Finegold - Super grains & seeds : wholesome ways to enjoy super foods every day

super grains & seeds super grains & seeds wholesome ways to enjoy super foods every day Amy Ruth Finegold Photography by Clare Winfield Senior Designer Sonya Nathoo Commissioning Editor Stephanie Milner Production Manager Gary Hayes Art Director Leslie Harrington Editorial Director Julia Charles Prop Stylist Joanna Harris Food Stylist Rosie Reynolds Indexer Sandra Shotter First published in 2014 by Ryland Peters & Small 2021 Jockeys Fields, London WC1R 4BW and 519 Broadway, 5th Floor, New York NY 10012 www.rylandpeters.com 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Text Amy Ruth Finegold 2014 Design and photographs Ryland Peters & Small 2014 eISBN: 978-1-84975-683-9 ISBN: 978-1-84975-488-0 The authors moral rights have been asserted. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher. A CIP record for this book is available from the British Library. A CIP record for this book is available from the US Library of Congress. Notes All spoon measurements are level unless otherwise specified.

All eggs are medium (UK) or large (US) unless otherwise specified. Ovens should be preheated to the specified temperatures. All ovens work slightly differently. We recommend using an oven thermometer and suggest you consult the makers handbook for any special instructions, particularly if you are cooking in a fan-assisted/convection oven, as you will need to adjust temperatures according to manufacturers instructions. Printed and bound in China contents

This book isnt just a journey of travel and cuisine, its a journey of my own health. Having struggled with digestion and related health problems for over 20 years, I have learnt that digestive health is at the core of our well-being.

I am not a doctor, but I am a patient. A doctor could suggest what to do, but it was my body that had the answer. The field of gastroenterology offered plenty of abstract diagnoses, but had no real answers, so as a teenager I took matters into my own hands. Trial, error and motivation were the tools I used to discover the path to my own health. I went through my early adult life as a childhood educator, with a hidden passion for healthy cooking. I was accumulating a vast amount of nutritional knowledge that so many people were just beginning to explore.

There are dozens of digestive ailments and diseases that can be significantly improved with the right diet. My diet is high in the foods of this book and also mostly dairy-, sugar-, and gluten-free. With help from doctors, taking influence from Eastern medicine and common sense, I taught myself how to eat focusing on mind, body and balance. I believe we should eat foods that come from the earth. Foods that are natural and ironically ancient. Quinoa was my first passion.

Then came amaranth, millet and rice. The flours from these grains captured my interest and I became an expert on gluten-free flours. I made baking mixes solely for my own use, so I could eat and make muffins to share with friends. After my son, Jake, was born, selling my gluten-free baking mixes was a natural progression. The need was there and the health market continues to explode with superfoods and ancient grains. For the past 8 years, I travelled extensively, spending most of my time in London, New York and California.

As such, there are many different ingredients and cuisines represented in this book. What excited me most in my travels was how different parts of the world use grains in various ways. Indian cuisine takes flour from chickpeas and uses it to make pancakes. Head over to Turkey and bulgur is the staple in their diet. I had fun drawing from my travels and incorporating them into this book. From Moroccan chicken tagines to Californias roasted kombucha squash, I've dressed these grains up for everyone to enjoy.

Wholegrains and seeds are no longer a trend they are here to stay. The staple of many ancient cultures, cafs in all major cities now serve wholegrain salads and seeded bread. Some of these grains and seeds are even called superfoods because they are very high in nutrients, protein and fibre. Even better is that they have the nutrition and taste to stand alone as a meal. I feel part of this health food revolution and the recipes in this book are a true reflection of the meals I eat. I love teaching people what I know.

Ive had to suffer a great deal to be in this position of helping people. Its part of who I am, its the journey that was handed to me. I feel honoured to have achieved this. If even one recipe has inspired you or given you the knowledge to make a change for your own health or of someone that you love, then this book is already a success.

This book focuses on whole grains and seeds, which form the main part of my diet, along with fruits, vegetables, healthy fats and protein. I chose the grains and seeds that feature because of their health benefits, accessibility and versatility.

Ive divided the grains into those that contain gluten and those that are gluten-free. A gluten-free substitute is noted alongside any recipe in this book that uses a grain containing gluten for those who are avoiding gluten altogether. cooking grains Cooking grains can seem intimidating but they are more forgiving than we think. To simplify, there are two general ways to cook grains. One is the absorption method where grains are cooked slowly in a specific amount of liquid until tender. I use this for quinoa, millet, amaranth and bulgur.

The other way is the pasta method, where grains are cooked in an abundance of water and then drained once cooked. I recommend this for firmer grains, including barley, buckwheat, farro and wheatberries. For the more experienced chef, there is also the toast absorption method a variation of the absorption method where you toast the grains before the liquid is added to increase the amount of flavour in a dish.