You know the spiel about whole grains, right? But do you know the spiel about spelt? Pardon my German, but in honor of my ancestors from Deutschland, I take great pride in “spieling” about spelt; it’s one of my favorite grains. In fact, it’s so good it was recognized in ancient times as a fundamental health food brimming with exceptional qualities. Let me explain.

Spelt is a distant cousin to our modern day varieties of wheat. According to Wikipedia, its earliest archaeological evidence comes from an area north of the Black Sea during the fifth millennium BC. However, the most abundant and best documented evidence says it originated in Europe where its popularity eventually spread to Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France and Spain. In the German language the word for spelt is “Dinkel.” It’s a fact that dinkel was so important that towns were named in its honor – there’s Dinklehausen and Dinkelsbühl. These days, unripe spelt is dried and eaten as Grünkern, which means “green grain.”

St. Hildegard von Bingen was a visionary, mystic, musician and herbalist who taught natural ways of bringing balance to body, mind and spirit during the 12th century in Germany. She taught of the many gifts of consuming spelt including its ability to confer a happy mind, a joyful spirit and a cheerful disposition. Spelt lies at the heart of her teachings on good nutrition as she believed it to be the best and most easily digestible grain one could eat. Even today her teachings on spelt remain highly regarded.

European immigrants originally brought spelt to the U.S. where it was grown until 1900 when it was replaced by newer hybrids of wheat that produced higher yields and were easier to harvest and process. Recently, spelt has regained popularity. It has a wonderful nutty flavor, a delicate taste and a good nutritional profile. In fact, spelt has more protein than conventional wheat and is often better tolerated by wheat-sensitive individuals. (Spelt does have gluten, though, so it is not appropriate for those with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity.) Spelt delivers fiber, a complex of B-vitamins, phytonutrients and important minerals such as iron.

To cook whole spelt, soak overnight in water to cover. Drain and rinse. Cover with fresh water and simmer, covered, for about an hour. Longer cooking is fine too and results in a soft, split-open kernel, which is makes a great bowl of hot breakfast cereal. When baking with spelt flour, remember that because spelt is more water soluble than regular wheat, it’s a good idea to use a little less water or liquid in your recipe.

Here are some ideas to get you going:

• Cook up a pot of spelt pasta. Try these recipes for Spelt Pasta with Walnuts and Roasted Cauliflower, Macaroni Salad or Chicken Tetrazzini.
• Choose spelt breads, tortillas, crackers and English muffins. Try these awesome Tofu Fajitas with spelt tortillas.
• Use all or part spelt flour in baking breads, muffins and cakes. Here are a couple of recipes to get you started: Blueberry Spelt Muffins or Sunflower Cherry Oatmeal Bars.
• Serve hamburgers, hotdogs or veggie burgers on spelt buns. Here’s a recipe for Mushroom Cheddar Vegetarian Burgers.



• Buy the whole grain, soak overnight, drain and rinse; cook in fresh water until tender. Combine with other grains such as brown rice, cracked wheat, buckwheat, barley and wild rice. Great as a whole grain salad with chopped veggies and olive oil vinaigrette.
• Add a handful of cooked whole spelt to soups or stews in place of or along with rice or barley.
• Add it to casseroles in place of rice or other grains.
• Baking your own bread? Mix in whole cooked spelt for a chewy addition.
• Love oatmeal? Look for rolled spelt flakes for breakfast, or use them just like you would old-fashioned rolled oats in cookies, pancakes, muffins, breads, etc.
• Spelt flour makes great cookies. Try your favorite chocolate chip recipe, or try this Chocolate Dipped Marcona Almond Biscotti.

Because spelt contains less of a compound found in gluten called gliadin, it may be easier to digest than wheat for sensitive people. However, it DOES contain gluten and is NOT okay for anyone with celiac disease or any gluten sensitivity or allergy.

Have you tried spelt? Got a favorite recipe? I would love to know.

Also known as aduki or azuki beans, these tiny reddish-brown beans have a thin white ridge that runs down their side, giving them their own special style. Traditionally used in Japanese and Chinese cuisine, they are a popular food for festive occasions. Unlike most other beans, adzuki beans are often sweetened and used in desserts. But don’t be fooled, they are definitely dual purpose and equally delicious in savory dishes.

Nutritionally speaking, you can’t go wrong with adzuki beans. They deliver plant protein, soluble fiber, iron, magnesium, zinc, potassium and folic acid. If you’re watching your weight or your cholesterol, soluble fiber is a good idea. It helps keep you fuller longer and keeps cholesterol levels healthy. Not only that, but fiber is important for a healthy gut. Adzuki beans are tasty, low in fat and have a low glycemic index so they help keep your blood sugar balanced.

When it comes to cooking beans, I’m in favor of overnight soaking and adzuki beans are no exception. Here’s a simple cooking method: Soak a cup of beans in water overnight or for about eight hours. Discard the soaking water. Rinse the beans and fill a pot with fresh water. Add the beans and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook until tender, about 45 minutes to an hour. To help them become tender and manage the potential digestive upsets that can come from eating (any) beans, try adding a strip of kombu seaweed to the beans while cooking. For more information, check out our guide to beans.

Once cooked, you can keep those adzuki beans for up to five days in the refrigerator. Or you can keep them up to six months in the freezer.

Now the fun part! Here are some ideas for adding cooked adzuki beans to your favorite dishes:

• Throw a handful into prepared vegetable soup before you heat it up
• Make a bean salad with diced veggies and your favorite salad dressing. Here is a Zesty Adzuki Bean Salad.
• Heat them up and spoon over hot cornbread
• Add to any favorite stew
• Stir them up with chopped, cooked winter squash such as butternut
• Make bean tacos with corn tortillas, mashed or whole adzuki beans, shredded lettuce, tomatoes, salsa and cheese
• Serve them hot with steamed brown rice, tamari, ginger, garlic and a drop or two of toasted sesame oil. Be sure to garnish with slivered scallions!
• Try them hot with quinoa, millet or any whole grain pasta. Try this recipe of Quinoa with Oyster Mushrooms and Adzuki Beans.
• Mash them up and make bean dip
• Substitute adzuki beans for other beans in your favorite recipes
• And yes, they are even great in chili!
• Here’s a festive recipe for Adzuki Bean Cake

If you don’t have the time or desire to cook your own adzuki beans, you can find them canned by Eden Organic brand at many of our stores. I have used these many times; they’re perfect in a pinch and the good news is they have kombu seaweed cooked right into them. It’s a delicious double whammy!

Have you ever tried adzuki beans? Do you have a favorite recipe? I’d love to hear!

When I was in my early 20s, I spent a year living in a small village near Bombay (now Mumbai), India. I learned a lot that year! One of the things I found so interesting was the culinary use of medicinal spices and the precise understanding of the uses of these spices for healing. Food is medicine – that was a given! I’ll always remember that when someone caught a cold, they were given hot milk (often Buffalo milk) with a small spoonful of turmeric stirred in.

Turmeric, an herb from the ginger family, is a powerful antioxidant and supports healthy inflammation. It’s been used in traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurvedic Indian medicine for centuries. The benefits of turmeric come from curcumin, the active constituent, which appears to have a wide range of therapeutic benefits, including protection from free radical damage and promoting healthy inflammatory response in the body. It also helps protect the liver and may help to improve circulation and promote healthy blood vessels and circulation.

If you like curry, you are already familiar with turmeric’s sharp and earthy flavor. Turmeric tastes pleasantly spicy – suitable for vegetables, meat, seafood and even fruit-based desserts. A little goes a long way, though, and the flavor gets stronger as it cooks. Turmeric’s dark yellow, almost orange color will strongly tint anything you add it to – a wonderfully natural food dye.

Here are some ways I’ve used turmeric, just remember that the color of your dish will change!

• Add 1/4 teaspoon to a pot of grain while cooking. Best bets: brown rice, Basmati rice, quinoa or millet
• Stir 1/2 to 1 teaspoon into a pot of soup
• Add a dash to your favorite guacamole
• Add a healthy pinch to a container of hummus
• Mix a little into bean spreads for sandwiches
• Stir fry veggies such as broccoli, onion, carrots and sweet peppers, and add a pinch of turmeric along with some ginger, garlic and tamari
• Stir a dash into yogurt
• Make a banana smoothie truly yellow by adding a pinch of turmeric
• Make salad dressing and add a pinch, or add it to your favorite bottled dressing

You’ll find turmeric used abundantly in Eastern and Middle Eastern dishes as a seasoning and a condiment, and for obvious reasons, a culinary dye! You’ll also find it used in plenty of our own delicious recipes. Here are some to whet your appetite:

• Red Lentils with Garlic and Onions
• Couscous Marrakech
• Flavors of India Roasted Chicken
• Moroccan Spiced Chickpea and Lentil Soup
• Moroccan Braised Lamb and Eggplant
• Zesty Spiced Cauliflower

Are you familiar with turmeric? Got a favorite recipe? I’d love to hear your experiences.

Rice is rice, right? (Hmmm…say that three times fast!) Well, maybe not – at least not when it comes to wild rice. Contrary to the name, wild rice is not a member of the rice family at all. It belongs to a group of grasses that are native to North America. But, like rice, it grows in water; specifically, the shallow waters and gentle streams of fresh-water lakes found mainly around the Great Lakes. Much of the wild rice available these days is actually cultivated rather than harvested from growing wild.

Considered a whole grain, wild rice has a nutty, earthy flavor and a rice-like shape. One cup of cooked wild rice contains just 1 gram of fat, no saturated fat or cholesterol, only 5 mg of sodium, 3 grams of fiber and 7 grams of protein. It delivers important B vitamins and minerals, namely magnesium, potassium and phosphorus. And just like rice, it’s gluten free.

Wild rice is perfect for pilafs, salads, soups and stuffing. But it doesn’t end there. I love it in pancakes, muffins and bread too! To begin, cook up a batch and keep it on hand. Here’s your basic recipe:

Basic Wild Rice

• 3 cups water
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
• 1 cup thoroughly washed wild rice

Bring water to rolling boil. Add salt and wild rice. Bring to a boil again, reduce heat, cover and simmer over low heat for 50 to 60 minutes. The kernels will open up and become tender. If any excess water remains, drain it and return to heat for just a moment to dry the grains; season as desired. If you like a chewy texture, cook it a little less time.

You can also bake wild rice. Here’s how: Add 1 cup washed rice to 2 cups water or broth in a casserole dish. Bake at 350°F for one hour. Check and add more liquid if needed. Continue baking another 1/2 hour.

Remember to check the package of your wild rice for instructions on cooking; some manufacturers have removed the hard bran layer, so the cooking time could be reduced. Here are some of my favorite ways to use wild rice. Remember to wash it well first:

• Throw a handful into a slow simmering soup or stew. Add more liquid if needed. Try this Chicken and Wild Rice Soup With Mushrooms.
• Serve topped with stir-fried veggies
• Stir half cup cooked wild rice in your favorite muffin recipe. Great with nuts and raisins!
• Mix with dried cherries, blue or feta cheese and sprinkle over salad greens.
• Try it on its own as a salad with added fruit, chopped veggies, and a light vinaigrette dressing. Here’s a Wild Rice Salad with Oranges and Currants and another Wild Rice Salad with Pecans and Cranberries.
• Enjoy as a hearty breakfast cereal – try it with milk, non-dairy milk, maple syrup and pecans or walnuts, or add to hot oatmeal
• Stuff it into baked squash or pumpkin like in this Wild Rice Stuffed Mini Pumpkins.
• Try it as a replacement for a stuffing dish
• Use it just about anywhere you use brown rice
• Cook together with brown rice. Try this Brown and Wild Rice with Herbs and Garlic.
• Cook separately but add to other cooked grains such as millet, quinoa, different varieties of brown rice and white Basmati rice
• Make it as a side dish with sautéed onions and slivered toasted almonds. Try this Wild and Brown Rice Pilaf with Mushrooms.
• Stuff it in a chicken – be sure to cook until fully done!
• Try it with sautéed apples and pork chops
• Here’s a great way to use leftover turkey in this Turkey and Wild Rice Casserole.
• I also enjoy the Arrowhead Mills Wild Rice Pancake and Waffle mix. You may want to give it a try too.

Are you wild about wild rice? Good! I’d love to know your favorite way to indulge.

I don’t remember eating a lot of fresh herbs when I was a kid. In fact, I don’t remember anybody eating them, but what I do remember was the “little green tree” that would come as a garnish on my restaurant plate. And I also remember pushing that odd little tree to the side of the plate, never to be eaten. Then one day, I decided to venture into the land of mystery. What was this thing? What would happen to me if I ate it? I reasoned that if it was on my plate and touching my food then, by golly, I ought to be able to eat it and live to tell the tale, right? To be on the safe side, I checked with mom, who gave the go-ahead, and I dug in. Not bad, and even better when dipped into my Thousand Island salad dressing!

I’m guessing parsley is, by far, the most recognized and widely available of all fresh herbs. Whether you grow it on your windowsill, grow it in your garden or buy it at the market, parsley is the savior of many a boring platter! But did you know that besides adding color, flavor and texture to a meal, parsley has its own set of health benefits?

According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, fresh parsley delivers:

• vitamin C and vitamin K
• natural plant compounds such as flavonoids and limonene
• volatile oils and potent antioxidants that benefit digestion
• carotenoids such as beta-carotene and lutein

A special note: pregnant women should avoid excessive amounts of parsley.

There are two kinds of parsley: curly and Italian. Use them interchangeably, but remember that curly parsley is milder and works well as a garnish. Italian (flat-leaf parsley) is stronger, thicker and heartier and is best for longer cooking, stewing and simmering. To maximize those health benefits, aim for a 1/3 cup serving.

Here are some ideas for cooking with parsley:

• Add to your favorite soups and stews



• Replace some of the basil in your favorite pesto recipe; try this Whole Wheat Linguini with Green Pea Pesto.
• Add to whole grain salads made from brown rice, wild rice or quinoa. Try one of these:
  • Quinoa Tabbouleh
  • Pine Nut Tabbouleh
• Mix into tuna, egg, potato or chicken salad
• Make a spring pea salad with spring peas, chopped green onion, chopped fresh parsley, minced celery and minced red pepper. Toss with your favorite mayonnaise or buttermilk dressing.
• Mince and add to meatballs.



• Mix into a topping for fish, such as this Catfish with Parsley and Tomato Salad.
• Sprinkle over potatoes, casseroles, main dishes and vegetable salads
• Add to spaghetti sauce, white sauce, wine sauce or any sauce (can be an ingredient or a garnish)
• Stir into dips, herb butters and cheese spreads
• Drink it as a tea, hot or cold: Add 2 tablespoons of minced parsley to 1 cup boiling water. Cover and steep for 5 minutes. Strain and enjoy.

Here are a couple of options to keep parsley fresh as long as possible; try them and see what works best for you:

• Fill a glass with water and treat your parsley like a bouquet of flowers – snip off a little of the stem ends and place in water. Cover loosely with a plastic bag. Store in the refrigerator or at room temperature. Change the water every few days. Cut and use as needed, washing before use.

OR

• Wash, dry well, wrap in a paper towel and store in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.

If your recipe calls for dried parsley and you want to use fresh, here’s a good rule of thumb: Use about three times more fresh than dried. Add more or less, depending on your taste buds.

Oh, and be sure to check your teeth after indulging – your pearly whites are a favorite hide-out for just about anything edible and green, with parsley topping the list, along with spinach!

Got a favorite recipe or great idea for using parsley? I’d love to hear!

The cold weather hasn’t subsided yet, and neither has our craving for hot chocolate. Gina wrote in with a request to make a natural version of hot chocolate mix that her son can enjoy on Cub Scout outings, and we thought this would be the perfect time of year for such a recipe.
We made a new version of this seasonal favorite by making it from scratch. There are no artificial ingredients or flavors in our homemade hot chocolate recipe. And, this homemade treat makes a wonderful Valentine’s Day gift! Check out the recipe we developed for Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix.

Conventional hot chocolate mixes may be highly processed. For some of the brands we checked out, the lists of ingredients included things like corn syrup, partially hydrogenated soybean oil (a trans fat) and artificial flavors. Our simple mix contains only five ingredients, and you’ll immediately recognize all of them. And of course our version doesn’t include any artificial ingredients.  For flavor and aroma, we blended a vanilla bean with natural cane sugar to make aromatic vanilla sugar, and we used this to complement the cocoa in our mix.

Got a recipe that needs a natural makeover? Post it in the comments section below! If we select your recipe and publish the improved version on our website, we’ll send you a $25 Whole Foods Market gift card.

I’m a chocolate lover; you know that already. And I’m sensitive to caffeine; you know that, too. So, let’s be frank: When you love chocolate, it’s hard to find a replacement with the same flavor and mouth-feel, right? Enter carob. Not chocolate, not really. But a good place to start. In fact, there are plenty of times when I choose carob instead. Why? Unlike chocolate, carob is naturally sweet, low in fat, high in fiber, has calcium, and most importantly to me, no caffeine. And because chocolate is linked to migraines and caffeine-sensitivity for some people, carob definitely has its advantages.

Carob comes from the pod of a tree that grows along the Mediterranean Sea. The pod contains a sweet, edible pulp. Once dried and roasted, the pulp is ground into a powder called carob flour (but more commonly referred to as “carob powder”). It’s similar to cocoa powder in color and can be substituted one-for-one in recipes, but carob is unique with its own special flavor and texture.

If you’ve never tried carob, you’re in for a treat. It’s sweet, mild and packed with pectin, a soluble fiber. Traditionally, it was used to soothe an upset stomach. I’ve been enjoying this soothing, winter-perfect recipe for Hot Spiced Carob.

You can try carob in cookies, candies and beverages. It’s very simple to substitute in your favorite recipes. Here are some substitution ideas to get you started:

• Replace cocoa powder with carob powder one-for-one in your recipes.
• Or use half cocoa powder and half carob powder in your recipes.
• Substitute carob chips for chocolate chips in cookies, bars, cakes, muffins and candies. (Many of our stores carry unsweetened carob chips.)
• Carob is higher in sugars and lower in fat than unsweetened cocoa. Be sure to reduce the sugar and increase the fat in your recipe. For each ½ cup of carob used, reduce sugar by 2 to 3 tablespoons and increase butter or oil by the same.
• Baking fat free? No problem! Omit the oil or butter and use a little extra applesauce, mashed pears, mashed bananas or other fruit puree.
• Carob can burn! Set your oven 25°F lower when baking with it exclusively.
• Got a recipe calling for baking chocolate? For each square, use 3 tablespoons of carob powder plus one to two tablespoons of dairy or non-dairy milk.
• Add a tablespoon of carob powder to bread dough to make a nice, rich dark color.
• Store carob flour in an air-tight container in a cool, dry pantry; if it lumps up, just sift before using.

And now for some fun ideas and recipes:

• Bake a Carob Cake – fudge-like without the chocolate!
• Top frozen yogurt or ice cream with carob powder. Mash it in and eat it up!
• Mix peanut or almond butter with carob flour, raw honey and spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cardamom. Add a drop of vanilla; form into balls and eat it plain or spread it over apples, pears, peaches, plumbs or oranges.
• Make a carob smoothie with milk or fruit juice, frozen fruit, nut butter and carob powder.
• Prepare a batch of Maple and Carob Chip Granola Bars, perfect for breakfast.
• Make carob pancakes: Substitute 1/4 cup carob flour for 1/4 cup regular flour in your recipe. Omit the sugar and add an extra tablespoon of oil or melted butter. Top with strawberries, walnuts and a little pure maple syrup.
• Top fresh berries or other fruit with a combination of nuts and carob chips.
• Melt carob chips and spoon over fruit or frozen desserts. Try with mango sorbet.
• Throw a handful of carob chips into muffins for a nice treat.
• Gather the kids (of any age!) and make these no-cook Chocolate Earth Balls; be sure to use the carob powder.
• Heat a cup of milk or non-dairy milk. Add a small handful of carob chips, stir until melted and drink up.
• Make a vanilla cake, throw a handful of carob chips into the batter, and bake as directed.
• Make trail mix with carob chips, dried fruit, whole grain cereal and chopped nuts.

Have you tried carob? Got a favorite recipe or idea? Let me hear about it!

The first time I tasted miso soup I was 9 years old and having dinner with my family at a Japanese restaurant in San Francisco; I thought I’d a tasted a little bit of heaven and was determined to repeat the experience. Later, when we moved to Hawaii, that’s exactly what I did, over and over again!

I find it interesting that miso originated in China about 2, 500 years ago, yet is associated with Japan and traditional Japanese cuisine. It’s made by fermenting cooked soybeans with rice or barley, sea salt and a starter called koji. Depending on the type of miso being made, it’s aged in wooden vats from two months to three years.

There are several varieties of miso but really just two categories: light and dark. Light misos are aged for less time and are typically labeled as “mellow” or “sweet.” They’re lighter in color, sweeter in flavor and less salty. The dark misos are aged for a longer time; they’re rich and hearty, dark in color and saltier in flavor.

Miso is available both pasteurized and unpasteurized, and it’s the fresh, unpasteurized varieties that add a delicious boost to your probiotics! Its got those good “bugs” that help promote intestinal health, a strong immune system and support your body’s own friendly bacteria. The good lactobacillus bacteria grow rapidly in miso once the fermentation process begins. Remember though: once miso is pasteurized, those good bugs are dead bugs! Pasteurization kills microbes, good and bad, so to get the probiotic benefit choose the refrigerated, unpasteurized version.

While you may think of miso as belonging in soup, there are plenty of other uses for it. Try replacing salt with miso in some of your favorite recipes. Begin with just a teaspoon or so, depending on the yield of your recipe and whether you have added any salt, then work your way up to just the right amount, Use it in recipes that don’t require much cooking; this helps preserve the health benefits. Try miso in the following dishes:

• Vinaigrettes – with red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar, darker red or brown misos work well. Try this Miso Salad Dressing.
• Creamy dressings – white or mellow miso is great in creamy dressings. Here’s a coleslaw with a miso dressing.
• Cream cheese dips – the lighter the miso, the better .
• Bean dips – pinto and black bean dips taste great with small amounts of any variety of miso.
• Hummus -I f you make your own, try it with a little barley miso.
• Baba Ganouj – I love this made with just a little mellow white miso.
• Sauces – generally the lighter misos work well but if the sauce is heavy with red wine or a stock reduction, go for the darker miso. This Miso Tahini Sauce is perfect for steamed or raw veggies.



• Add miso to casseroles. Here’s a recipe for Mushroom and Peas with a Quinoa Miso Dressing.
• Spreads – try mixing a little mellow or white miso with almond or peanut butter. This can be delicious with a banana on whole grain bread.
• Pesto – also great as a substitute for parmesan cheese.
• Mashed with potatoes – like this.
• Mashed into sweet potatoes with a little butter.
• Use as part of a marinade for tofu, tempeh, chicken, or fish. Here’s a great Miso Marinated Tofu.
• Make a glaze out of miso for fish or chicken. Here’s a great idea for catfish.

If you’re a soup lover, miso is perfect! Add just a little or no salt at all to your soup while cooking. Once done, remove from heat and stir a little broth from the soup into the miso to make a paste; add back to soup, stir for 3 or 4 minutes before serving. To activate miso’s enzymes and beneficial bacteria, be sure to keep it hot, but don’t boil it. Here are a few great soups to get you started:

A warming, delicious miso soup.

Here’s a nice soup with shrimp.

Cold this winter? Here’s hot Winter Miso Soup.
This miso soup has garlic and ginger.

Be sure to store your miso in a tightly sealed glass jar or a plastic tub with a tight fitting lid. This way, miso will last for many years.

Are you a miso fan? Got a favorite variety and way to use it? I’d love to hear.

Ashley, one of our blog readers, sent us a request to make over her grandmother’s famous bread pudding recipe, complete with a decadent bourbon sauce. We accepted the challenge to lighten up this comforting favorite.

Check out the recipe we developed for Whole Grain Cinnamon-Raisin Bread Pudding.

Here are the changes we made to our lightened up version of traditional bread pudding:

• The original recipe called for both heavy whipping cream and whole milk, so we substituted 1% low fat milk for these, resulting in a significant reduction in calories, fat, saturated fat and cholesterol. When you consider that 1 cup of heavy whipping cream contains 821 calories and 88 grams of fat, and 1 cup of whole milk contains 146 calories and 8 grams of fat, and you compare that to 1 cup of 1% low fat milk containing 102 calories and just 2 grams of fat, you can see that’s a heck of a healthy savings! It’s true that with a rich recipe like this, making the switch to the lower fat, lower calorie option yields a less decadent product, but no less delicious!
• The original recipe calls for cinnamon raisin bread, which is traditionally made with bleached white flour. Our delicious, healthy version bakes whole grain cinnamon raisin bread into a delicious pudding. This increases the fiber, vitamin and mineral content of the recipe.
• We opted to omit the rich bourbon sauce topping which contains bourbon, sugar and butter. Doing so allowed us to create a lighter, version of this traditional treat that can be enjoyed every day! How about serving a fresh colorful fruit salad alongside instead?

Did you miss the recipe link above? Here is the full recipe for our Whole Grain Cinnamon-Raisin Bread Pudding.

Got a recipe that needs a natural makeover? Post it in the comments section below! If we select your recipe and publish the improved version on our website, we’ll send you a $25 Whole Foods Market gift card.

Any chance you’ve noticed the number of non-dairy milk, cheese and ice cream replacements available these days? The choices are soaring – even in conventional grocery stores! Plenty of people stay away from dairy products for a number of reasons, including allergies, lactose intolerance and concern over the environment or the way animals are raised and treated. While organic dairy products can be a healthy option, some people feel better, lighter or less congested with fewer dairy products or none at all. If you are one of these people, take heart! It’s never been easier to lighten up or go dairy-free than it is right now, and it keeps getting easier.

Want a simple replacement for milk? Here’s a list to get you started, but bear in mind that both soy and tree nuts can be potential allergens or problematic in some cases, so be sure to check with your doctor or qualified health care practitioner if you have any questions.

• Almond milk – the unsweetened version is great for baking, quiches, cereals and puddings.
• Hazelnut milk – try this for hot chocolate! Also good for cereal and baking.
• Rice milk – this can be on the sweet side; it’s easy to digest for many people and a good replacement for hot or cold cereal and in smoothies and other beverages.



• Soy milk – hands down, the most common replacement of all! It’s sold in milk cartons on the dairy isle and in aseptic packages on the grocery isle. Unsweetened versions can be a little “beany” flavored, but many people find they get used to the flavor quickly and enjoy it for many different uses.
• Oat Milk – great for hot cereals and custards but remember this is NOT okay if you are avoiding gluten!
• Hemp Milk – good for baking and using in smoothies.
• Coconut Milk – great substitute for milk or cream, try it for quiche, desserts, in pies, puddings, custards and cold on cereal. It can be a bit thick so you may want to try it thinned out with a bit of other non-dairy “milk.

Many milk replacements are available unsweetened, sweetened and flavored. Start with the unsweetened first as some have a lot of added sugar.

When it comes to cheese replacements, there are versions made with rice milk, almond milk or soy milk. Many have natural yellow coloring added to simulate real cheese. Because they can be mild in flavor, adding some spices or other ingredients can help pick up the flavor. Here are some uses for non-dairy cheese:

• Make a grilled “cheese” sandwich. Add tomatoes and some spicy mustard or a sprinkling of nutritional yeast for a “cheesy” flavor.
• Sprinkle over salads – great with dried fruit and nuts.
• Try a pita pizza with non-dairy “cheese,” tomatoes, mushrooms, onions and peppers.
• Make an omelet with eggs that have been whisked with a bit of lite coconut milk. Top with shredded non-dairy cheese, olives and a dollop of guacamole.
• Add to tacos or burritos. Spice it up with salsa or your favorite hot sauce.

You know you need those probiotics! Here’s the dairy-free way:

• Coconut milk kefir and yogurt – pretty new to the market; available in lots of flavors and naturally fermented for good probiotics. Use just as you would yogurt or kefir in smoothies, desserts or enjoyed plain. Try the plain version as a buttermilk replacement.
• Soy yogurt and probiotic drinks – a little “beany” flavored if you’re not used to it – so try the fruit flavored first. Use just as you would yogurt or kefir.

There’s more:

• “Cream cheese” made from tofu – spread on toast or bagels; use in dips and sauces.
• “Sour cream” made from tofu – try on potatoes or in dips and sauces.
• “Whipped cream” made from cashew nuts – great on pies or cakes or for a real treat, dollop a bit over hot coffee or non-dairy cocoa.
• Coconut or soy milk creamers – for coffee, tea, chai, and other beverages, iced or hot. I like the coconut creamer (just a bit) over hot oatmeal in the morning.
• “Parmesan cheese” made from rice – when tossed with a little nutritional yeast, you get a stronger cheese flavor. Try this with extra virgin olive oil over pasta or in salad. Also good sprinkled over soup and steamed or sautéed veggies.
• “Ice cream” made from soy milk, rice milk or my favorite: coconut milk – these all vary a bit in flavor. Enjoy as they are or make ice cream-like desserts: parfaits, ice cream cakes, smoothies, etc.

Experiment to find what you like best – you’ll be surprised at how easy it is go dairy free without sacrificing good taste. You’ll find tons of dairy-free recipes on the recipe pages of our website. I like using the advanced recipe search so you can select “dairy-free” and then search by meal course, cuisine, main ingredient, etc.

Please note that I’ve seen all of the products I mention here in at least one Whole Foods Market store, but our product mix does vary. If your local store doesn’t carry a dairy-free item mentioned, simply ask if they can order it for you.

Got a dairy-free dish you love or a favorite way to use a dairy replacement? I’d love to hear.