chewy-tender and drain.
- Top wheat berries with tomatoes, basil, a drizzle of olive oil, and a dash of salt and pepper. In the winter, I use halved cherry tomatoes and basil left over from Hot-Sweet-Sour Soup with Tofu and Pineapple. In the summer, I use a chopped heirloom tomato from our CSA and basil from our herb garden.
Farro:
I usually have some farro in the pantry, left over from Spring Farro or Tuscan White Beans and Farro. The texture is similar to wheat berries, but the flavor is milder and nuttier, and the cooking time is much shorter. To prepare two servings of farro, combine 1/2 cup dry farro with 1 1/2 cups of water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and cook at a low boil until farro is chewy-tender, about 20 minutes. Drain farro in a colander and shake to remove excess water.
- My favorite thing to do with farro is top it with two cups of prepared Savory Roasted Sweet Potatoes (half a batch). I love the texture contrast between the chewy farro and the soft sweet potato, and the nuttiness of the farro complements the sweet and salty flavors of the sweet potatoes.
Oatmeal:
It is unnecessarily limiting to think of oatmeal as solely a breakfast food. Since I like my oatmeal done fast and thick enough to hold spoon upright, I prepare quick oats by the bowl in the microwave. I know this is kind of weird, so prepare your oatmeal however you like it.
- Top oatmeal with sunflower seeds and maple syrup for a sweet-salty combination (I always have sunflower seeds on hand for my Fruit and Nut Oatmeal Bars).
- It's a classic for a reason: stir cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice into oatmeal and water before cooking. Top prepared oatmeal with brown sugar.
- Spreads make great oatmeal toppings--try pumpkin or apple butters or raspberry jam.
What's your favorite whole grain? Do you have any whole grain bowl ideas I should try?