Nutrition News by Charlyn Fargo

As the number of people interested and needing to consume gluten-free foods increases, so does the concern of getting enough whole grains. If you have to avoid gluten, it doesn't mean you have to skimp on whole grains. The key is to focus on those that are gluten free — grains such as amaranth, buckwheat, corn, millet, oats, quinoa, brown rice, sorghum, teff and while rice.

Whole grains are those that are intact and possess their outer layer of bran, their starchy endosperm layer and their inner germ layer. Whole grains have a whole host of benefits — lowering risk of stroke, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, asthma, colorectal cancer, inflammatory diseases and gum diseases. They also increase satiety and a healthier weight, not to mention, they are chocked full of nutrients, from B vitamins to riboflavin, thiamin and folate as well as calcium, iron and magnesium.

Here are some tips to boost gluten-free whole grains, from Registered Dietitian Shelley Case, author of "Gluten-Free Diet: A Comprehensive Resource Guide."

1. Add cooked buckwheat, oat groats, steel-cut oats, quinoa, sorghum or wild rice to rice pilaf mix.

2. Enrich soups with cooked brown rice, buckwheat, oat groats, quinoa, sorghum or wild rice.

3. Boost nutritional content of brownies, cakes and cookies with 1/4 cup cooked amaranth or teff.

4. Sprinkle cooked gluten-free whole grains over mixed green salads.

5. Toss cooked gluten-free whole grains with gluten-free pasta.

Q and A

Q: I love using a salad bar at lunch to help me get enough vegetables each day. How can I avoid creating one of those mega-calorie salads that make headlines periodically?

A: Salad bars are a terrific way to make vegetables a large part of meals, as recommended by guidelines from organizations such as the American Institute for Cancer Research. To control calories, be creative and fill most of your plate or take-out container with a wide variety of dark leafy greens (like spinach, romaine or other mixed salad greens) and plain colorful chopped vegetables (including carrots, peppers, cucumbers, mushrooms, tomatoes and more). For a sweet touch, include about a half-cup (a rounded handful) of unsweetened fresh fruit, such as pineapple or berries. To make a main dish salad, include one of the following (or smaller portions of several): a half-cup of kidney or garbanzo beans; a half-cup turkey, seafood chunks, chopped hardboiled egg or tuna (unless it's mixed with lots of mayonnaise); or one-third cup (a level handful) of nuts or sunflower or pumpkin seeds.

If you want cheese, add about one to two tablespoons for flavor in combination with one of these leaner sources of protein. Otherwise, using just a half-cup of shredded regular cheese adds over 200 calories to your salad. Try Parmesan or feta for plenty of flavor in a small amount. Finally, be careful with salad dressing portions. A full typical four-tablespoon size ladle of regular dressing probably contains 140 to 320 calories (and 500 to 640 milligrams of sodium). Even reduced-fat dressings add up. A ladle the size of a ping-pong ball will give you two tablespoons. If it's bigger than that, make sure you only fill the ladle part way before dressing your salad. You can extend salad dressing with lemon juice or splashes of vinegar. For even lower calories and sodium, dress your salad with lemon juice or vinegar and a couple teaspoons of plain olive oil (often in a cruet on the salad bar).

Information courtesy of the American Institute for Cancer Research.

Recipe

I'm a big fan of pesto, but it can be on the high side of the calorie meter. Here's a slimmed down version — with plenty of flavor — from Cooking Light. This Linguine with Spinach-Herb Pasta replaces some of the basil/oil pesto with spinach.

Linguine with Spinach-Herb Pasta

4 ounces fresh baby spinach

1/4 cup slivered blanched almonds

1/4 cup fresh basil leaves

2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 large garlic clove, chopped

2 tablespoons vegetable broth

2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated and divided

8 ounces uncooked linguine

Place spinach in a microwave-safe bowl; cover bowl with plastic wrap. Microwave at HIGH 2 minutes or until spinach wilts. Remove plastic wrap and cool slightly. Place spinach, almonds and next five ingredients (through garlic) in a food processor. Process until chopped. Add broth, juice and salt; pulse 5 times. With processor on, slowly pour oil through food chute; process until well blended. Scrape into a bowl; stir in half of cheese. Cover with plastic wrap. Cook pasta according to package direction, omitting salt and fat. Drain. Toss pasta with 1/2 cup pesto. Arrange about 1 1/2 cups pasta mixture in each of 4 bowls. Top each serving with 2 tablespoons remaining pesto and 1 1/2 teaspoons remaining cheese. Serves four.

Per serving: 353 calories; 12.9 g protein; 48.2 g carbohydrate; 13.2 g fat; 5 mg cholesterol; 4.3 g fiber; 327 mg sodium.

Charlyn Fargo is a registered dietitian from Springfield, Ill. For comments or questions, contact her at charfarg@aol.com or follow her on Twitter @NutritionRD. To find out more about Charlyn Fargo and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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