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Ask the Expert: Maggie Gilbert
Advice on Grains – UHC TV
So here’s a question: I just stare at the rice and grain section, and I don’t know what to get. It’s confusing and overwhelming.
I get that. I’m going to give you a couple of quick ideas that you can grab, that might be a little different from things you’ve been making up till now.
So, two of my favorite things in the rice department are jasmati or basmati rice, which I adore, and Arborio rice.
Basmati is a rice that you often see in Indian cooking and it’s very fragrant. It really smells good. When you cook it, it stays very separate, it’s very easy to cook it – you cook it the two liquid to one rice ratio that you use for most rices – very easy to cook.
Another one is Arborio. Arborio is an Italian rice that’s very thick and chunky and very starchy. So you cook that for something like risotto, which is made by slowly, slowly adding hot liquid, and when it’s done, it becomes very creamy. It’s a wonderful go-to dinner. I make that all the time. It takes a little bit longer than some things, but it’s so so worth it.
So, now let’s talk couscous. Couscous is a wonderful grain. And actually, it’s not a grain. It’s a tiny little pasta. There’s no couscous tree that you find. It’s a little teeny pasta that cooks in five minutes.
The most basic way you cook couscous is to put some in a pan, pour in boiling water, cover it, and let it sit without the heat on for five minutes. So from there, you can take it in all kinds of directions.
You can sauté it in a little olive oil, add hot chicken broth to add some flavorings like curry, salt and pepper, you could add dried fruit, like golden raisins, and maybe some green onions, and make a killer, fabulous side dish.
So those are my suggestions for a few new grains that you might like to try.
Ask the Expert
Dazed and Confused in the Grains Aisle
Question: There are so many grains in the rice and grain aisle. What should I buy?
Answer from: Maggie Gilbert, cooking expert
Start with these three basics. You can branch out from there.
The content of these videos is for information only and is not intended to be medical advice. Refer to your health plan benefit guide for coverage details, and consult with your doctor to determine what is best for you.
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