Spelt, quinoa, chia, amaranth, millet, wild rice and farro - once hidden away in the back corner of the health food store, these so-called ancient grains can now be found in the supermarket.

They've even been spied in some of the dishes cooked up on popular reality cooking shows.

"I was flying back from overseas and a quinoa salad was on the Qantas menu and it's now at Coles," says author Catherine Saxelby, who has just released a new book, Ancient Grains.

Saxelby says ancient grains are being "rediscovered" and re-evaluated because of their nutritional benefits, cultural importance, often gluten-free status, and eco-friendly cultivation.

"People are looking for alternatives to big agriculture," the Australian nutritionist says.

Fortunately many of the ancient grains are harder to pronounce than cook, she says.

"There's farro, pronounced 'fahr-ro', and quinoa, 'keen-wa' or you can also say 'keen-oh-a'.

"Farro is an ancient form of wheat."

For the ancient grain virgin, Saxelby provides information on basic cooking and the health benefits for each grain in the introduction to her attractive book, then it's on to the 100 tummy-rumbling recipes.

From roast chicken stuffed with brown rice, dates and herbs to a vanilla cheesecake with a millet base, there's enough delectable breakfast, lunch and dinner recipes to have you eating an ancient grain at every meal.

Nutritionists have been telling people for years to eat a variety of fruit and vegetables, but they also should be saying to eat a variety of grains, Saxelby says.

Sounds like it might be time to go hunting and gathering for sorghum, Kamut (a patented variety of wheat) and teff - no longer on an archaeological dig site, but at your local supermarket.

Ancient Grains by Catherine Saxelby, is published by Arbon, $34.99. 

Bulgur and fig salad, from Saxelby’s Ancient Grains

Salad

cup fine bulgur

cup walnuts

Sea salt to taste

Ground pepper to taste

1 bunch arugula (rocket) leaves, washed and dried (you can also use baby spinach leaves)

100g fat-reduced feta (you can replace the feta with blue cheese if preferred)

4 fresh figs, quartered 

Extra virgin olive oil to drizzle 

Dressing

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar

Pinch of superfine (caster) sugar

Pinch of ground cinnamon

Method

Place the bulgur in a bowl, cover it with water, let it stand for 20 minutes. Drain using a sieve. Tip bulgur onto a clean tea towel, gather up the ends  and twist to get as much water out as possible.

Place bulgur in a bowl. Preheat the oven to 180degrees. Bake walnuts for 3 to 4 minutes then cool. To make the dressing, whisk other ingredients with a fork. Drizzle over the bulgur and stir. Season with salt and pepper. To assemble the dish, divide the rocket between four serving plates. Combine dressed bulgur, feta and walnuts and spoon mixture over the rocket leaves. Top with figs, drizzle with olive oil and season with pepper.

AAP