Wild Rice, Pear, and Sweet Potato Salad with Walnuts / JillHough.com A recipe for Wild Rice, Pear, and Sweet Potato Salad from “The Whole Grain Promise” by Robin Asbell (Running Press, 2015)

Cooking the Books: The Whole Grain Promise

I prefer oatmeal raisin cookies to chocolate chip. I like brown rice better than white. And whole wheat bread over baguettes.

So I start off partial to “The Whole Grain Promise: More than 100 Delicious Recipes to Jumpstart a Healthier Diet.”

I also start off partial to its author, Robin Asbell. I’ve known Robin for years—I think we first met at a food writers’ conference—and she’s impressed me as smart, savvy, and expert at making healthy foods that are also delicious ones.

But you don’t have to be partial to either to love “The Whole Grain Promise.” All you need is an interest in delicious, nourishing food.

And that’s everybody, isn’t it?

I mean, be honest. We all know that we should eat more whole grains and less refined food. But we don’t because, well, they’re just not in our repertoire. Or we think eating healthy means sacrificing flavor.

The Whole Grain Promise cover / JillHough.com
But what if neither was the case?

Robin offers a book of tips and recipes for simply and easily making more, and better, use of whole grains. It’s almost as if she’s saying you don’t have to do anything drastic. Just explore these recipes and you’ll discover food that’s health-conscious as well as picky-eater friendly.

She even touches on something called “stealth nutrition” and studies that show that while whole grains and other healthy foods might be met with resistance, if they’re introduced gradually, those at your dinner table will likely never notice or mind.

Just saying.

Robin’s recipes run the gamut. From “wow—this is whole grain cooking?” like Soft Buttermilk Buns, Mexican Tortilla Soup with Shrimp, Peanut Butter Popcorn, and Fudgy Chocolate Cupcakes.

To “wow—what a great way to enjoy the whole grains I know and love” like Daily Walnut-Raisin Olive Oil Granola, Baked Sole Filled with Lemony Dill Pilaf, Cinnamon-Apple Butter Bars, and Wild Rice, Pear, and Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Walnuts (pictured).

Also included are a glossary of whole grains and flours, cooking times and methods for various grains, and tips for folding whole grains into your diet.

If you’ve ever had a thought about eating better—and who hasn’t?—“The Whole Grain Promise” is for you. Jump in whole hog or take it one recipe at a time.

With Puffy Baked Apple Pancakes and Cornbread-Topped Chili Casserole, Robin proves that good and good-for-you can be one in the same.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.

Wild Rice, Pear, and Sweet Potato Salad with Walnuts / JillHough.com A recipe for Wild Rice, Pear, and Sweet Potato Salad from “The Whole Grain Promise” by Robin Asbell (Running Press, 2015)

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