Grains

Risotto is hardly effortless fare, what with all that stirring over a hot stove. But instant brown rice and creamy Neufchatel cheese can make a nutty, rich, stand-in version that's sure to be a family favorite. Substitute any vegetables you wish for the asparagus and bell pepper. Make it a Meal: Paired with a salad, this is a perfect vegetarian main course, or serve as a side dish with grilled chicken or steak.

Prep Time: 40 min

1 cup long-grain white rice or basmati rice
6 tablespoons butter
1 onion, finely chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 1/4 pounds spinach leaves, stemmed and coarsely chopped

Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) is a high-protein cereal grain from South America. The tiny seeds have a fluffy, slightly crunchy texture and mild nutty-grassy taste when cooked. To remove any traces of the seeds' natural residue called saponin, rinse the quinoa well with cold water before cooking.

When life gives you lemons, make risotto. The clean, citrusy spark brightens both the asparagus and the shrimp (though you can omit the shrimp to turn this from a main course into a side dish).

Aleppo pepper, made from dried, crushed Syrian peppers, is available at Formaggio Kitchen and Christina’s Spice and Specialty Foods (617-576-2090). At Aujourd’hui restaurant, this grain formed the base of a vegetarian entree.

I called Nekisia Davis, the owner of Early Bird Granola, to see if she would divulge the recipe for the granola I had tasted in the store. I knew Ms. Davis from when she was a manager at Franny’s restaurant, where she used to concoct amaro from roots, stems and leaves. She gave me the proportions, emphasizing that it’s the balance of sweet and salty that makes her granola like health-conscious crack. But how did you come up with the idea to use olive oil? I asked. “I put olive oil in everything,” she said. “I make French toast in olive oil. I put it on toast with jelly.

Cashew pilaf is a beautifully textured mix of nutty wild rice and tender long grain white rice, studded with tiny cubes of sautéed carrots, onions and, at the end, a lavish toss of minced parsley and roasted salted cashews. It has softness and crunch, sweetness and saltiness.

Feel free to use leftover rice from last night's takeout. The secret to good fried rice is starting with cold cooked grains.

3 tablespoons canola oil
2 eggs, beaten
1 bunch scallions, roughly chopped
1 cup leftover pork, chicken, or beef, diced
1 cup frozen peas and carrots, thawed (plus any leftover vegetables you have on hand)
4 cups cold cooked white or brown rice
4 tablespoons soy sauce
Salt and pepper to taste

1 In a large skillet or wok, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat.

You can use rice left after Chinese takeout (you need 2 generous cups of cooked rice). This version begins with brown rice, which you can prepare in advance and keep in the refrigerator. Freshly cooked rice needs just a minute in the pan. If you use leftover rice that’s been refrigerated, it will need 5 minutes to heat through.