They are full of fibre, protein, vitamins and minerals, and have low glycemic indexes, some are gluten-free - and most have interesting stories behind them.
One of the best recent book on the subject is Catherine Saxelby's Ancient Grains: Whole-food recipes for the modern table (Arbon Publishing).
The Australian nutritionist and author of several books gives a clear background, without the hype of some promoters of grain products, and explains the nutrition, uses and cooking of each grain in detail.
There follow a wealth of recipes using various whole grains - breakfast and brunch, breads and baked goods, soups and starters, main courses, side dishes and salads and desserts. Some are vegan, some vegetarian, and some include meat or fish but not as the main component.
I've enjoyed coconut and chia granola bars and I'm looking forward to trying others like spelt, olive and chickpea casserole with basil pesto, quinoa and carrot salad, wheat berries and wilted greens, and to indulge in banana, oat and spelt waffles with chocolate sauce.
