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soups, or salads. ( For a complete guide to cooking grains, see this page . )
BULGUR
    Bulgur is a fancy name for cracked whole wheat kernels. It has a crunchy, nutty taste and is essential in tabbouleh (a Middle Eastern salad made with parsley, tomatoes, cucumbers, garlic, and lemon). You don’t even need to cook it—just soak it in hot water for half an hour. Also great served hot for breakfast with almond milk and maple syrup or honey.
BARLEY
    Barley is a good alternative for al dente pasta lovers—it’s got the same satisfying chew but so much more protein and fiber. Both hulled and pearled barley (which cooks faster in a pinch) are super satisfying in winter soups and stews—I also love barley in a grain salad with goat cheese, a little nitrate-free bacon or salami (Cash’s favorite!), diced spring onions, and, of course, olive oil with lemon.
OATS
    We went through a serious oatmeal phase in our house because for ages, it was all Honor would eat for breakfast. Look for rolled or steel cut: Both are made from oat groats, the edible kernels milled from whole grain oats. They cook in 10 (rolled) to 45 (steel cut) minutes and can be cooked like oatmeal or fluffy like rice. Don’t bother with instant oats—they’re lower in fiber and taste like cardboard.
FARRO
    This is a wheatlike berry (but higher in fiber and much lower in gluten!) used in traditional Tuscan cooking, so it’s big with pasta lovers and good with almost any rustic tomato sauce or pesto. It has a tasty, almost grassy flavor and cooks in 30 minutes.
QUINOA
    This might be the best gateway grain for a skeptic. In addition to packing plenty of the fiber and complex carbs that make whole grains so satisfying, quinoa is a complete source of protein. Plus it cooks in just 15 minutes and is great for risottos or pilafs.
    QUINOA FOR KIDS
    I got in the habit of making quinoa instead of rice for Honor as a way to sneak her some extra protein. She loves it cooked in chicken broth with a little olive oil, salt, and Italian herbs; I use the leftovers for a salad with cranberries and pine nuts. It’s fluffy and fun—kids are really into it!

Pure & Simple: Clean Protein
    I ’M COMBINING plant and animal protein here because meat doesn’t have to be at the center of every meal—there are lots of delicious ways to get your protein fix! I do find that I feel better and have more energy when I include a good source of lean protein in every meal, especially breakfast. That sustains me so I’m not tempted to just snack idly on foods I don’t need.

ORGANIC BEEF
    I always choose cuts labeled “lean” and “extra-lean,” like sirloin steak, top round, and bottom round roast. This is so I know I’m minimizing saturated fat and cholesterol, which is a good idea for everyone—but is super important if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding. That’s because nasty cancer-causing chemicals called dioxins can pile up in animal fat and, once you eat them, make their way to your baby. You should also opt for grass-fed beef whenever possible—cows raised out in the pasture have much less saturated fat and higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids (a good fat!) than grain-fed cattle. Purchasing grass-fed, organic, and local beef also helps ensure you avoid added hormones—which many farmers add to promote rapid growth—as well as that nasty pink slime business (the mess of animal by-products, trimmings, ammonia, and other gunk used as filler in much commercial ground beef). Enough said.

ORGANIC LAMB
    One great thing about lamb (and goat, for that matter) is that the USDA doesn’t allow the use of growth hormones on these animals. Lamb also happens to be delicious—I love grilling it in kebabs with peppers, onions, and rosemary in the summer (which makes it very kid friendly, too). Look for lean cuts and grass-fed when possible.
ORGANIC CHICKEN
    Conventionally farmed chickens are pumped full of antibiotics—to prevent diseases from spreading—and garbage like animal