6 • THE CAMBERWELL CITIZEN • ISSUE #10
GOOD-FOR-YOU GRAINS As the temperature cools, and autumn transitions us into winter, we begin to crave more wholesome and comforting foods. So, it’s time to get to grips with grains – nourishing, filling, nutrition‑dense food that’s easy to find and simple to cook.
OATS
QUINOA
BUCKWHEAT
This popular flaked grain is high in nutritional value, especially fibre, magnesium and zinc. The less processed varieties (oat groats or steelcut oats) have a lower GI.
Pronounced “keen-wa”, this seed of an edible flour has become a widely used wheat-free alternative to starchy grains. It has a low GI, high protein content, and is a good source of B vitamins, calcium, magnesium and manganese. The seeds become fluffy but retain a slight crunch when cooked.
Buckwheat seeds are dark brown, almost triangular in shape, and is known as a ‘pseudocereal’ – seeds that are consumed as cereal grains but don’t grow on grasses. It is a good source of protein, fibre, and energy, and is gluten free, making it a great nutritional source for people with coeliac disease or gluten intolerances.
Make: Cook oats, or soak overnight, for a hearthealthy breakfast, topped with fruit, seeds and even a topping of Greek yogurt. Or grind oats to a flour for baking, or replace rice in your risotto with groats or steel-cut oats.
CITIZEN
Make: Cook quinoa and add to a salad, or use in place of rice or couscous in a range of dishes.
Make: Buckwheat porridge for breakfast, add to a salad or stir-fry, or use buckwheat flour for baking muffins.
