Get Your Grains at Cafe Drake

There are SO many tasty and unusual grain combinations sold in the markets these days. At Trader Joe's two of our favorites are the Brown Rice Medley with Black Barley and Daikon Radish Seeds and the Basmati Rice Medley (featuring aged Indian Basmati rice and wild rice). The newest permanent addition to Cafe Drake's pantry is the Healthy Grain Multigrain mix from Sawat-D Foods. Redundant product name aside, this is a seriously complex blend of Thai Red Rice, Black Sweet Rice, Sweet Cargo Rice, split mung beans and Job's Tears; the latter grain is highly revered throughout Asia as both a delicious and healing food, said to support radiant skin and produce sedating effects on the nervous system. And um, you know you need that. See the Sawat-D multigrain pilaf above served with Taiwanese pork chops and jicama and watercress salads. As you'll notice, the cooked product gets a bit muddy in tone but does not affect taste - just make certain you've another colorful element on the plate to offset any potential visual grimness.

SUPER FAST JICAMA SALAD

As above: talk about a grim looking veggie. Nevertheless do seek out on your next supermarket foray; despite outward appearances jicama is wonderfully sweet and crunchy and spot-on for lighter summer appetites.

Peel 1 large jicama and slice into thin matchsticks or a medium dice. Toss with a splash of lime juice, a sprinkle of sea salt, dash of rice wine vinegar and a drizzle of olive oil. Stir in 1/2 of a chopped red onion and serve as a side salad or relish. Also good with chopped apples and a bit of fresh oregano.