Go Wild!

Now that global grains such as quinoa and amaranth have made it to the mainstream, it’s easy to overlook wild rice, North America’s native gluten-free grain. “Wild rice is native to the Great Lakes region, but it also grows well when cultivated in Northern California and Texas,” says Todd Kluger, vice president of marketing for Lundberg Family Farms in Richvale, Calif. Kluger credits the fermenting and roasting process used to cure the dark brown grains for their rich, nutty flavor. Among his recommendations for using wild rice? Blending it with other grains for flavor and texture, grinding it raw into flour to add fiber and flavor to baked goods, and popping the kernels the way you’d pop popcorn and sprinkling over salads.