Save money, ramp up nutrition with beans, grains

(Tabouleh is a healthful, inexpensive salad. It's paired with freshly picked dandelion greens)

Good food, and good nutrition, don't have to be expensive.

Some of the most satisfying meals are made with whole grains and beans, based on a simple peasant diet of real food.

I love salads made with barley, wheat berries and bulgur. When the first mint leaves popped open, I could not wait to make a batch of tabouleh, a middle-Eastern salad of bulgur, chopped mint and parsley along with other vegetables and seasonings.

Today's Busy Cook in the Poughkeepsie Journal takes a fresh look at saving money by using beans and grains. There are recipes compiled by McClatchy-Tribune from "David's Pure Vegetarian Kitchen" by David Gabbe for Lima Bean Lasagna and a very creative vegan substitute for Parmesan cheese, which I will list here as well.

Two other recipes from Bev Utt, a wellness dietitian in Tacoma, Wash., use lentils and wheat berries to ramp up some delicious, and nutritious, salads. She recommends www.ranchogordo.com for buying heirloom beans.

Government nutritional guidelines say that eating at least 3 ounces of whole grains a day can reduce the risk of chronic disease and help maintain a healthy weight.
Whenever a grain is refined, the germ and bran are removed.
Bran contains fiber, vitamins and minerals, while the germ carries healthful antioxidants and vitamins. When those two parts of the grain are stripped away as they are from white flour and white rice you’re left with only carbohydrates and protein.
Whole grains include whole wheat flour, whole oats, wild and brown rice, whole-grain corn and barley, buckwheat, bulgur, millet and quinoa.

When cooking grains and beans, make a big batch to use in other dishes during the week. They can also be frozen for future use.

Sesame 'Parmesan’

Yield: about 3/4 cup

1. 1/2 cup raw sesame seeds (hulled)
2. 1/4 cup nutritional yeast (Red Star brand)
3. 1 teaspoon each: onion powder and garlic powder
4. 1/4 teaspoon salt
   

• Place seeds in a dry, non-stick skillet.
• Roast over medium heat, stirring constantly, until seeds become light brown and emit a fragrant aroma. Remove seeds immediately from skillet (to avoid burning) and allow to cool completely. (Another way: Spread raw sesame seeds evenly on baking sheet and bake at 300 degrees for 30 minutes, or until lightly browned, stirring after 15 minutes.)
• Place cool seeds and remaining ingredients in blender and blend until coarsely ground, stopping to stir mixture, as necessary.
• Refrigerate leftovers and use within 14 days.
  

Bev’s Greek Salad With Green Lentils

Yield: 4 servings

1. 8 cups mixed lettuce greens
2. 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
3. 1/2 cucumber, sliced into half-moons
4. 2 tomatoes, cut into wedges (optional)
5. 16 kalamata olives
6. 1 cup cooked green lentils
7. Feta cheese, crumbled on top of each serving as garnish

For the vinaigrette:

1. 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2. 3 tablespoon red wine vinegar
3. 1 clove garlic, minced
4. Salt and pepper, to taste
   

• Place all vinaigrette ingredients into a small jar with a screw-top lid. Shake to combine.
• Place salad ingredients in a large bowl.
• Pour dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine.
• Serve as a light meal with some crusty bread, or fill pita bread for a Greek salad pita pocket. Dress just before eating.
  

Ina’s Wheat Berry Salad

Yield: 6 servings

1. 1 cup hard winter wheat berries
2. Kosher salt
3. 1 cup finely diced red onion (1 onion)
4. 6 tablespoons good olive oil, divided
5. 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
6. 3 scallions, minced, white and green parts
7. 1/2 red bell pepper, small diced
8. 1 carrot, small diced
9. 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
   

• Place the wheat berries and 3 cups of boiling salted water in a saucepan and cook, uncovered, over low heat for approximately 45 minutes, or until soft. Drain.
• Saute the red onion in 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-low heat until translucent, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the remaining 4 tablespoons ( 1/4 cup) of olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
• In a large bowl, combine the warm wheat berries, sauteed onions, scallions, red bell pepper, carrot, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the pepper.
• Allow the salad to sit for at least 30 minutes for the wheat berries to absorb the sauce.
• Season to taste and serve at room temperature.