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Sure, you’ve no doubt tried brown rice, and surely you’ve eaten oatmeal, and corn.  But the list of whole grains doesn’t stop there!  There are lots of delicious variations of whole grains, all pretty simple to make.  Plus, each type of whole grain has a slightly different texture, which can add new flair to old favorites like stir-fry and pilaf.  Here are some of our favorite, lesser known, whole grains. 

Quinoa: This tender grain maintains its shape while cooking, thanks to a firm outside.  Tender and firm?  Perfect!  Quinoa has received quite the buzz over the last few years due to its protein content (about 9 grams of protein per cup of cooked quinoa).  Prepare it the same way you would rice, by combining 2 cups water and 1 cup quinoa, bringing to a boil, then covering and turning down to a simmer.  The combination of its relatively small size and texture make it faster to cook than other grains and ideal for hot breakfast cereal or as an addition to soups and stews.

Barley: You might have seen barley as the occasional fleck of white in classic canned vegetable soup, but barley deserves more attention than that!  Barley delivers both insoluble and soluble fiber (the kind that can help remove cholesterol from your body).  It’s also got a delightfully chewy, meatier texture, making it perfect to serve in a pilaf or to pair with heartier foods (the barley can hold its own!)  Whole barley has a thick outer hull that causes it to take longer to cook than many of the other grains. Although the pearled barley you find at many stores isn’t technically a whole grain because some of its bran has been removed, along with the hull, it’s much faster cooking and still has more fiber and nutrients then totally refined grains.  So, if you’re short on time, using pearled barley (or one of the other whole grains mentioned) is your best bet.

Bulgur: If you’ve ever eaten tabouli, then you’ve tasted bulgur.  This whole grain is actually the end result of chopping and pre-cooking wheat berries – so you end up with a very small, very quick cooking grain.  Since bulgur maintains a nice crunchiness, in addition to its small texture, it’s perfect for salads.  For instance, chop up cucumber, tomato, and olives and mix with chilled bulgur and drained canned salmon for a light-yet-satisfying lunch or dinner.

Wheat berries: Wheat berries are a larger grain – they’re what bulgur begins as.  Because of their larger size, and chewy/firm texture, they make the perfect base for pilaf because they can match the texture of dried fruit and nuts well.  Mix cooked wheat berries with dried cranberries and chopped pecans for a side dish.  Or, try using cooked wheat berries in place of rice in dishes like fried rice.  In addition, this versatile whole grain can be spiced up with a little cinnamon, brown sugar, raisins, and chopped apple for a dessert pilaf!

Amaranth: Chances