boiling whole grains

To answer your question, Crystal, some whole grains stand up really well to boiling, just like pasta! I mostly do brown rice, but I think this would work well for oat groats, wheat berries, rye, any other sturdy, usually long-cooking grain. How to do it?

1. Bring a pot of water with a pinch of salt to a boil. (Covering the pot obviously makes the water boil faster.)

2. Add whole grains. Return to a boil. Stir. Lower the heat a little so the grains don't boil over, but keep at a near-rolling boil, until the grains are done. I don't usually cover the pot at this point, 'cause I don't cover pasta either. Brown rice takes 20 to 25 minutes, depending on how fresh it is.

3. Drain grains in a colander and serve!

And don't worry, I didn't come up with this on my own -- Mark Bittman rocks.