The Main Grain

Main dishes don’t have to be meat, fish or chicken. Consider this pilaf with fresh vegetables, garbanzo beans and nutty grains. It makes a hearty, satisfying meal--and it’s low in fat, high in fiber.

It uses Kashi pilaf mix, available in the breakfast foods and cereal section of many grocery stores and health food stores. If you have trouble finding it, substitute a combination of equal quantities whole oats, long-grain brown rice, whole rye, whole hard red winter wheat, whole triticale, whole buckwheat, whole barley and sesame seeds. The cooking time, however, must be increased if you do this. You can also try seven-grain cereal, sold in many health food stores.

*

PILAF WITH ASSORTED VEGETABLES

Nonstick cooking spray

1/2 cup minced onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 pound mushrooms, chopped

1 (1 pound, 3 1/2-ounce) box seven whole grains and sesame pilaf, about 2 cups

2 cups water

2 cups chicken broth

2 teaspoon salt

1 (15 1/2-ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

3/4 pound broccoli florets, steamed

2 large carrots, peeled, sliced diagonally and steamed

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped basil

The pilaf is great served with fresh yogurt and a sprinkle of lemon.

Spray large saucepan with nonstick cooking spray. Add onion and garlic and saute until onion begins to brown. Add mushrooms and continue to cook until mushrooms are tender. Stir in pilaf mix and cook until grains are lightly toasted, several minutes.

Add water, broth and salt. Bring to boil, reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer just until water is absorbed, 25 to 30 minutes. Stir in garbanzo beans and steamed broccoli and carrots. Stir in chopped basil.

Makes 8 servings.

Each serving contains about:

362 calories; 990 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 6 grams fat; 64 grams carbohydrates; 15 grams protein; 10.70 grams fiber.