The Best Pre-cooked Grains & Legumes
We’ve never met a carb we didn’t like.
Ok, that is not not true. But, in general carbs provide both sustenance and comfort, and can be part of a well-rounded, diverse diet. Though we maintain the joy of unfurling a croissant while sipping on a cup of coffee is unparalleled, our love for whole grains and legumes rivals that for any pastry. The world over, peoples and cultures rely on various grains, legumes and root crops for the foundation of their cuisines; think of rice throughout Asia, sorghum and millet throughout Africa, and beans and corn throughout the Americas. And, there any more varieties than those mentioned here; NYTimes recently overviewed ways to up your #graingame here.
While we love grains, we don’t always love cooking them. Like most of you, we have often have just a few minutes to pull a meal together. Rice cookers can alleviate some of this quandary but they still require time and foresight. Enter pre-cooked grains. Below are the ones we keep in our pantry to make meals quick, simple and wholesome.
Fillo’s Puerto Rican Pink Beans
We love this product and we love this brand (they make walking tamales!!) Like us, Fillo’s is dedicated to making cooking easier and more fun, and their delicious products make any meal a cinch. Though the Puerto Rican pink beans are our fave, we like all Fillo’s products. Top a A Dozen Cousin’s Spanish yellow rice with Fillo’s black beans and some sliced avocado, drizzle with La Fundidora’s salsa roja or fresca (or both), finish with a handful of cilantro and crumbled cotija or queso blanco. So quick, so delish.
A Dozen Cousin’s Spanish Yellow Rice
We recently discovered this rice and it’s quickly become a household staple. We appreciate the extra oomph from the bone broth and spice, and it’s versatile, pairing well with a variety of cuisines. We love it in the “burrito bowl” we mentioned above, fried with some herbs, or under a chicken breast and some greens.
Seed’s of Change Quinoa and Brown Rice with Garlic
The OG of our love affair with steamed grains, we’ve been eating this products for years, and have consumed it (and forced it upon others) more times than we can count. It’s featured in our Chicken Tendie Bowl, widely available (our sis buys 6 packs of it at Costco!), and just very, very good.
TJ’s Greek Chickpeas
Simply put, we’re obsessed with these. Since we don’t make it to TJ’s often, we buy them by the armful when we do go, then toss them with some chopped baby cukes, cherry tomatoes, and crumbled pita chips for an easy lunch. Top with a dollop of tzatziki and thank us later.
Mike’s Chicken Ramen
Technically not a grain or legume, but still an (almost) ready-to-eat carb we’d be lost without. There are many nights we’ve been too tired to cook that we’ve microwaved a bowl of this ramen, fried an egg or grabbed a soft boiled egg from the fridge, topped both with some chile crispy and a handful of slivered scallions and microgreens, and called it a day. We’re also big fans of Omson’s noodles, but they may be too spicy for so kiddos.
Steamed Edamame
Nutritious and delicious, we reach for these whenever we need something both green and protein-packed. They heat up quickly in the microwave, and make a satisfying snack tossed with a little sea salt and soy sauce. Though they can be eaten on their own, they’re also great in salads and stir fries. We particularly like them in our smashed cucumber salad. As with most soy products, buy them organic if you can.