To mince garlic, you may want to use a garlic press. Your taste testing is far more important than the clock. Check a carrot or a potato and see if it's tender. The goal is to cook a dish long enough to blend the flavors but not so long that it turns to mush. All of these recipes can be used as springboards for new inventions.
All whole grains have bland flavors that are very similar to one another.
Try several of the different types and decide which ones you like best. Then feel free to use your favorites in any of my recipes, as well as in your own recipes that call for rice or pasta.