“Whole grains, like wild or brown rice and barley, are packed with a lot of fiber and other nutrients, but they can take up to an hour to cook on the stove,” says Amy Keating, RD, a CR nutritionist.

Grains have been part of the human diet for tens of thousands of years – and they remain at the heart of meals eaten around the world. From a breakfast bowl of Rice Krispies or porridge, to bulgur ...