Much as I love whole grain breads and cereals, I’m especially jazzed when new whole grain products appear that show extraordinary creativity and originality. Yesterday at the Natural Products Expo East trade show in Boston, I saw some great products that take whole grains in “whole” new directions.

Whole Grain Potstickers. Whole grain potstickers? Egg rolls? Dim sum? Yes! Tang’s Natural, based in Brooklyn, NY, offers them all. What’s more, they use Bell & Evans chicken (my personal favorite) to fill the potstickers, which come in your choice of chicken teriyaki, seven whole grain shiitake with chicken, chicken woodear mushroom, as well as vegetable (no chicken). Although I was pacing myself to keep from food-show overload, I went back for a second dumpling here. Might have been a mistake, as I was too full by the time I came upon the multigrain pierogies from Living Right Foods.

Drink Your Whole Grains. The trend toward drinkable whole grains, which started with brown rice milk and the Organic Food Chef’s sparkling whole grain juices, continues with two new contenders. You might imagine that a drink with significant amounts of whole grain in it might be starchy or thick, but these are most assuredly not.

First is Froose, described by inventer (and Mom) Denise Devine as “delicious organic whole grains in natural fruity flavors.” I tried the Playful Peach, which has the deep flavor and texture of a peach nectar, not a watery juice. Each kid-size 4 oz. juice box contains 4 grams of whole grain, and – between the fruit and the whole grain – 3 grams of fiber.

For grown-ups, there’s Quinoa Gold, a mix of organic quinoa, agave nectar (as its sweetener), water, and natural flavors. I tried – and liked – the Mango Passion, but there’s “dark berry” and “piña colada” to pick from, too. Each 16 ounce bottle offers 27 grams of quinoa, according to founder Marcus Edwards.

Quick Whole Grain Flakes. You’re certainly familiar with rolled oats, but may not have stopped to think that oats aren’t naturally flat like this. An oat kernel (also called a groat) is steamed, then flattened with rollers to create the familiar flakes – both of which processes make them cook quicker than an untouched groat. Eden has used this same process on a range of grains – Kamut®, rye, brown rice, oat, and spelt – to produce a line of whole grain flakes that cook in just three minutes for a very quick hot cereal or side dish. I also noticed rye pasta in Eden’s booth. While brown rice, corn and quinoa pastas are increasingly common (to serve the gluten-free community) rye pasta is still unusual enough to raise my eyebrows. Haven’t tried it yet, though. If you have, make a comment here! (Cynthia)