Rice & Grains

Why shell out $5 when you can make energy bars at home? Packed with tons of flavor and punch, this DIY super snack will power you throughout the day. The dried prunes in this recipe give the bars a chewy consistency with the ground pistachios function as both a nutrient-rich building block that lends structure and  as a textural element that conveniently contains good fats and proteins to keep you satisfied. Pro tip: Rinse your hands under cool water or give them a quick shot of non-stick spray..…

This recipe comes from the November 1989 issue and is part of our Thanksgiving Hall of Fame series. Pork and pumpkin plus spicy chorizo sausage, hominy and jalapeño make this stew a standout. Freshly toasted and ground cumin adds fragrance and flavor.

Boiling farro in apple cider—a move from New York restaurant Charlie Bird— infuses grains with character.

Turmeric or cinnamon? Nuts or raisins? The players may change, but the fundamentals of fluffy, fragrant jasmine rice pilaf are always the same.

Using whole walnuts means there's more area for the seeds to get stuck and add crunch.

For a slightly more virtuous quick bread—more like breakfast, less like dessert—reduce the amount of granulated sugar to one cup. 

This recipe will convince you that a savory breakfast can be a wonderful thing.

Loaded with oats and bananas, this is a great treat to have on hand after soccer or baseball practice.

This rendition should be sticky enough to hold together lightly, but with defined grains.

Kefir, a slightly looser, tangier version of yogurt is worth including in your breakfast rotation. Perfect blended in smoothies, with granola, or here in this breakfast jar.

Maitake mushrooms are a tasty addition to this meatless meal. Cooking them until they are crisp around the edges will give them a delicate crunch.

Refrigerated resting is key to these burgers’ success. Air-chilling helps dry the burgers out slightly so they stick together in the skillet.

Brown rice—higher in fiber and other nutrients than its white counterpart—is the perfect vehicle for this quick, protein-heavy lunch.

A new restaurant trend, these grain, nut, and seed clusters add a satisfying crunch and healthy hit to salads, veggies, and more.

In addition to being deliciously nutty, quinoa is a complete protein—but you knew that already, right? If you can’t find red, the white variety will work just as well in this tangy, wilted salad.

Mujadarra is a popular Middle Eastern side dish comprised of lentils and rice. Here, it's perfumed with cumin and finished with yogurt. Serve along side roasted chicken or with a fried egg as a meal on its own.

Grain salads, like this herb-spiked one made with smoky freekeh, come together instantly with leftovers—reason enough to cook off a batch on Sundays.

For a moist cake, be sure to use finely ground polenta labeled “quick-cooking” or “instant”; cooking times listed on the package will be five minutes or less.

Toasting the barley before cooking it adds another nutty dimension to the grain. This technique also works great with things like farro, spelt, and couscous.