Here are three wholesome wheat-free grains, and some easy and delicious ways to prepare them, to replace your traditional white pasta salad this summer.

Quinoa

Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) is a grain that originates from the Andes Mountains of South America. It’s gluten free, easily digested and a great substitute for cous cous or bulgur. This is the highest protein grain with a nearly ideal amino acid balance (more like a nut than a grain, without the fat). It is also a good source of fibre, calcium, phosphorous, iron and vitamins B and E.

Directions for 3-4 servings:

1 cup quinoa + 2 cups water or low sodium chicken broth.

Rinse quinoa thoroughly in pot and pour off as much water as possible, through a sieve if necessary. Add water or stock to pot and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 8 minutes. Serve hot as is or turn into:

Greek Cold Quinoa Salad

Stir in:

Garlic and oregano, yogurt, ½ tsp extra virgin olive oil, chopped baby spinach and cucumber.

Millet

Millet is one of the least allergenic and easily digestible grains and is gluten free. High in B vitamins and has a good amino acid profile, it looks like tiny round yellow couscous. Great in place of rice or bread in casseroles, soups and stuffings.

Directions for 3-4 servings:

3.5 cups water +1 cup millet

Bring water to a boil and stir in millet, simmer, uncovered for 25-30 minutes.

To use as a stuffing side dish, brown 1 onion, chopped, 2 stalks celery and 1 grated carrot in a skillet with 1 tbsp butter. Stir in poultry seasoning and ½ teaspoon sea salt. Stir millet into veggies and serve in a casserole dish.

Millet with Blue Cheese and Walnut Salad

When cold, place a scoop onto a bed of mixed greens, top with an ounce of blue cheese and a handful of chopped walnuts.

Barley

Barley is a very high fiber, high magnesium grain that has been shown to help diabetics control blood sugar. It becomes slightly creamy when cooked which lends itself to a “risotto” like side dish.

Directions for 5-6 servings:

1 cup pot barley + 3 cups chicken stock + 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Simmer barley in chicken stock until soft, adding water if necessary, for about 50 minutes.

Drain if any liquid is left over. Remove from heat, taste, add salt and pepper if necessary. Let cool, 4-6 minutes. Add parmesan cheese and stir.

Summer Barley Salad

Toss cooked barley risotto with cooked shrimp, fresh basil and minced green onions. Serve on a bed of arugula.

Theresa Albert, DHN, RNCP, is a weekly on-camera national correspondent for CTV Newschannel, making sense of health news. Named one of Canada’s Top 25 Tweeters by Today’s Parent Magazine and one of Savvymom.ca’s 35 Favorite Bloggers, she communicates about food and health where the action is. A Registered Nutritionist, she is also the food, health, weight loss and cooking expert on the CBC’s Steven and Chris daily lifestyle show. Millions learned just how smart and funny she is through her Food Network Canada Show called Just One Bite! She has authored two books published in both Canada and in the US: Cook Once a Week, Eat Well Every Day and Ace Your Health, 52 Ways to Stack Your Deck.  Visit her at www.theresaalbert.com.