Some people don’t eat more whole grains because they take too long to cook.

But with a pressure cooker, brown rice is ready in 10 minutes, beans in 20 minutes (and really long cookers like short ribs in 40 minutes).

Start your healthy New Year with a pressure cooker. We love our top-of-the-line Kuhn Rikon pressure cooker, but there are less expensive (and smaller) alternatives like this Presto pressure cooker for $29.99 (we haven’t tested it).

As a rule of thumb, an hour in a conventional pot becomes 20 minutes in a pressure cooker.

With a pressure cooker, there is no need to pre-soak your beans. Hearty and healthy beans ready in 40 minutes are difficult to pass up!

HOW TO COOK BEANS IN A PRESSURE COOKER

This Kuhn Rikon pressure cooker helps us
eat healthier: beans, brown rice and other
whole grains are a snap.

1. Rinse beans under running water.
2. Add to a pressure cooker and cover with liquid to 2″ above the level of beans. For more flavor, use stock or broth instead of water.
3. Cook for 20 minutes under high pressure.
4. Remove the lid of the pressure cooker and cook for another 20 minutes or so, stirring and testing occasionally. Depending on the the beans, they may be finished well before 20 minutes, so keep checking until you reach your desired texture.
5. Drain, season and serve.

Alas, our beloved Corn Flakes are not whole
grain. We’ve switched to Cheerios and
oatmeal. Photo by Hannah Kaminsky |
THE NIBBLE.

These painless, easy switches to whole grains and other foods can give you more nutrition, more whole grain fiber and a new perspective on broadening your culinary repertoire.

Why do you need to eat more whole grains? Check this out and you’ll switch even faster!

EAT HEALTHY WITH THESE 15 EASY STARCH-SWITCHING TIPS

Send us your favorite switches and we’ll add them to this list.

Beautiful cranberry beans from Rancho
Gordo. Photo by River Soma | THE NIBBLE.

Beans were nutritious fare for our ancestors. Yet today, many people think of beans as inexpensive food consumed by people who can’t afford better.

They haven’t had Rancho Gordo heirloom beans!

There’s no better way to learn to appreciate beans than to try the impressive selection of heirloom beans grown in California by Rancho Gordo.

Far from serving “affordable” fare, your friends and family will see you as the fine food enthusiast you are. More good news: Beans are extremely healthy food. You’ll read why in the full article.

Heirloom beans are made from old strains that have more flavor, better texture and a beautiful appearance. Many have been rescued from extinction by specialty growers. Due to lower yield, more demanding growing requirements or other factors, these strains have been passed by by large-scale commercial growers.

Polenta, made from ground cornmeal, is a porridge that dates to ancient times and is known in England and the U.S. as cornmeal mush.

You can purchase precooked, ready-to-heat-and eat “solid polenta” in sausage-like tubes, plain and in flavors such as basil, garlic and sundried tomato.

Slices of polenta can be easily turned into hors d’oeuvres, first courses and sides. They provide a firm base for just about anything. Just pan fry or heat them in the microwave.

Think of polenta as:

This organic polenta is available from
Amazon.com.

The possibilities are endless. The tubes need no refrigeration before they are opened, so you can keep them in the pantry for instant inspiration.

Polenta is fat free and gluten free; some brands are organic and kosher.

Do you avoid a hot bowl of instant oatmeal each day because it’s just too mushy?

Do you like oatmeal but wish the instant kind were more like stovetop-cooked?

Do you want an easy way to get your daily 48g of whole grain?

Do you want more fiber, cancer-fighting foods, the ability to lower bad cholesterol?

Malt-O-Meal, a company that makes only cereal products, has hit a home run with its new Better Oats line. It has a toothy, not mushy, consistency. No one would know it’s instant oatmeal. We don’t know all of the secrets, but one of them is the inclusion of flaxseed, which adds crunch plus Omega-3 fatty acids.

The variety of choices—classic, brown sugar, chai-spiced, cinnamon, maple, multigrain blend and even a tasty chocolate oatmeal—offer a different flavor for every day of the week. Unlike most instant oatmeal, they aren’t stripped of fiber and nutrients.

Enjoy a better bowl of instant oatmeal.
Photo by Katharine Pollak | THE NIBBLE.

Some people avoid beans because of the gas they can create.

Yet beans are not just tasty; they’re an important and inexpensive source of protein that has been cultivated by man for more than 7,000 years.

Oxygen magazine’s new book, Pick It Kick It, offers this tip:

 
See our Bean Glossary to discover many beautiful beans. There are more than 4,000 cultivars of beans in the United States (and many more worldwide). We don’t feature nearly that many, but you’re certain to make new discoveries.

Make this delicious Bruschetta With White Bean Purée.

Beautiful anasazi beans originated in
New Mexico. Photo by Luciano S. | SXC.

Leftover rice can be reheated and served as is, of course. But there are many other alternatives. Some of our favorite leftover rice recipes include:

It’s easy to turn leftover steamed rice
into fried rice. Photo courtesy CalRice.org.

But perhaps our favorite dish, which takes just two minutes to make, is Rice and Cheese, a variation of mac & cheese. Mix the rice with shredded, grated or chopped cheese and put in the microwave for 30 sections. Season with fresh parsley, chopped green onions or red pepper flakes. Enjoy it as a quick snack or a side dish; it’s great comfort food.

Our second favorite dish is another comfort food: Rice Pudding. Place the rice in a bowl and moisten with whole milk or nonfat milk (enough to wet the rice but not to create a pool of excess liquid). Add a teaspoon of your favorite sweetener and optional raisins or chopped dried fruit, plus cinnamon and nutmeg. Microwave for 30 seconds and enjoy!

You can use white rice or brown rice.

Nasoya has created a new product for vegetarians, vegans and others on a no meat/low meat diet.

Tofu Plus is fortified to provide 20% of the daily value of five nutrients that others get from meat: vitamins B2, B6, B12, D2 and calcium.

Replacing three ounces of meat (the size of a medium hamburger) with three ounces of Tofu Plus avoids six grams of saturated fat and 53 milligrams of cholesterol.

Tofu in general is low in saturated fat, is sodium- and cholesterol-free and is a good source of iron and phosphorus. It contains 8g of protein per serving.

Tofu Plus is certified organic. The fortified tofu is available in Firm and Extra Firm textures. Extra Firm is better for grilling, baking or stir-fry; Firm is best for salads, crumbling and scrambling.

Try this GRILLED TOFU SALAD recipe from Nasoya (find more recipes at Nasoya.com):

Tofu Plus: the same tofu flavor and texture
fortified with the nutrition of meat. Photo
courtesy Nasoya.com.

Ingredients: Marinade & Dressing
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro
• 1/2 inch of grated fresh ginger
• 1 clove of minced fresh garlic
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil

Ingredients: Salad
• 1 pkg Nasoya firm or extra firm tofu, cubed
• 1 bag spring mix or spinach
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup walnuts
• 1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced

Preparation
1. Mix the marinade and dressing ingredients. Pour over the tofu and let sit for 15 minutes to 12 hours.

2. Grill the tofu on high, flipping once there are grill marks. This will improve the texture of the tofu, making it more similar to meat. You can also pan-fry the tofu in a stovetop skillet or bake it in the oven. Once the tofu is lightly browned, let it cool.

3. Toss the tofu and the remaining dressing into your salad and enjoy!

HOW TOFU IS MADE

Tofu is made from curding soymilk, much in the same way cheese is made from milk. First soybeans are ground with water and heated. The soymilk is separated from the solids, the hot soymilk is stirred and a coagulant (a natural firming agent) is added. The curds that form are poured into a forming box (a mold) and the whey is pressed out. The pressing action forms the curd into a solid block of tofu, which is also known as bean curd. Read all about tofu.

Whole grain rice and quinoa are yours
in 45 seconds with Village Harvest. Photo
by Katharine Pollak | THE NIBBLE.

Village Harvest is “graining fans” with its frozen whole-grain rice mixes. They make eating healthy whole grains as easy as 1-2-3—or 45 seconds in the microwave. And the whole grains taste great!

There are plenty of reasons why you should switch to whole grains (digestive fiber, phytonutrients, anti-obesity—see details). But cooking whole grains from scratch is one of the more time-consuming kitchen tasks.

Now, when you walk through the door, just reach into the freezer for a pouch of pourable whole grains from Village Harvest. Measure out what you need and press Start on the microwave. The whole grains will be ready before anything else you prepare. When it comes to eating healthy whole grains, it takes a Village Harvest to make it this easy.

Choices include Brown Rice; Brown, Red, Wild Rice Medley; Quinoa; “Un” Fried Brown Rice; and Spicy Thai Brown Rice.

While each is ready-to-eat from the microwave, you can change them up with different garnishes—herbs, grated cheese or a small dice of tomato, for example. Or add grilled veggies, sliced meats, hard-cooked eggs or tofu to convert a side into a main dish.

Use it or lose it (or freeze it!). Photo
courtesy KingArthurFlour.com.

How long has that flour been in your pantry? While manufacturers are required to provide a “use by” date on the package, many people think that staples like flour will stay fresh for years.

As a rule of thumb, whole wheat flour will go rancid sooner than white enriched flour. That’s because whole grains contain the whole kernel, which in turn contains the germ. The germ contains fat (oil)—and as we all know, fat goes rancid.

So you may have some extra time with white flour, but keep an eye on the date of your whole grain flours and other whole-grain products like grits.

For longevity, you can store any type of flour in the refrigerator—or better yet, in the freezer, for up to two years. But plan ahead: Refrigerated or frozen flour must come to room temperature before it’s used.