Inexpensive, versatile and healthful: Grains have so much going for them. And today’s chefs “got it goin’ on” with grains.

They’re exploiting the full range of options, with exciting variations on grain-based dishes from comfort-food classics to cutting-edge gourmet treats. Chefs are also putting grains in cakes, salads, stuffings and many other dishes where they’re unexpected, yet welcome.

Go Wheat

Look for additional versions of this classic grain to become increasingly mainstream. Take wheatberries—unpolished wheat kernels—for example. Flavored with bacon, onions, mushrooms and cherry tomatoes, they’re a delicious accompaniment for roasted chicken. You can also use them for stuffing poultry. And salads? You bet. Combine with black olives, feta, strips of roasted red pepper and a red-wine vinaigrette.

Whole wheat flour is not just for hippies anymore. You’ll find it at popular restaurant chains in pie and pizza crusts, cakes and biscuits. Panera, for example, offers whole-grain breads on their sandwich menu and with their new Breakfast Power sandwich. Uno’s Chicago Grill presents whole-grain pasta. To adapt your existing recipes, start with 10 percent whole wheat flour and increase the amount until you find the proportion that works best.

Corn Reborn

There’s more to corn (technically a grass, often called a “vegetable grain”) than a side dish of buttered kernels. For example: delectable broiled salmon with a sauce of corn, white wine and olive oil.

Chefs are also roasting, toasting and drying corn for a gourmet touch in soups, stews, sides and more. A salad of roasted corn with onions, red and green bell peppers and basil is delicious year-round. Toasted corn and tomatoes make a wonderful salsa, zesty with cilantro and cumin: Pan-toast kernels with a little olive oil. Dried corn soup—inspired by Native American cuisine—is rich with onions, pork, garlic, red chile and oregano.

Corn can be supremely easy, too. Use thawed frozen corn to up the flavor quotient in cornbread. Or team it with canned black beans, green onions and creamy dressing for a hearty main dish salad. Keep cornmeal on hand to make grits spiked with chorizo and ham. Another simple cornmeal dish: polenta with a sauce of white beans and sage, or Italian seasonings.

Then there’s corn pudding…mmm. Flavor it with maple syrup for a real treat. Corn pudding can also be savory. Add hot-pepper Monterey Jack and green onions, or nutmeg, poblano and shredded crabmeat.

Rice Is Nice

This grain is a natural for customer-pleasing entrées and sides. Think red beans and long-grained white rice—spicy and delicious.

Risotto, featuring slow-cooked arborio rice, has to be one of the most versatile dishes of all time. Whether enhanced with protein or vegetables, or simply flavored with herbs, it’s an endless palette for a wide range of signature ingredients. Risotto is a tasty way to use up overstocked perishables, too, from shrimp to green beans to cheese.

Rice is also found in the round. For example, Italians use leftover risotto to make deep-fried arancini: breadcrumb-coated rice balls with cheese, meat or veggies tucked inside, also found at NYC’s Back Forty restaurant. Serve them with tomato sauce for dipping, or a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. At Oms/b Rice Ball Café, they’re Asian style—stuffed with ingredients such as root vegetables and sesame mayonnaise.

On the sweet side, comfort-food favorite rice pudding has found life beyond raisins and cinnamon. This inexpensive dessert now features everything from dried apricots to poached figs, and spices such as cardamom.

Oats & Barley

Steel-cut oats are newwly popular for breakfast oatmeal. Give them a try in cookies, muffins and pancakes, the topping for fruit crisps, even meatloaf; they add a flavor and texture similar to nuts while avoiding major allergen issues. Regular rolled oats make savory oatcakes, similar to biscuits, for breakfast or the bread basket.

And don’t overlook barley. When a salad of barley, cranberries and pecans proved to be a hit as a special, the chef of Seagate Technologies’ cafeteria put it on the regular menu during the summer months. As a hot side dish with green beans, mushrooms and dill, barley accompanies a variety of COP options. Of course, barley is perfect for many kinds of soup, from vegetable to beef-and-mushroom.

Oldies & Goodies

Ancient grains are being showcased in white-tablecloth establishments and are moving mainstream. Take quinoa, cultivated in the South American Andes since at least 3000 BC. Today this complete vegetarian protein is used in side dishes and salads, such as quinoa with summer squash and quinoa pilaf with roasted garlic, roasted peppers and basil. Farro (one of the original forms of wheat) lends itself to a traditional Italian soup similar to minestrone as well as the cheesy baked farro touted by a Food Network chef.

Spelt berries—cousin to the wheatberry—also add a nutty flavor and chewy texture to recipes. Mix them with roasted vegetables for a tasty side dish. Simmer with broth to boost flavor; cool and combine with red onion, cucumber and shredded purple cabbage plus basil vinaigrette for a delightful salad.

Brown rice, too, is in a comeback phase. It teams well with white rice, orzo and almost any type of vegetable. Brown rice pilaf also makes a wonderful foundation to plate fillets, pork chops, fish and plenty of other protein choices. To enhance the appeal, use canned broth to cook the rice, or add a pinch of Katy’s Kitchen™ flavor base.

What’s more, many of these grains can help you in formulating gluten-free menu items. Other possibilities include millet and amaranth.

Multi Magic

Combining grains is a time-honored tradition, and a tasty one. Try a light summer salad of white rice, brown rice and corn spiked with red pepper and tomatoes and dressed with olive oil, vinegar and herbs. Chicken stew with barley and quinoa—rich with tomatoes, herbs and spices—satisfies when the weather is cold.

Combine white rice and bulgur wheat in a goes-with-anything pilaf also featuring mushrooms, onion, nutmeg and sesame oil.

In short, take a fresh approach to grains—including whole grains—and you could perk up your entire menu, from appetizers to desserts. For cheap! Your Shamrock Foods Sales Representative can help you understand what products make sense for your operation, the best ways to purchase.