n our modern era rife with self-diagnosed gluten intolerance,
whole grains like millet, oats, teff, buckwheat, quinoa, amaranth,
sorghum and some others are gluten-free and thus put
the pleasures of starch consumption back on the menu. Recent
analysis has even dismantled the pretext for the so-called Paleo
diet, which eschews any form of starch on the basis that cavemen
didn’t eat it. New research shows that Stone Age pestles were dusted
with oat starch, proving our Paleolithic ancestors consumed
more than meat and wild berries.
However, health proponents stress the difference between
whole grains and refined ones like white rice, enriched wheat flour and
similar products that only contain
part of the grain and are thus less
nutritious, a lack of wholesomeness
betrayed by their bland flavor and
soft texture. A whole grain includes
everything: the bran, germ and endosperm.
Whole grains are nutrient
rich, with higher levels of vitamins,
minerals, essential fatty acids, antioxidants,
phytochemicals and fiber.
But best of all, they taste delicious,
with a richer, fuller, nuttier flavor
than refined starches and an appealing
texture to go along with all
their healthful benefits.
In the food-conscious Bay Area,
whole grains are now wearing the
mantle of yesterday’s good-for-you
ingredient, kale. Grain bowls are
ubiquitous at healthy, fast-casual
spots like Sweetgreen while highend
chefs are entranced with whole
grains like farro and freekeh, which
is green durum wheat that has been
roasted, giving it a smoky flavor.
Swanky Oak + Violet restaurant in
Menlo Park’s new Park James Hotel
serves an addictive salad made from
quinoa, tart apples, goat cheese,
grilled broccoli and hazelnuts
while the several locations of über
hip Koja Kitchen piles juicy pork
braised in miso-coconut sauce over
whole-grain brown rice, topped with
greens and garlic aioli.
Grains have long been an integral
part of the Mediterranean diet,
so look for grain options at restaurants
focusing on the cuisine from
all the countries this sea touches.
Check out the delicious tabbouleh
salad and kibbeh—delightful
76 South Bay Accent
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Koja Kitchen's juicy pork
braised in miso-coconut sauce over whole-grain brown rice
topped with greens and garlic aioli; Oak + Violet's salad
with quinoa, tart apples, goat cheese, grilled broccoli and
hazelnuts; Veggie Grill’s interior; Sweetgreen's Miso Bowl
with shredded kale, warm wild rice and roast vegetables.