Dear Cooks,

It’s hard not to notice the huge variety of grains now found in popular grocery stores like Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s and in health food stores—and maybe be a little intimidated by them. Instead of simply choosing between white or brown rice, these days the decision is complicated with the likes of quinoa, black and red rice, bulgur, couscous, barley, farro, buckwheat—the list goes on and on. But confusing as it may seem, the choices represent not only healthier alternatives to traditional white rice and pasta but delicious ones as well. Getting more whole grains into your diet can be as easy as reaching for a different kind of pasta at the store. Lorna Sass guides readers in choosing the best brands and how to cook them properly (here's a hint: when cooking brown rice pasta, ignore the package directions). And contrary to what you might think, plenty of whole grains are quick-cooking—ready to eat in 30 minutes or less.

In Whole Grains for Busy People, Lorna Sass gives you a crash course on the plethora of easy-to-make, tasty-to-eat grains that are readily available, and then goes a step further by sharing 125 tempting recipes that focus exclusively on the grains and how to bring out their maximum flavor. Want to incorporate some whole grains into your dinner tonight? Try Lorna's recipe for Quinoa Paella with Chicken and Chorizo (recipe below).

Including pastas, salads, main dishes, stews, skillet meals, and even desserts that use whole grains!

Ina Garten's
The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

about the book

For more than twenty years, Barefoot Contessa, the acclaimed specialty food store, has been cooking and baking extraordinary dishes for enthusiastic customers in the Hamptons. For many of those years, people have tried to get the exuberant owner, Ina Garten, to share the secrets of her store. Finally, the energy and style that make Barefoot Contessa such a special place are shown here, with dozens of recipes and more than 160 breathtaking photographs, in The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook.

Ina's most popular recipes use familiar ingredients, but they taste even better than you would expect. Her Pan-Fried Onion Dip is the real thing...

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Quinoa Paella with Chicken and Chorizo

Serves 4

I'm sure that a traditional Spanish cook would find it odd to make a paella based on quinoa, but the concept works well. More important, it tastes good.

• 1 pound boneless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika or other paprika
• ½ teaspoon granulated garlic
• ¼ to ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
• 3½ cups low-sodium chicken broth, plus more if needed
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 cups quinoa
• ½ cup finely chopped dry-cured chorizo
• 1 cup frozen peas
• ½ cup thin strips roasted red bell pepper, preferably fire-roasted
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a heavy 3-quart Dutch oven, heat the oil over high heat.

Brown the chicken pieces, using tongs to turn, about 2 minutes on each side. Transfer the chicken to a plate. Turn off the heat and let the pan cool for a minute. Stir the paprika, garlic, and red pepper flakes into the hot oil in the pot.

Stir the broth into the pot, taking care to scrape up any browned bits sticking to the bottom. Blend in the tomato paste, and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in the quinoa and chorizo. Cover and reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 12 minutes.

Add salt to taste. Stir in the chicken. Cover and cook over low heat until the quinoa is done—it should have no opaque white dot in the center—and the chicken is cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. If the mixture seems dry and the chicken or quinoa is not thoroughly cooked, stir in a little more broth or some water, cover, and cook a few minutes longer.

Stir in the peas and roasted red pepper. Cover and let sit for 1 minute. Stir in the parsley just before serving.

Other ideas:

• Use cooked chicken or turkey; skip the browning step and simply stir it in for the last few minutes of cooking.
• Add 6 ounces peeled, medium shrimp; stir them in for the last few minutes of cooking.

Happy Cooking!