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Life's little challenges

(article, Kim Carlson)

Follow along through the month as [/columns/kitchenlimbo "Carrie Floyd" newpage=true], Culinate's food editor, posts about her effort to eat whole grains every day, at every meal: It's the [/mix/challenge/wholegrainchallenge "Whole-Grain Challenge." newpage=true]

When Carrie floated the idea of the Whole-Grain Challenge, I'll admit: I didn't bite . . . immediately. I love my forays to the farmers' market and am grateful for the neighborhood feel of our local co-op, but honestly, planning, shopping, preparing, and getting dinner on the table often is challenge enough. 

Already, we're trying to eat closer to the source, learn more about who's growing our food, and grow some of our own. Do we really need to take on more? 

[%image reference-image float=right width=300 caption="Brown teff."] But as we talked, I was won over. Sure, I know that eating more whole grains will be good for my health (and that of my family members). But I'm looking forward to the Challenge for the variety: I'm eager to find new ways to cook grains that I've grown accustomed to, and to discover grains I'm not so familiar with (hello, teff).

I'm lucky that my children are old enough to be intrigued, rather than repulsed, by the idea of new grains. (Although one did comment on spelt's unappetizing name that it "sounds like a cross between spit and felt.")

We'll be putting up new recipes throughout the month, and learning more about what flies and doesn't fly in our kitchens. Meanwhile, take a look at the Whole-Grain Collection of recipes we've pulled together; Heidi Swanson's whole-grain recipes on 101 Cookbooks; and the recipe collection at Bob's Red Mill, a great source for grains.

In an effort to help inspire members of the challenge, throughout the month we'll be giving away copies of Whole Grains Every Day, Every Way and Bob's Red Mill Baking Book. To be eligible to win, [/mix/challenge/wholegrainchallenge#join_now "join the challenge"].

Now, off to bake bread: Ellen Jackson's no-knead whole-grain bread, to be exact, which, over the last few weeks, has become a staple at our house.


reference-image, l