Looking for an alternative to rice or potatoes? If so, try one of the nutrient-rich ancient grains instead. With winter’s chilly days upon us, you’ll find these whole grains are not only comforting and tasty, but an excellent source of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and protein. So make room for faro, quinoa, millet and kamut, just some of the centuries-old super grains of the past.

While these historical grains will not replace America’s two favorite starches—rice and potatoes—it might be fun to start your new year by choosing a grain that sounds interesting and adding it to your grocery list. Many rare grains are now widely available in your local supermarkets and natural food stores as well as online. For historical background information, cooking guides and delicious recipes, visit www.worldgrainscouncil.org, www.bobsredmill.com and www.kingarthurflour.com.

Once you've tried an ancient grain and found a few ways to incorporate it into your diet, consider adding another in the same manner. You will be on your way to reaching your goal of 25 to 30 grams of delicious fiber a day. For something new, different, and highly nutritious in your diet, go for the grain, and have fun experimenting with your favorite recipes!

Amaranth

is technically both a vegetable and a grain. (The leaves of the plant are the vegetable and the seeds are the grain.) Amaranth is cooked as a cereal, popped like popcorn, sprouted, toasted or ground into flour for use in baked goods and pastas. The grain cooks easily and quickly and always retains its shape.

Farro

Farro is often confused with spelt because the appearance is so similar, but farro and spelt are two distinctly different grains. Farro, less common than spelt, may be more difficult to find and has a nutty flavor, similar to oats and barley. When cooked, farro has a firm, chewy texture. Try it in dishes such as pilaf, risotto or cold salads.  

Kamut

Kamut is the only grain with a trademark, and because of the trademark, it’s always organic. You’ll find it in every form you find wheat: berries, cracked, rolled, flakes, puffed, and ground into flour. It has a sweet, buttery flavor, and though it contains gluten, it seems tolerable by many people with gluten allergies. If you are allergic or sensitive to wheat, this may be the perfect wheat substitute, but check with your doctor first before you try it.

Kasha

Kasha (or buckwheat groats) is a gluten-free grain made from hulled and crushed buckwheat that has been toasted. Used in sweet or savory preparations, kasha has a distinctively rich, nutty flavor. It’s delicious as a filling for blintzes and knishes. Serve kasha as a side dish or enjoy it as a stuffing or in salads.

Millet

Millet is technically a seed but from a culinary perspective, classified as a grain. This mild-tasting, versatile grain benefits from lightly roasting the grains in a dry pan before cooking. Easily digestible, millet is delicious as a cooked cereal and in breads, pilafs or stuffings. Additionally, since millet is gluten-free, it’s a wonderful grain alternative for people who are gluten-sensitive.

Spelt

Spelt is not just a "good-for-you" grain. It has a sweet, nutty chewiness that tastes a little like barley. The grains stay fluffy and distinct when cooked al dente. Since it is a type of wheat, it’s not gluten-free, but the high protein and fiber content make it a great addition to your meals. Quick and easy to cook, I like to cook it like risotto and throw in any seasonal ingredients I have around. Last week I made a spelt risotto with Meyer lemon, spinach and feta—yum! Try it in a salad or with curry or greens.

Quinoa

Gluten-free and easy to digest, quinoa (pronounced keen-wa) has long been referred to as a "super grain” and with good reason. It is the only grain in the world known to be a complete protein, containing all eight essential amino acids. Quinoa is the seed of a plant related to leafy greens, but considered grain. Cooked quinoa seeds are fluffy and creamy, yet slightly crunchy. It has a delicate, somewhat nutty flavor. Quinoa has a natural coat that acts as an insect repellant—saponin. Because saponin can add a bitter flavor if not removed, you should thoroughly rinse the grain until the water runs clear even though most quinoa now on the market has been prewashed. While the most popular type of quinoa is a transparent yellow color, other varieties feature colors such as orange, pink, red, purple or black. In fact, there are about 1,800 varieties of the grain! From a salad stuffed in a chilled avocado to a dried fruit and quinoa stuffed squash, the possibilities are endless.

Teff

The ancient grain of Ethiopia, teff grains are the smallest in the world. A single grain of wheat weighs the same as 150 teff grains! The grain has a slightly sweet, nutty taste. Use it as a thickener for soups and stews or throw it in a vegetable stir fry to increase the protein content. Add teff flour to baked goods such as cookies, pancakes, breads and muffins. Teff flour is the primary ingredient of injera, a spongy Ethiopian flatbread. Since it contains no gluten, it is suitable for those with gluten intolerance.

Here’s a hearty warm salad that we created in a recent holiday cooking class.