I bring you a wonderful cookbook giveaway this week – Ancient Grains for Modern Meals.Loyal readers of this site know that I’m continuously experimenting with new ingredients in the kitchen. One of my latest ventures has been trying new recipes using different types of flour. From spelt, to whole wheat, to kamut – it’s really changed the way I bake and has brought a myriad of textures to my baked goods.
When I was approached by Maria Speck about her Ancient Grain for Modern Meals cookbook, I knew this book would be right up my alley. It’s full of wholesome and delicious recipes using whole grains and quick-cooking grains with fresh Mediterranean flavours. It will help you experiment with ingredients such as spelt, quinoa, farro and barley as well as polenta, buckwheat and millet. There are a lot of useful tips to master the art of cooking with grains and dozens of mouth-watering recipes to try. Some of the top ones on my list are Parmesan Polenta with Rosemary Oil Drizzle, Buckwheat-Feta Burgers with Tangy Parsely Sauce and Spelt Crust Pizza with Fennel, Prosciutto and Apples.
To win a copy of the book, leave a comment on this post or write a comment on Chocolate Shaving’s facebook page. You can write a comment on both and your name will be entered in the contest twice. Just let me know what your experience cooking with grains is. The contest ends on May 19th, at midnight. The winner will be drawn at random and you must be a Canadian or American resident to enter. Good luck and I look forward to hearing from you!
Enjoy the read!
Carole
May 9, 2011 at 5:23 pm (14 years ago)I need to start cooking with more grains. This cookbook will give me ixdeas
Beth S.
May 9, 2011 at 5:41 pm (14 years ago)I’m starting to cook with grains more. I’m using a lot of quinoa lately and and bought some farro but haven’t used it yet.
beths0103 at yahoo dot com
Julie
May 9, 2011 at 6:03 pm (14 years ago)I have been eyeing this book! I love updating recipes with whole grains. I use whole grain flours, and swap processed grains for whole ones whenever I can!
Baker Princess
May 9, 2011 at 6:05 pm (14 years ago)I LOVE cooking with grains! Lately, I have been experimenting with spelt berries, quinoa, and farro!!
Marcella
May 9, 2011 at 6:25 pm (14 years ago)Mm… I really want to experiment with wheat berries and farro more. They’re so tasty!
giz
May 9, 2011 at 6:39 pm (14 years ago)I made a wheat berry salad yesterday – absolutely delicious – didn’t realize that wheat berries had to cook for an hour. Now I’m ready to attack other grains.
Megan
May 9, 2011 at 6:40 pm (14 years ago)I really want to get into cooking more grains. I make quinoa fairly often but that’s about it. I had a great bulghur dish at a nearby Turkish restaurant, and now I want to learn to cook it at home.
Nisrine Merzouki
May 9, 2011 at 7:11 pm (14 years ago)I’ve been meaning to get Maria’s book. I love her cooking style.
Megan
May 9, 2011 at 7:24 pm (14 years ago)What a lovely cookbook! Looks amazing! – Megan
Sara
May 9, 2011 at 7:38 pm (14 years ago)I’ve cooked with some of these grains – I love polenta and I’ve cooked a bit with farro – but would love to branch out more! 🙂
PurpleLarkspur
May 9, 2011 at 8:33 pm (14 years ago)I am a vegetarian, so I tend to cook with tons of grains. I particularly like barley, quinoa and farro.
larkspurpurple (at) gmail.com
Alejandra
May 9, 2011 at 8:37 pm (14 years ago)Oh wow! This looks exactly like the kid of book I’d like! Fingers crossed! (Alejandra (at) alwaysorderdessert dot com)
Rebecca
May 9, 2011 at 9:19 pm (14 years ago)I need to incorporate more grains into my diet. I experiment on a very basic level… i.e. whole grain wheat. Sometimes I can’t even tell a difference!
lemonsugar
May 9, 2011 at 9:20 pm (14 years ago)I’ve been trying to find creative ways to cook more grains, and this book seems like just the thing to help me out.
lemonsugar
May 9, 2011 at 9:23 pm (14 years ago)I’ve been trying to think of creative and delicious ways to add more grains to my diet. This book seems like it would be a great help.
Brooke (The Flour Sack)
May 9, 2011 at 9:24 pm (14 years ago)Cooking with a variety of grains is so FUN! I love the different flavors and textures each brings to a dish. I made a cake yesterday with spelt and kamut flours… so nice. I also love me some buckwheat pancakes. A few days ago I cooked up a batch of barley and millet risotto. Yum! I’ve had my eye on this little book… It looks like a great place for more inspiration on whole grains! 🙂
cj
May 9, 2011 at 9:55 pm (14 years ago)This would be a great additional to my collection!
Yadi I.
May 9, 2011 at 10:14 pm (14 years ago)I want to be entered!
Grains are definitely part of my culture. I’m puertorican, most of our dishes are adopted from the African culture. Rice and Beans is a daily occurrence in every puertorican home.
Rachel
May 9, 2011 at 10:27 pm (14 years ago)I love cooking with different grains! Some of my favorite are hulled barley (with walnuts, oranges, and dates), millet, and polenta!
Jenn
May 9, 2011 at 10:40 pm (14 years ago)we just had quinoa for the first time tonight, cooked in chicken broth – yummy!
Carrie
May 9, 2011 at 11:23 pm (14 years ago)I would like to start cooking with more grains. I’ve cooked quinoa a lot, and some wheat berries, but I’d love to use more.
Esme
May 9, 2011 at 11:42 pm (14 years ago)I have never heard of this cookbook-but I know it has my name-love the quinoa, couscous, brown rice-what a great cookbook
thank you
chocolate and croissants at yahoo . com
liquidlight
May 10, 2011 at 12:41 am (14 years ago)I would love to have this cookbook!
M.G.T
May 10, 2011 at 1:18 am (14 years ago)Bulgur! It’s amazing! But when it comes to grains in general, I’m a bit lost.
Deppified
May 10, 2011 at 2:41 am (14 years ago)Mmmm I really want to start using different grains. I use buckwheat and quinoa often, but I want more!
Julien
May 10, 2011 at 3:43 am (14 years ago)I would love to find some nice ways to work with quinoa!
elle marie
May 10, 2011 at 7:03 am (14 years ago)I would absolutely love to have this book! I really do like grains and although I don’t think I could go completely macrobiotic, I do love grains.
Topher
May 10, 2011 at 9:00 am (14 years ago)My experience with grains is very limited. I don’t really make them a whole lot. Thanks.
Chris M.
zekks at yahoo dot com
pbach1
May 10, 2011 at 9:01 am (14 years ago)Honestly, the current economy has influenced many of my food choices and changes. I started using quinoa and wheat berries. I cook them as directed (in water or chicken broth), then mix with cooked long grain rice and black beans. Throw in some of Costco’s mango-peach salsa for dinner — it’s wonderfully healthy, satisfying, and (wait) meatless!
Jennie
May 10, 2011 at 9:09 am (14 years ago)I love grains in healthy restaurants but rarely cook them myself.
Meredyth Haas
May 10, 2011 at 9:43 am (14 years ago)I love cooking with quinoa and barley, but I have less experience with farro and spelt berries. Once I tried quinoa though, I decided I could never go back to plain old rice or pasta. Whole grains are amazing, and this book looks so helpful in learning how to cook more with these unique grains.
Kelly McElligott
May 10, 2011 at 9:48 am (14 years ago)I need this book!
Lisa
May 10, 2011 at 10:01 am (14 years ago)This book is exactly what I need. In truth, the main grain I cook with is rice, so I definitely would like to branch out!
Venetia
May 10, 2011 at 11:47 am (14 years ago)That cover made me drool…Yum!
Pat R
May 10, 2011 at 1:23 pm (14 years ago)I love polenta and quinoa…..yummm
Ames
May 10, 2011 at 3:30 pm (14 years ago)I could definitely use more inspiration in the grains department!
Elizabeth
May 10, 2011 at 4:06 pm (14 years ago)I am pretty bland with my grains…barley, quinoa and oats are about it. Would love to experiment more…this book would be just the ticket.
Passeggino
May 10, 2011 at 9:38 pm (14 years ago)I haven’t cooked with many of those grains but since I love so many of your recipes I know this will be a great book. Thanks for all the great work you do.
Genevieve
May 11, 2011 at 10:29 am (14 years ago)I used to be scared of trying new grains for some reason, but lately I’ve tried cooking wheat berries and have fallen in love with quinoa – I find that it always turns out better than rice! I’m looking forward to trying other grains as well.
Roxana GreenGirl
May 11, 2011 at 10:03 pm (14 years ago)Almost everyday I cook something with grains. Love them. The book sounds like a great inspiration. Finger crossed!
Julie
May 11, 2011 at 11:01 pm (14 years ago)i would really love this cookbook to help me cook with more grains 🙂
Sarah H.P.
May 12, 2011 at 8:20 am (14 years ago)Carbohydrates are my favourite food group and a cookbook full of recipes that use a multitude of grains would be a spectacular addition to my collection!
koshercorvid
May 12, 2011 at 2:31 pm (14 years ago)I’ve been reading a book called Grain Mills and Flour in Classical Antiquity, and the most frustrating thing about this (fascinating) text is the lack of recipes! I have no idea how to cook farro, but the more I read about it the more intrigued I am.
Miss Meat and Potatoes
May 12, 2011 at 2:39 pm (14 years ago)I am utterly addicted to farro. I never thought I’d be one of those people, but it’s SO good! I honestly would swap a bowl for pasta happily any day.
Lynnette
May 13, 2011 at 1:54 pm (14 years ago)I love grains! And the opportunity to use them in baking sounds wonderful!
Amanda Thompson
May 13, 2011 at 10:15 pm (14 years ago)I don’t have very much experience with grains other than polenta. I usually make rice or potatoes as a side dish but I would really like to branch out and try quinoa, farro, etc.
adb6{at}humboldt{dot}edu
Luv'n Spoonfuls
May 13, 2011 at 11:55 pm (14 years ago)I was just searching Amazon last night looking for a cookbook that would help me learn more about grains. I LOVE cooking with whole grains and have become a farro addict in the last few months. It has kicked oatmeal out of my morning bowl! It is great cooked low in a mini crockpot overnight with dried fruit and nuts, but I really want to find more ways to use grains in savory recipes. Hope I wine!
Christine
May 14, 2011 at 4:13 am (14 years ago)Yum….barley! Great find!
Marnely Rodriguez
May 15, 2011 at 2:52 am (14 years ago)I love making wheat germ salads with veggies! so easy!
Kathy
May 15, 2011 at 1:30 pm (14 years ago)I need to cook with more grains – I’ve tried cornmeal, quinoa and couscous. Would love more ideas. Thanks for the giveaway
Kathy
katz7books at yahoo dot com
shannon m
May 15, 2011 at 10:36 pm (14 years ago)Love my grains, especially steel cut oats in the am. Once you go steel cut, you’ll never look back. So good. Now, I just need to learn more about baking with whole grain flours.
Rachael
May 16, 2011 at 3:41 pm (14 years ago)I’d love to start experimenting with different grains! I have some ground almond flour that I need to figure out what to do with, too!
Angela
May 17, 2011 at 12:15 pm (14 years ago)I really need to start cooking with more grains, my only conquer so far is quinoa.
Roxana GreenGirl
May 17, 2011 at 3:51 pm (14 years ago)I love cooking with whole grains. I’m trying to use them as often as possible. So good for our health.
Tiena
May 17, 2011 at 6:02 pm (14 years ago)I love to try new things and to read cookbooks!
Martina
May 17, 2011 at 6:18 pm (14 years ago)My experience with grain is preparing all sorts of beautiful rice puddings with sour jellies and oatmeal with cinnamon for breakfast. Everyone loves these traditional dishes, but I think I should try a new twist on them.
Maria Speck
May 18, 2011 at 11:46 am (14 years ago)Hi everyone,
I’m the author of this book, and I’m truly moved by your enthusiasm for whole grains. I so hope to bring them back to our table for what they are: delicious, full of amazing textures, flavors and colors. Wish you could all win a copy of my book.
If you ever have any questions about grains, drop by at my Facebook fan page Ancient Grains for Modern Meals and just ASK!
Jen
May 18, 2011 at 1:45 pm (14 years ago)I have recently started experimenting with different grains, this looks like a great resource!
tasteofbeirut
May 18, 2011 at 2:28 pm (14 years ago)I have been cooking with whole grains for decades, before it was trendy to do so; it happens to be the way Lebanese folks cook; we make a wheat berry pudding for new year and distribute it to everyone for good luck; we cook with bulgur and freekeh (roasted green wheat) on a weekly basis, it is our culinary heritage; I am interested in Maria’s book because she is exploring other grains that I am not as familiar with and judging by some recipes I have seen from her book, her taste is impeccable. So I would LOVE to win this book of hers!
rffoodie
May 18, 2011 at 6:31 pm (14 years ago)Oh, that cookbook looks wonderful. I cook a lot with quinoa, but I really need to start experimenting with other grains.
Natalie
May 19, 2011 at 2:39 am (14 years ago)i eat grains almost every night for dinner! we eat a mix of brown rice/quinoa/amaranth. i love cooking grains with a bit of coconut oil – it makes them so fragrant and tropical!
Sasha
May 19, 2011 at 9:56 am (14 years ago)this book is on my to read list and i would love to be lucky enough to win!
grains have become a staple in my kitchen. during cold winter months, i like to cook up a pot of quinoa with either millet or buckwheat, so that i have a nice mixed grain cereal that i can warm up each morning. i then add ground ginger, berries, and a little maple syrup. it is my breakfast of champions when the weather is cold.
Jennie
May 19, 2011 at 6:28 pm (14 years ago)Grains are almost always at the center of my plate and I would love to be inspired by Maria’s recipes. I intend to get my hands on this book one way or another!
Jane Bonacci - The Heritage Cook
May 19, 2011 at 7:31 pm (14 years ago)Thanks for the opportunity to win a copy of your book – it looks fantastic! I love whole grains and am always looking for new ways to use them!!
Alicia
May 19, 2011 at 8:08 pm (14 years ago)This looks like a fantastic book, thanks for offering this giveaway 🙂
htom
May 19, 2011 at 10:08 pm (14 years ago)I’m just beginning to bake gluten-free things for friends, so any opportunity to learn more about things other than wheat flour would be appreciated.
maria@majaskitchen.com
May 19, 2011 at 10:29 pm (14 years ago)I cannot wait to get a copy of “Ancient Grains for Modern Meals……because, both my husband and I love whole grain breads and as side dishes with our daily meals. Eating more grains will also keep my weight down…and eventually I want to look like Maria Speck, the author of this book……her diet is perfect for a fabulous and healthy body.
Patti
June 9, 2011 at 9:58 pm (13 years ago)Looks like a really inspiring book for those of us who want to cook more with grains. My favourite grain is quinoa!