The lighter side of whole grains - includes recipes and a guide to different types of grains and flour - Cover Story

Vegetarian Times, March, 1996 by Nancy Ross Ryan

One word about yeast: Except for the rapid-rise yeast specified in two recipes, if you're going to bake bread frequently, purchase commercial active dry baker's yeast in bulk. It costs about $2.40 per pound, whereas three 1/4-oz. packages cost approximately $1.20. (If you use commercial active dry baker's yeast purchased in bulk, 1 tablespoon is the rough equivalent of a 1/4-oz. package of store-bought active dry yeast.)

Now that you're baking up a storm with whole grains, what should you do with your leftovers? Crumbled biscuits and muffins make great stuffings for squash, green peppers, eggplant and tomatoes. Yeast breads can be ground into bread crumbs in a food processor and stored in the freezer. Cube and oven-toast breads for croutons. Leftover pancake batter? Thin it with extra liquid and cook thin crepes, then stack, wrap and refrigerate or freeze. All you have to do is defrost, stuff with your choice of savory filling, roll and bake for a quick entree.

Mild Chili Cornbread

This is mild enough for the tender of tongue and flavorful enough for chili-heads, who may increase the heat by adding more cayenne pepper.

1 cup yellow cornmeal 1 cup all-purpose unbleached flour. leveled but not sifted 1 Tbs. baking powder 3/4 tsp. salt 3/4 cup reconstituted powdered nonfat milk or reconstituted powdered soymilk (see glossary) 1 egg or 2 egg whites, lightly beaten 1/4 cup canola oil or light olive oil 1/4 cup honey 4-oz. can diced mild green chilies. drained 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)

PREHEAT OVEN to 425 degrees. In large bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder and salt; whisk to blend. Add milk or soymilk, beaten egg or egg whites, oil and honey. Mix lightly with fork or fold with rubber spatula to blend. Add chilies and cayenne if desired. Fold in with spatula.

Line bottom of lightly oiled 8-inch square baking pan with waxed paper square cut to fit. Lightly oil waxed paper. Scrape batter into pan. Bake until tester inserted in center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Run dinner knife or thin-blade spatula around edges to loosen. Turn out on board. Remove waxed paper. Turn right side up; cut into squares. Serve, if desired, with soup, vegetable stew or a bowl of chili beans. Good for breakfast, too. Makes 9 squares.

VARIATION: For basic cornbread, omit chilies and cayenne. PER SERVING: 200 CAL.;4GPROT. 7G FAT; 31G CARB.; 24MG CHOL.; 329MG SOD.; 2G FIBER. OVO-LACTO

Easy Drop Biscuits

Drop biscuits go right from mixing to baking, eliminating the steps of rolling and cutting. As with all quick breads, mix lightly for tender biscuits. Overmixing develops gluten, resulting in tough biscuits.

1 cup sifted whole wheat or white wheat flour 1 cup sifted unbleached all-purpose flour 1 Tbs. baking powder 1/2 tsp. salt 1/3 cup canola oil 1 cup reconstituted powdered nonfat milk or powdered soymilk (see glossary)

PREHEAT OVEN to 400 degrees. Combine flours, baking powder and salt in sifter or wire-meshed sieve. Sift together into large bowl.

In separate small bowl, combine oil and milk or soymilk. Whisk to mix and pour into flour mixture. Stir with fork or fold with rubber spatula until just mixed and dough holds together (do not overmix).