Blogger Haste…Integrity Alert!

Blogger Haste…Integrity Alert!

Last night I slapped up a blog that was someone else’s recipe with a few helpful, healthy recommendations. In my eagerness to be more consistent with posting, I truly feel last nights post lacked integrity. What I really wanted to tell my friends and family was why you want to make a wheatberry salad in place of a pasta salad.

I went into my pantry and got out a bag of wheatberries and got out a box of pasta and thought to myself, yes!  This is what I want to do.  I want to compare the nutritional facts for everyone!  Well, then my heart sunk.  How confusing!  The nutritional facts are almost the same.  I looked again.  There it was, the fiber factor.  Wheatberries have 6 grams of fiber per serving. Pasta has only 2 grams of fiber per serving.

Fiber makes complex carbohydrates run through the body slower and therefore the energy is used more efficiently. For me finding whole grains has been a game changer.  I am the person that eats a bowl of pasta, gets a quick energy spurt and then has to take a nap.  I look at a pancake and I am sleeping within minutes and need to eat another meal as soon as I wake up.  My body is so inefficient with refined carbohydrates it is pathetic!  

Walter Willet, M.D. states in his coauthored book, Eat Drink, and Weigh Less, "On the other hand, when you eat more slowly digested carbohydrates, including whole grain foods, legumes, and vegetables, these dangerous peaks and troughs are smoothed out.  Blood sugar and insulin levels rise more slowly and peak at lower levels, and you are less likely to get hungry again as quickly."

The past few weeks I have been experimenting with whole grains more so than ever.  I have been watching and listening to my body and it’s amazing how good you can feel when you are eating the right foods.  Look for high fiber, whole grain items when choosing a carbohydrate for your meals or snacks.  Opt for brown rice over white when you can and experiment with whole grains.  

Once again, with integrity, I present to you a delicious whole grain recipe!

Ina Garten’s Wheatberry Salad –

Ina Garten – Barefoot Contessa Family Style – Easy Ideas and recipes that make everyone feel like family

1 cup hard winter wheatberries

Kosher salt

1 cup finely diced red onion (1 onion)

6 tablespoons good olive oil, divided

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

3 scallions, minced, white and green parts

1/2 red bell pepper, small-diced

1 carrot, small-diced

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Place the wheatberries and 3 cups of boiling salted water in a saucepan and cook, uncovered, over low heat for approximately 45 minutes, or until they are soft. Drain.

(Note from Kim, if you are buying wheatberries from the bulk bin I recommend giving grains a quick cold rinse and then soaking the wheatberries for 1-8 hours, to eliminate phytic acid and to make the grains more digestible.  Drain the grains, discard the soaking water and then proceed with the cooking directions above.  If buying presoaked just following cooking instructions on the back of the package)

Sauté the red onion in 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-low heat until translucent, approximately 5 minutes.  Turn off the heat and add the remaining 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) of olive oil and the 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar.

In a large bowl, combine the warm wheatberries, sautéed onions, scallions, red bell pepper, carrot, ½ teaspoon salt, and the pepper.  Allow the salad to sit for at least 30 minutes for the wheat berries to absorb the sauce. Season to taste and serve at room temperature.

Kim’s Recommendation

Make this recipe even healthier!  Use the whole pepper, 2 carrots and add 2 cups of finely chopped kale.  If you decide to add more vegetables add 1 more tablespoons of vinegar or add to your liking.

Love deeply and eat mindfully,

Kim Gilroy