Whole Foods
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Whole foods keep the complete grain, with more fiber and rustic flavor. See uses, swaps and tips for everyday cooking.
Whole food is food that keeps all parts of the grain — the bran, the endosperm and the germ — without going through the refining that removes the outer layers. That is the case of brown rice, rolled oats, quinoa, corn and whole wheat flours. Because they keep the grain more complete, these foods have more fiber and a more marked texture, besides a stronger, rustic flavor. In home cooking, they show up in breads, cakes, porridges, grain salads and side dishes, bringing variety and satiety to the table.
Characteristics
The hallmark of whole foods is the bran fiber, which changes how the recipe behaves: doughs with whole flour absorb more water, rise in a more contained way and ask for well-managed fermentation. The flavor is more earthy and pairs with honey, nuts, dried fruits and spices. Grains like brown rice and quinoa take longer to cook and yield loose, firm grains. Attention to the label: ideally, the whole flour or grain should appear among the first items in the ingredient list.
Uses in the kitchen
- Homemade breads: purely whole or blended with white flour, enriched with sesame, chia and flaxseed.
- Cakes and muffins: part of the white flour can become whole in banana, carrot and apple cakes.
- Grains on the plate: brown rice, cooked quinoa and oats in salads, sautés and side dishes.
- Breakfast: oatmeal porridges, homemade granolas and smoothies with rolled oats.
Substitutions
- White flour for whole in one third or half of the measure at first, adjusting liquids little by little.
- White rice for brown or blends of both, until the palate gets used to it.
- Regular breaded coatings for versions with ground oats or whole flour for a rustic crust.
- Refined snacks for whole breads with sesame and fillings of vegetables, eggs or grain spreads.
Fun facts
- Quinoa, a seed of Andean origin cooked like a grain, turns out loose in about fifteen minutes and goes well in salads.
- Brown rice yields firm, fragrant grains, great for salads and lunch boxes, as they hold their texture after going cold.
- Soaking brown rice for a few hours before cooking helps even out the cooking.
Recipes with whole foods
[ve_cards ids="2540,1567,1981"]- Sinônimos
- whole grain