Looking for small ways to eat healthier? Start with whole grains.
This is day 1 of Well's Mediterranean diet week.
For me, a meal isn't complete without a piece of whole wheat bread to dip into my soup, or a pile of brown rice to enjoy with my curry. Whole grains provide nutrition and comfort.
And luckily for us, they're a key feature of the Mediterranean diet, an approach to eating that emphasizes whole, mostly plant-based foods.
Whole grains differ from refined grains in that they contain all three parts of a grain grain: the starchy endosperm, which provides carbohydrates, protein and some B vitamins and minerals; the germ, rich in healthy fats and vitamins; and the bran, a concentrated source of fiber, minerals and B vitamins.
When we eat whole grains, the fiber and healthy fats slow digestion, resulting in smaller peaks and valleys in blood sugar levels. Fiber can also lower blood cholesterol, support a healthy gut and lower the risk of developing colorectal cancer, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.
In addition to great nutrition, whole grains add a variety of flavors and textures to any meal: the nutty complexity of farro, the heartiness of barley and the crunch of oats roasted in granola or on top of a fruit chip.
Below we offer strategies for eating more whole grains, along with some recipes selected by our colleagues from NYT Cooking.
What to keep in your pantry
Try stocking up on these affordable and shelf-stable staples to help you reach your whole grain goals:
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Whole grain breakfast cereals with little sugar, such as shredded wheat, muesli and wheat flakes
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Whole grain bread
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Whole wheat crackers to dip in hummus or to top with cheese
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Popcorn (consider popping it yourself so you can check the ingredients)
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Dried grains such as millet, Farro, Brown rice, QuinoaBulgur and barley can be used in main dishes, as simple side dishes or as an addition to soups and salads
Meal ideas that focus on whole grains
Once you have some ingredients on hand, you can start playing with recipes.
For each day of our Mediterranean diet series, we and our colleagues at NYT Cooking have selected a few recipes that incorporate the ingredients we're highlighting. This is not intended as a meal plan, but rather inspiration for how to incorporate more of these healthy foods into your week.
For breakfast you can have whole wheat toast with peanut butter and some fruit, yogurt with fruit and granola, or a steaming bowl of oatmeal topped with nuts and dried fruit. You could try Martha Rose Shulman's Cozy bulgur maple porridgeor Melissa Clark's granola with dried apricots and pistachios; The not-so-secret ingredient, says Melissa, is olive oil, the oil of choice of the Mediterranean diet (more on that on day 5).
Lunch could be a sandwich on whole wheat bread – perhaps made with cheese, avocado, hummus, lettuce and tomato – or leftover vegetables wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla. But if you have time to cook, Yewande is Komolafe's roasted millet salad with cucumber, avocado and lemon is light and packed with flavor. Or try Sohla El-Waylly's Quinoa and broccoli spoon saladwith crunchy raw broccoli and crunchy pecans to complement the light quinoa.
For dinner, I try to break my usual bread-and-rice routine and cook up some whole grains that I don't use often enough. This can be as simple as quinoa or millet with a side of vegetables steamed fish. Or maybe Kay Chun's baked barley risotto with mushrooms and carrots or Yasmin Fahr's farro with roasted tomatoes, pesto and spinach. For the coldest January evenings, I think of Melissa Clark's turkey, farro and chickpea soup. Will you join me?