On this sunny summer solstice, it is only appropriate that we enjoy the fruits of the earth and eats lots of greens and veggies. I’ve learned through my love of food and through my participation in the Group Cleanse here at All Wellness, that adding some protein to a green salad can make all the difference – in terms of flavor and feeling full.

Adding grains to your greens makes it a meal instead of just a side dish. Grains are inexpensive and often have terrific chewy textures and nutty flavors. My current favorites are: Qunioa, Red Quinoa, Wild Rice, and Oats.

Of these delicious wonders, Quinoa is the star. It has lysine, one of the nine essential amino acids. Other grains have some lysine content, but not enough to count; quinoa’s lysine content is sufficient for it to be considered a complete protein. In the battle for nutritional dominance, quinoa beats brown rice every time. It has more magnesium, potassium, phosphorous, folate, B6, iron, calcium…and the list goes on. Quinoa cooks faster than brown rice. And let’s face it, Quinoa is just cuter!

Adding to quinoa to a simple green salad adds visual appeal and creaminess. Have quinoa for breakfast and you will feel intellectually superior to corn flake eaters. Quinoa (and red quinoa) is very versatile and can be served sweet or savory. For breakfast, I’ll cook it up like oatmeal and add fresh fruit, a drop of maple syrup and cinnamon.

Wild Rice is also a winner in the nutritional boxing ring against brown rice. It has more phosphorus, more iron, more potassium, more niacin than brown rice. It has a nuttier and earthier flavor than conventional brown rice and it makes me want to travel by birch bark canoe. My latest favorite use of wild rice is in a Waldorf-style salad:

Wild Rice
Apple Slices
Walnuts (or pecans)
Chopped celery
Dried cherries or cranberries (preferably fruit-juice sweetened)
Tahini Dressing (blend: tahini, drop of maple syrup, water and/or coconut water)

Oats are popular with horses. They must be good for us, too. If you are not gluten-sensitive, oats can be awesome. Oats are an excellent source of thiamin, riboflavin, folate, B6, and magnesium. My favorite way to eat oats is for breakfast. I soak oats in fresh water over night. By the morning they are chewy and delightful. I usually eat them with fresh fruit, almond milk and a bit of honey.

Here are a couple great recipes for bringing more grains into your life:

Black Bean and Quinoa Salad

Mediterranean Rice Salad

Wheat Berry Salad

Herbed Whole Oat Salad

Sprouted Moong and Bulgur Wheat Salad

Check out this amazing recipe collection called “Eating Close to the Ground” on The Splendid Table.

image credit: recipesfrom4everykitchen.blogspot.com, wholelife.tumblr.com

16 oz / 450g extra-firm tofu, drained and patted dry

3 medium cloves garlic
scant 3/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
3 small/medium shallots
3 small serrano peppers, minced – optional
1 bunch (about 4 handfuls) of cilantro, stems trimmed
1 teaspoon natural cane sugar (or brown sugar)
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
3/4 cup / 180 ml extra-virgin olive oil

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt generously, then cook the soba noodles per package instructions, being mindful to not overcook them. Drain, run under cold water for a minute, shake of as much extra water as possible, then toss well with the olive oil. Gently work the olive oil through the noodles. Place the soba in a large plastic bag and refrigerate overnight, or until you’re ready to use them – up to a few days.

Make the dressing using a mortar and pestle OR a food processor. I used the m&p which takes a while (and provides quite the arm workout), but I prefer the end result. Pound the garlic and salt into a paste, then work in the shallots one at a time, then the peppers. Then the cilantro a handful at a time. The mixture should be quite smooth. Add the sugar, then the lime juice before stirring in the olive oil a bit at a time. Taste and adjust the flavors if need be – more salt, sugar, lime juice, etc. using the processor? Just blend it all together, then tweak the flavors a bit if needed.

Cut the tofu into slabs (see photo), rub gently with olive oil and place on a medium-hot grill. Cook until golden brown on one side, flip, and grill the other side as well.

To assemble, toss the soba noodles with a good amount of the dressing, reserving enough to drizzle generously on top of the tofu. Place the tofu on top of the noodles, and drizzle with more dressing.

1.  Emphasize foods that require little to no cooking like fresh fruits & vegetables, cold salads , nuts and seeds.

 2.  Get inspired by raw foodists – people who live a lifestyle where most, sometimes all, of their food is uncooked or not warmed above 115 degrees.  Why?  All raw foods contain enzymes, the energy of food, that are important in the process of digestion and absorption of nutrients.  Over heating and over cooking foods destroys these enzymes, preventing your body from getting the maximum benefit from the foods you eat.  There are many websites online where you can learn more about the importance of raw foods and find recipes.

 3.  When cooking indoors, cook during the coolest part of the day : early morning and at night.  If you need to cook during the day cook foods that are quick, like steamed veggies, and make a large batch so you don’t have to cook again.

 4.  Cook foods outdoors on the grill, or use your cast iron pots/pans as you would indoors.

 5.  Invest in a toaster oven: they are smaller and generate less heat.

 6.  Use your blender for smoothies, blender drinks, popsicles, and raw soups.

 7.  Learn how to ferment foods.  buy the book, wild fermentation: the flavor, nutrition and craft of live culture foods, sandor ellix katz.

This recipe is from Cooking Close to Home by Diane Imrie & Richard Jarmusz.