No Grain, No Gain

Even a casual glance at the new food pyramids--either the official one from the U.S. Department of Agriculture that replaced the four food groups or the Mediterranean diet version promoted by olive oil makers--makes it clear that grains are increasingly important in the ‘90s.

These three grain-based recipes show that foods made with fresh healthy ingredients and an awareness of flavor (and fat) can result in dishes that give great satisfaction to the cook.

The wild rice and bulgur pilaf with dried cranberries can stand alone as a main vegetarian dish or accompany simply roasted poultry, game or meat entrees. The southwestern rice, bean and corn soup is loaded with spinach greens that perk up the taste and appearance of the soup. The barley salad with spicy sausage, peas, celery and carrots is a great lunch or light supper dish.

WILD RICE AND BULGUR PILAF WITH DRIED CRANBERRIES

This pilaf combination is crunchy and satisfying. The secret to bulgur wheat (wheat kernels that have been steamed, dried and crushed) is to use just the right amount of liquid to cook the wheat so that the grains remain separate instead of becoming gummy and gluey. Since wild rice can take up to 1 hour to cook, cook more than you need for one meal; it freezes well.

COOKED WILD RICE

2 cups wild rice

1 quart water

Rinse wild rice under running water. Place in 2-quart saucepan with water and bring to boil. Simmer, covered, until rice is done to taste (it can be al dente or soft and fluffy), 40 to 60 minutes, depending on rice and desired doneness. Can be refrigerated up to 3 days or frozen as long as 2 months. Makes 5 to 6 cups.

PILAF

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped (about 1 cup)

1/2 cup diced celery

1/3 cup dried cranberries

3/4 cup bulgur wheat

2 cups Cooked Wild Rice

1 (13 1/2-ounce) can vegetable broth or low-sodium chicken broth

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

2 green onions, sliced thin (about 1/2 cup)

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery, cranberries and bulgur wheat. Cook until wheat is browned, 3 to 4 minutes, stirring often to prevent burning.

Add Cooked Wild Rice, broth and thyme. Stir well. Simmer, covered, until wheat is cooked (it will be chewy, not tender), about 15 minutes. Stir in green onions. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Can be served immediately or made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated, well-covered. To reheat, bake, covered, at 350 degrees 45 minutes. Adjust seasoning. Serve hot.

Makes 6 servings.

Each serving contains about:

177 calories; 253 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 1 gram fat; 38 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams protein; 2.07 grams fiber.

BARLEY SALAD WITH SPICY SAUSAGE, PEAS, CELERY AND CARROTS SALAD

Quick-cooking barley takes only 10 minutes to cook and it has an appealing texture. If you substitute regular barley, cook more than you need (since it takes 45 to 50 minutes) and freeze the excess.

SALAD

1/2 cup quick-cooking barley

1/2 pound low-fat spicy smoked sausage, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1/2 pound mushrooms, stems trimmed, quartered (about 2 cups)

1 large stalk celery, diced (about 1/2 cup)

1/4 cup diced red onion

1 cup frozen tiny peas, thawed

1 cup diced carrots

Mixed salad greens

Cook quick-cooking barley in water to cover according to package directions (about 10 minutes) and drain. Set aside.

Cook sausage pieces in 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until browned. Use slotted spoon to remove sausage and set aside on paper towels. Blot any excess fat.

Place cooked barley, sausage, mushrooms, celery, onion, peas and carrots in large bowl. Add Basic Vinaigrette and toss salad to combine. Salad can be served warm, at room temperature or chilled. To serve, place greens on plate and mound salad on top.

BASIC VINAIGRETTE

1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon

1/4 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground pepper

Place vinegar, olive oil, water, mustard, tarragon, salt and pepper to taste in small bowl. Mix well.

Makes about 4 1/2 cups, 4 main course servings.

Each serving contains about:

365 calories; 700 mg sodium; 19 mg cholesterol; 20 grams fat; 33 grams carbohydrates; 16 grams protein; 2.19 grams fiber.

SOUTHWESTERN RICE, BEAN AND CORN SOUP WITH SPINACH GREENS AND SALSA

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 red onion, minced (about 2 cups)

1/3 cup rice

3 (13 1/2-ounce) cans low-sodium chicken broth

1/2 to 2 cups water

2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup fresh, canned or frozen corn kernels

3/4 teaspoon ground cumin

4 cups packed flat spinach leaves (1 medium bunch), washed, cut into wide strips

1/2 cup cilantro leaves

1/2 cup tomato salsa

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

3/4 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, optional

Heat oil in 4-quart pot over medium-high heat. When hot, add onion and rice. Cook until rice is lightly browned, about 4 minutes, stirring often to prevent burning.

Add broth, 1/2 cup water, beans, corn and cumin. Bring to a boil. Simmer, covered, until rice is tender, 15 to 18 minutes. Add spinach leaves, cilantro and salsa. Stir well. Adjust liquid with water as needed (soup should be thick but flowing). Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with cheese, if desired.

Makes 8 to 12 servings.

Each of 8 servings, without cheese, contains about:

158 calories; 998 mg sodium; 15 mg cholesterol; 3 grams fat; 30 grams carbohydrates; 9 grams protein; 0.53 gram fiber.