March is National Nutrition Month and in honor of this, let’s take a peek at a little-known nutritional powerhouse — millet.
Millet is a gluten-free, high-protein, high-fiber whole grain that is slightly larger than quinoa. Millet is an excellent source of B vitamins, folate and several important minerals including magnesium. Magnesium is not only important for heart health and decreasing blood pressure and risk of heart attacks, but also has been shown to help reduce the frequency of migraines and severity of asthma. It is also highly alkaline, making it soothing to the stomach.
Millet is an ancient grain, originally cultivated in Neolithic China and Africa. During the Middle Ages in Europe, it was more popular than even wheat. It is currently a staple grain and food in developing nations and Eastern European nations. Millet is used most often in bird seed in North America and Western Europe, however it is quickly gaining attention and popularity.
Millet is a versatile food that can be used as a hot cereal similar to oatmeal and cream of wheat, or as a replacement to grains such as rice, quinoa and wheat products. It can be made as a sweet or savory dish, mixed with meat or veggies as a stand-alone meal, or used as side dish. It is cooked in a similar fashion to quinoa or rice, bringing water to a boil before adding the millet grain and leaving to simmer until all the water is absorbed. It will expand in size to about triple the volume. Millet should have a light and fluffy texture when cooked with this method. One can later add coconut, almond or regular milk to create a creamier texture and sweeter taste.
Recently I decided to explore this grain myself for the first time. The fruits of my labor were well worth stepping outside of my comfort zone — I’m officially hooked. Millet is relatively inexpensive and I was able to buy it from the bulk bins at Winco. The first time I made millet, I substituted half the water for low-sodium chicken stock with herbs and garlic added for flavor and topped it with homemade chili verde. The millet itself had a very mild taste and took on the flavor of the chili verde nicely, while adding a good texture to the stew.
The second time I decided to try it breakfast style. Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day, so I had pretty high hopes for this experiment. I initially cooked the millet with just water. Then I added coconut milk to the cooked millet and reheated it, along with banana, cinnamon, nutmeg and a drizzle of honey. It was delicious. You can personalize this to whatever suites your personal tastes. So go ahead and deviate from your normal rice or noodles. Try something new, nutritious, wholesome and tasty. You will probably like what you find!
Sarah Clark can be reached at [email protected]