Product Showcase: Kashi 7 Whole Grain Pilaf
Since it’s Heart Month, I thought it would be appropriate to highlight a whole grain food product I absolutely love. A few months ago I found Kashi’s 7 Whole Grain Pilaf in the hot cereal aisle. It looked interesting so I bought it. And to my delight, it is an absolutely scrumptious grain that cooks a lot like brown rice. Warning, it does take 25 minutes so you may want to make it ahead of time. Because it is plain, I recommend consulting Kashi’s website for recipe ideas or get creative and spice it up on your own.
The first time I used the pilaf I tried the recipe on the side of the box for Mediterranean Pilaf. It’s incredibly easy and makes for fantastic leftovers. With my busy schedule I’m constantly looking for recipes that I can serve for dinner, then eat for lunch the next couple of days. I cut this recipe in half and it was great. You may want to add in a can of black beans for more protein.
Mediterranean Pilaf
Ingredients
2 packets Kashi® 7 Whole Grain Pilaf
1 cup pine nuts (to reduce fat content, use ½ cup pine nuts)
2 cloves organic garlic, minced
6 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
½ teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes
1 teaspoon salt
2 bunches fresh basil, coarsely chopped
1 organic red bell pepper, diced
1 organic yellow bell pepper, diced
fresh ground black pepper to taste
2 packets Kashi® 7 Whole Grain Pilaf
1 cup pine nuts (to reduce fat content, use ½ cup pine nuts)
2 cloves organic garlic, minced
6 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
½ teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes
1 teaspoon salt
2 bunches fresh basil, coarsely chopped
1 organic red bell pepper, diced
1 organic yellow bell pepper, diced
fresh ground black pepper to taste
Directions
1. Cook pilaf according to package instructions.
2. In a small skillet, dry toast the pine nuts over medium high heat, stirring continuously until they are golden brown and aromatic. Remove nuts from heat and set aside.
3. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the garlic, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon zest, chili flakes, salt, basil, pepper and set aside.
4. In a large mixing bowl, combine cooked Kashi Pilaf, pine nuts, bell peppers and sauce mixture. Mix well and serve.
1. Cook pilaf according to package instructions.
2. In a small skillet, dry toast the pine nuts over medium high heat, stirring continuously until they are golden brown and aromatic. Remove nuts from heat and set aside.
3. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the garlic, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon zest, chili flakes, salt, basil, pepper and set aside.
4. In a large mixing bowl, combine cooked Kashi Pilaf, pine nuts, bell peppers and sauce mixture. Mix well and serve.
And for any of my readers that don’t like or think they don’t have time to cook…
One of the most common questions I get when helping my nutrition clients plan meals is:
What frozen foods (if any) do you recommend?
My response: a frozen Kashi meal isn’t a bad option. I like them because the base of the meal is whole grains and they are fairly balanced in terms of carbohydrate, protein, and fat. My suggestion is to serve with a side salad and a piece of fruit to round out your meal a bit. My personal favorite is the Black Bean Mango. It’s awfully encouraging to read the ingredient list: whole grains, beans, water, veggies are the first 6 ingredients. Cool.
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I also love Kashi’s Black Bean Mango!!! I discovered it a few months ago and it is seriously one of my favorite meals. Yes, a frozen entree is one of my favorite meals… it’s THAT good! I’ll have to try the pilaf! Thanks for the recommendation!