For our tenth anniversary of celebrating Whole Grains Month in September, we got to wondering which of the hundreds of whole grain recipes on the Oldways and Whole Grains Council sites have been the most beloved. With a drumroll sounding in the background, we dove into the numbers to and out which recipes you’ve clicked-and-picked the most.
What did we and Oldways followers really love their ancient grains: spelt, amaranth, quinoa, tea, and sorghum all gured heavily in those favorites. Tantalize your tastebuds with a tour of our Top Ten, then get thee to the nearest kitchen and see why these were everyones favorites!
#1 Simple Spelt Pancakes
Way out ahead in popularity, these pancakes are from a classic King Arthur Flour Company recipe. You can make them with just seven ingredients. Recipe
#2 Blueberry Amaranth Porridge
Our second most popular recipe is also a breakfast choice: a hot cereal made from amaranth. Even if you love oatmeal like we do, change things up and try other grains for a good start to your morning. Amaranth is an especially creamy grain, so its perfect for porridge (not so much for pilafs). Seven ingredients again. How simple can it get Recipe
#3 Tangy Quinoa Salad
Time for lunch now. Like our top two favorites, this recipe takes about 30 minutes, but half of that is waiting for the quinoa to cool. Orange juice and lime juice add the tang to a simple mix of quinoa and chopped vegetables. Recipe
#4 Amaranth Banana Walnut Bread
Classic banana bread gets even more interesting when amaranth flour pairs with whole wheat. Throw everything in a bowl. Mix. Bake. Enjoy. Recipe
#5 Amaranth Polenta with Wild Mushrooms
Yeah, we were a bit surprised too, to learn that three of our top five recipes featured amaranth. Next time anyone asks us Whats going to be the next quinoa our answer will definitely be amaranth. Serve this polenta, with its deep, earthy flavor, with poultry or game. Recipe
Running just behind our top five were these recipes, reinforcing the delight our web visitors take in exploring grains beyond the better-known wheat, rice and corn.
#6 Quinoa Crusted Chicken Fingers |
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Not your standard chicken nuggets! Quinoa adds extra crunch. Dip chicken pieces in egg white than in a mix of quinoa and breadcrumbs (3:1 ratio). Brown in a little oil and dinner is on the table in 20 minutes. Recipe |
#7 Sprouted Sandwich Bread and Rolls |
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Sprouted grains are another popular trend. Turns out bread baked with sprouted whole wheat rises more easily, and is higher in some nutrients. You can often substitute sprouted flour one-for-one in your old refined-flour recipes, without the adjustments in other ingredients that may be necessary with unsprouted whole wheat flour. How cool is that Recipe |
#8 Ethiopian Tea Veggie Loaf |
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Tea is a tiny grain thats a staple in Ethiopia and nearby countries. In this recipe, yams and collards combine with tea, herbs, and spices, creating a beautiful mosaic pattern in this robust grain loaf. Serve as a side dish or as a vegetarian main dish. Recipe |
#9 Sorghum Bread |
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If you need a gluten-free diet for medical reasons but you’re tired of paying high prices for GF bread, try this recipe, made with sorghum. Recipe |
#10 Creamy Cannelini Bean and Amaranth Soup |
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A quarter of all our pageviews for soups belong to this wonderful bean soup, thickened with amaranth. For a super-thick and creamy soup, puree all of the soup rather than leaving half of the beans whole. Recipe |
One reason that some of these recipes made our top ten was that theyve been posted longer, a few since we launched the Whole Grains Councils recipe collection in 2007. When we limit our search to the most popular recipes in the last year, here are a few newer ones that come out on top:
Curried Sweet Potato and Millet Soup
Portobello Mushrooms Stuffed with Wild Rice
Millet Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
Freekeh with Roasted Butternut Squash and Dried Cranberries
Celebrate Whole Grains Month by trying something new today.
Cynthia Harriman, Oldways Director of Food & Nutrition Strategy
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