The Spreadsheet Diet

July 11th, 2010 · 5 Comments · Posted in Recipes, Wellness

A reader recently sent me an e-mail asking if I had internet links to portions of an article I wrote more than four years ago for The Washington Post food sectioni called “The Spreadsheet Diet.”

The article was a lesson in how to free yourself from recipes and use a multitude of whole grains, nuts, dried fruits, herbs, simple vegetables and other ingredients in combination to create any number of healthful dishes out of your own imagination. The back story to the article was amusing. It sprang for a simple telephone conversation I was having with the then-editor of the food section. She called to see what I was doing lately, fishing for story ideas. I told her about a personal chef client I had who was kind of a picky eater, and how I went about foraging in my pantry to make dishes he would actually eat.

It had not occurred to me that I had created a revolutionary way to cook with categories of ingredients. But voila: The Spreadsheet Diet.

Rebecca Whitlock, author of the Healthy, Green, & Frugal blog, reminded me of that episode when she sent an e-mail asking my permission to write about The Spreadsheet Diet. She had a link to the electronic version of the main article in the Washington Post archives. “Unfortunately,” she wrote, “I don’t think the article still contains links to the sections titled, ‘How it Works’ or ‘Spreadsheet Categories’ or any of the awesome recipes. Any thoughts on where I can find those documents online?”

I didn’t know where she could find those links, either. But she went ahead and wrote her blog post, which you can read here.

I don’t eat grains or legumes or other starchy carbs any more if I can help it. But I recognize that many people consider these foods extremely healthful, and I  agree: if you are going to eat carbohydrates, focus on whole grains and legumes with lots of fiber, Avoid sugar, refined grains and other starchy foods (french fries!) at all costs. And here, Rebecca, is the text for some of those recipes from my personal files. Enjoy!

Hulled Barley with Carrots, Raisins & Walnuts

Serves 8

Barley may be a top candidate for least appreciated of grains. And hulled barley, the least refined form of the grain, contains much more beneficial fiber and nutrients than the more readily available pearl barley, so-called because it goes through several scrubbings to completely remove the grain’s hull and give it a pearl-like appearance. Hulled barley has a mildly nutty taste and a pleasantly chewy texture. It is an easy companion for dried fruits, herbs and aromatic vegetables. For sources, check your local health food store or online, where it sells for a little more than $1 a pound. Or substitute pearl barley. 

1 1/4 cups hulled barley (or substitute pearl barley)

salt

2 medium carrots, peeled and coarsely grated

½  cup coarsely chopped walnut pieces

¼ cup black raisins

¼ golden raisins

2 large shallots, pealed and finely chopped

1 bunch scallions, white and tender green parts only, thinly sliced

1 large stalk celery, diced small

1/3 cup coarsely chopped Italian parsley

Leaves from 1 or 2 sprigs hyssop or leman balm, finely chopped (optional)

1 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, or to taste

1 ½ tablespoons white wine vinegar, or to taste

Salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste 

          Bring a kettle of water to boil, reduce heat and allow to simmer. Place barley in a medium sauce pan over high heat, cover with hot water from the kettle to a depth of 1/2 inch and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer gently, adding a splash or two of hot water as needed. Barley is done when all of the water is absorbed and the grains are plump and tender. Set aside to cool.

          In a large mixing bowl, stir together the cooked barley, carrots, walnuts, raisins, shallots, scallions, parsley and herbs. Add olive oil and vinegar. Mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature. Can be made two or three days ahead and refrigerated in a tightly sealed container.

 

Brown Rice Pilaf with Roasted Cauliflower, Dried Fruits and Cashews

Serves 8

          Over the millennia, people have sought out white rice and other highly polished grains as a sign of wealth and prestige. They regarded whole grains as poverty food. Well, it turns out the poor folks were getting all the flavor and nutrition. So it is with this Indian inspired dish, in which unprocessed brown rice teams with cauliflower roasted with cumin and turmeric. The rice I prefer, Lundberg Wehani, from Lundberg Family Farms in Richvale, CA, is worth seeking out. It has a deep chestnut color, rich flavor and easy texture. A possible substitute would be red rice. Conventional brown rice comes in a distant third in my book.

          For the cauliflower:

          1 head cauliflower, cored and split into individual florets

          Extra virgin olive oil

          Salt

          1 teaspoon ground cumin

          1 teaspoon turmeric

          Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

          In a large mixing bowl, toss the cauliflower with just enough olive oil to coat. Season generously with salt. Dust the cauliflower with cumin and turmeric and toss thoroughly. Spread cauliflower on a baking sheet and place on an upper rack in the over. Roast, turning the cauliflower once or twice so it doesn’t burn, or until the florets are cooked through and deeply browned in places, about 25 minutes. Place baking sheet on a cooling rack and set aside.

          For the pilaf:

          1 ¼ unprocessed brown rice, such as Lundberg Wehani (or substitute red rice, such as Lotus Foods’ Bhutanese Red Rice)

          1 ½ cups coarsely chopped roasted cauliflower (from recipe above)

          ½ cup coarsely chopped unroasted, unsalted cashews

          1/3 cup dark raisins

          1/3 cup dried apricots, diced small

          1/3 cup coarsely chopped cilantro leaves

          1/3 cup coarsely chopped mint leaves

          Juice of ½ lemon, or to taste

          1 ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, or to taste

          Salt to taste

          Freshly ground black pepper to taste

          Bring a kettle of water to boil, reduce heat and simmer. Meanwhile, place brown rice with a generous pinch of salt in a small saucepan over high heat. Cover with hot water from the kettle to a depth of ½ inch. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer gently, adding a splash or two or hot water as needed. Rice is done when water is completely absorbed and grains are plump and tender. Set aside to cool.

          In a large mixing bowl, mix together cooked rice, cauliflower, cashews, raisins, apricots, cilantro and mint. Add lemon juice and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature. Can be made two or three days ahead and refrigerated in a tightly sealed container. 

Wheat Berry and Chickpea Salad with Olives and Feta Cheese

Serves 8

          This dish, with its flavors of olives, artichokes, roasted red peppers and feta cheese, transports me to a small, sun-baked taverna somewhere overlooking the Mediterranean. Give me a grilled fish and a pitcher of cold white wine and I would be set. Wheat berry is the whole grain of wheat, before it has been processed into bran, germ or flour. Some recipes call for soaking the berries before cooking. But I’ve never had any trouble cooking them in less than an hour in lightly salted water. They have a lightly nutty flavor and pleasant chew, are relatively inexpensive and are readily available in bulk at Whole Foods and health food stores.

          1 cup wheat berries

          salt

          1 cup cooked (or canned) chickpeas

          2/3 cup crumbled Feta cheese

          ½ cup well seasoned, oil-cured black olives, pits removed, then measured and coarsely chopped

          ½ cup coarsely chopped marinated artichokes

          ½ cup coarsely chopped radicchio leaves

          ½ cup coarsely chopped arugula

          1/3 cup roasted red peppers, diced small

          10 cherry tomatoes, halved

          Juice from ½ lemon, or to taste

          1 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, or to taste

          Salt to taste

          Freshly ground black pepper to taste

          Bring a kettle of water to boil, then reduce heat and allow to simmer. Meanwhile, place wheat berries in a small sauce pan with a generous pinch of salt over high heat. Cover with hot water from the kettle to a depth of ½ inch. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer gently, adding a splash or two of hot water as needed. Berries are done when all the water is absorbed and the grains are plump and tender. Set aside to cool.

          In a large mixing bowl, mix together cooked wheat berries, chickpeas, Feta cheese, olives, artichokes, radicchio, arugula, roasted peppers and tomatoes. Add lemon juice and olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature. Can be made two or three days ahead without the Feta cheese and refrigerated in a tightly sealed container. If making ahead, add Feta cheese just before serving.

 

Bulgur and Lentil Pilaf with Fava Beans

Serves 8

          The combination of bulgur—a pre-cooked version of cracked whole wheat kernels—and lentils make this a satisfying dish on its own. Cherry tomatoes, fava beans, mint and fennel inject some lighter accents. I use the dark green, French Puy lentils because they maintain a firm texture even after they’re cooked. The easiest fava beans to work with are frozen, usually available in Middle Eastern and Latin markets. They’re already shelled, but enclosed in a membrane. To get at the beans, first cook them in their membranes in boiling water for about 30 seconds. Remove the beans with a slotted spoon and chill them in a bowl of cold water. (The beans should be just cooked through, not mushy.) Using the tip of a paring knife, slice the membrane open and squeeze out the bean. If this seems like too much bother, or if you can’t find favas, substitute edamame, or soy beans.

          2/3 cup bulgur

          2/3 cup lentils

          Salt

          ½ cup fava beans, cooked and membranes removed (or substitute cooked edamame beans)

          12 cherry tomatoes, halved

          1/3 cup red onion, diced small

          1/3 cup fennel bulb, diced small

          1/3 cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley

          1/3 cup coarsely chopped mint leaves

          1/4 cup coarsely chopped dill leaves (optional)

          1 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, or to taste

          1 ½ tablespoons rice vinegar, or to taste

          Salt to taste

          Freshly ground black pepper to taste

          Bring a kettle of water to boil. Meanwhile, place bulgur with a generous pinch of salt in a mixing bowl and add boiling water to barely cover. Place a pot lid inside the bowl to cover the grains and prevent steam from escaping. Check bulgur after 10 minutes for doneness. Add a splash or two of hot water from the kettle as needed, stirring the grains. Bulgur is done when the water is absorbed and grains are plump and tender, about 20 minutes.

          Separately, place lentils with a generous pinch of salt in a small sauce pan over high heat. Cover with hot water from the kettle to a depth of ½ inch and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer gently, adding water as needed until water is absorbed and the lentils are plump and tender, but not mushy, about 40 minutes. Set aside to cool.

          In a large mixing bowl, stir together the bulgur, lentils, favas, tomatoes, onion, fennel, parsley and mint. Add olive oil and rice vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature. Can be made two or three days ahead and refrigerated in a tightly sealed container.

 

Wild Rice-Quinoa Pilaf with Toasted Pecans and Dried Cranberries

Serves 8

          I have a particular fondness for this dish because the ingredients are so New World. The combination of wild rice, quinoa, pecans and dried cranberries works perfectly alongside a Thanksgiving roast turkey or a Christmas goose. It would also sit proudly with a glazed ham, or on any kind of festive buffet. 

2/3 cup wild rice

2/3 cup quinoa

Salt

½ cup pecan halves, toasted then coarsely chopped

½ cup dried cranberries, re-hydrated as needed (see note)

1 bunch scallions, white and tender green parts only, thinly sliced

1/3 cup coarsely chopped flat leaf parsley

1 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 ½ tablespoons cider vinegar

Salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste 

          Bring a kettle of water to boil. Reduce heat and allow to simmer.

          Place wild rice with a generous pinch of salt in a small sauce pan over high heat. Cover with hot water from kettle to a depth of ½ inch and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer gently, adding an occasional splash of hot water from the kettle as needed. Rice is done when water is fully absorbed and grains are cracked and tender, about 40 minutes. Set aside to cool.

          Meanwhile, to cook the quinoa, toast the grains first for additional depth of flavor as follows: Place quinoa in a small saucepan over high heat. Being careful not to burn the quinoa, shake and toss the grains frequently until they begin to pop and crackle rapidly, about 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat and allow to cool for a minute or two. With the pot lid in one hand, pour about ½ cup hot water from the kettle over the quinoa and cover the pot quickly, as the hot quinoa will erupt into a burst of spitting and splattering. When the bubbling action has subsided, pour additional hot water over the quinoa to a depth of ½ inch and return pan to heat over a very low setting. Allow to cook gently, adding a splash or two of hot water from the kettle as needed. Quinoa is done when water is completely absorbed and grains are tender and fluffy, about 30 minutes. Set aside to cool.

          To toast pecans, pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Lay pecan halves flat in an oven-proof skillet or on a baking sheet. Place in oven and bake, tossing the nuts occasionally so they do not burn. Pecans are done when they turn a shade darker and become crispy to the bite, about 10 minutes. Allow to cool, then chop coarsely.

          To finish the pilaf, toss the rice, quinoa, pecans, cranberries, scallions and parsley in a large mixing bowl. Stir in olive oil and vinegar, season with salt and pepper.

          Serve at room temperature or lightly warmed. Can be made two or three days ahead and refrigerated in a tightly sealed container.

          Note: Some dried cranberries are dryer than others. Occasionally you will find them very fresh and soft. They can be eaten as is. Other times the berries are hard as a rock. To re-hydrate them, place them in a small bowl with a couple of tablespoons of water and heat them in the microwave for a minute or two on a high setting, or until they are plump and juicy. Allow to cool, then drain.