Recently I have been trying to spruce up my whole grains section of the plate – I have become bored with the same old selections from day to day! A great way to spice up your grains and add loads of volume without the excess calories is by mixing in herbs, vegetables and fruits. For example, which grain selection would fill you up more? One half a cup of cooked bulgur or one whole cup of tabouli(bulgur mixed with herbs and veggies)? The tabouli! If you have fallen into a whole grain slump, give the below colorful grain selections a try.

Mexican Style Brown Rice
Combine 1/2 cup cooked brown rice with 1 cup fresh pico de gallo, then top with a dollup of greek yogurt and 1 slice of avocado. Serve with grilled fajita style chicken breast flavored with minced garlic, onion and bell peppers for a definite crowd pleaser!

Roasted Vegetable Ratatouille Pasta
Roast vegetables of choice (my favorite combination is cauliflower, mushrooms, zucchini,onions and tomatoes) by thinly slicing them, add a touch of spray olive oil then sprinkle on top oregano, basil, black pepper and minced garlic. Lay out on a sheet pan and cook in the oven at about 400 degrees for roughly 25 minutes or until crispy. Then add the vegetables to half a cup of cooked whole wheat pasta and mix in 1/2 cup of tomato basil marinara sauce.

Citrus Tabouli
Combine 1/4 cup cooked bulgur with 3/4 cup of the following mixture: chopped tomatoes, chopped parsley, chives, chopped onion and thinly sliced jicama. Squeeze on top some fresh lemon and lime to taste.

Dessert for Breakfast Oats
Cook 1/2 cup oats with 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk, then pour in bowl. Add to the oats 1 full cup of sliced strawberries, 1 tablespoon of baking cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1 packet of stevia. If you want to add a bit more protein feel free to throw in a few walnuts or almond slivers or a few ounces of greek yogurt!

Please share your creative ways to spice up those grains!
-Jessica
jhummel@biggestloserresort.com