I cannot extol enough the virtue and goodness of whole grains and flours. From the simplest of substitutions -whole wheat spaghetti or couscous for regular- to the potentially more complex -incorporating littler known or harder to find flours and grains such as spelt and quinoa- not only are these grains and flours healthier for you than refined, bleached ones, but also they often offer more interesting, nuanced flavors to your dishes.

As you might recall, I made a batch of our beloved Cherry-Cardamom Scones a few weeks back; one of its star ingredients is spelt flour which lends such an earthy, nuttiness to the scones and in the best way, complements the tang of the cherries and the cardamom’s delicate yet pronounced flavor and smell.

We also have a remarkable recipe for Spaghetti al Olio e Aglio (oil and garlic) with red pepper flakes, anchovies and shrimp; whole wheat spaghetti takes it up a notch for sure! And it’s just a given that we always use whole wheat couscous now.

This morning, Tom made his sublime whole grain pancakes which are lighter than air; such is often not the case with whole grain baking results. We found this recipe on epicurious, and it is a family favorite oft requested. Oatmeal, whole wheat flour, nutmeg, buttermilk… I’ll post the recipe in Em-i-lis Recipes in a sec, but here’s a pic in the meantime:

I would also like to encourage you to try Grade B Maple Syrup- it’s dark and more richly flavored than Grade A. We’ve just discovered this and are happy to have done so!