Meals made with whole grains, beans, and pasta just got easier! (Well, sort of.) You'll still have to spend time cooking them, but with the Co-op's new Bulk Foods Cooking Instructions, you won't have to go searching for basic recipes. Copies of the Instructions can be downloaded from the Co-op's Web site (www.moscowfood.coop) or picked up by the bulk bins across from the Produce Department.

The National Academy of Science recently recommended exercise and a diet consisting of a high percentage of complex carbohydrates in the form of whole grains, pasta, and beans to achieve optimum health. Here are a few recipes showcasing some of the Co-op's bulk foods. Happy healthy eating!

FourGrain Medley

½ cup millet
½ cup quinoa
½ cup couscous
1 cup corn
3 cups water
2 Tbs toasted sunflower seeds
pinch of sea salt

Place couscous in a medium sized bowl. Bring water and salt to a boil. Add corn and simmer for 3 minutes. Pour off 1 cup water through a strainer and add to the bowl containing the couscous. Cover with a plate and set aside.

Return remaining water and corn to a boil. Stir in millet and quinoa. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until water has been absorbed. Gently mix grains and seeds together and serve.

Red Bean Sauce

1 3" strip of kombu, soaked and diced
1 cup kidney and/or pinto beans, soaked 8 hrs
2 cups water
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 bay leaf
2 tsp unrefined oil
1 Tbs garlic, minced
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried sage
1 tsp dried ginger
1/8 tsp black pepper
½ tsp cumin
¼ tsp sea salt

Place kombu on the bottom of a medium saucepan. Layer onion, carrot, celery, bay leaf, and beans. Add water and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer about 1 hour, until beans are soft.

Heat oil over medium high heat. Sauté garlic and spices for 2 minutes. Mix contents of the skillet with the beans. Heat through and serve over brown rice.

Spicy Noodles and Veggies

3 qts water
8 oz carrots, sliced
4 cups broccoli, cut in bite-sized pieces
2 cups fusilli or fettuccini pasta
3 scallions, thickly sliced
1 Tbs grated ginger
2 Tbs peanut butter
1 Tbs shoyu
2 Tbs rice vinegar
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp dry mustard
black pepper, to taste
cayenne pepper, to taste

Boil water for pasta. Cook pasta and carrots for 5 min, then add the broccoli and cook 5 minutes more. Mix ginger, peanut butter, shoyu, vinegar, oil, mustard, and peppers in a suribachi. Drain pasta and veggies, reserving ½ cup liquid. Add to the sauce. Return pasta and veggies to the pot, then stir in scallions and sauce.

"Peg Kingery loves cooking with grains and beans! Her kitchen pantry is well stocked with colorful jars containing many of the Co-op's bulk foods."

Copyright: Copyright on articles, recipes and images are jointly held by the Moscow Food Co-op and the respective contributors, except were otherwise noted.

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