This is one of the staple recipe in my house and one that I love to make again and again because:
• It is a great all season healthy meal.
• It is very simple and easy to make.
• You can serve it warm or at room temperature.
• You can portion it and freeze for later use.
• In the summer you can have it with a salad and in the winter with a soup.
• It tastes delicious!
Millet is a grain that many people are familiar with for… birds. In fact, I often get that response when people see me eat millet: “Isn’t that bird food?” Millet is very much human food and it is a quick and easy grain to cook. When millet cools it has a clumping consistency (a little like polenta) which makes it excellent for pie bases and veggie burgers.
Millet has amazing health benefits:
~ It is a great source of important minerals
~ It promotes heart health
~ It stabilizes our blood sugar level
~ it lowers risk of diabetes
~ It provides complete protein when combined with legumes like in this lentil recipe
~ It is a gluten free grain
To cook millet, measure one cup of the grain and rinse it in a fine strainer under running water. Place it in a pot, add 3 cups of water and a pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling, cover and lower the heat to simmer. The millet will cook in 15-20 minutes, when all the water is absorbed.
Place the hot cooked millet in a casserole dish and flatten it with a spoon until it reaches a 1/3 of the dish in height.
In a separate pot place one cup of rinsed red lentils.
Add 3 cups of water and bring to a boil.
Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes until the lentils are soft.
Add more water if needed, you want the lentils to be moist and saucy but with no access liquid.
In a frying pan saute 1 large diced onion and 2-3 cloves of garlic in 2 tablespoons of coconut oil.
Add 1 teaspoon of cumin, 1/2 teaspoon of sweet paprika, chopped fresh thyme and sage, about a tablespoon each (or 1 teaspoon dry) and salt and pepper to taste.
When the onions and garlic turn golden, mix in with the lentils.
Pour the seasoned lentils on top of the millet to reach the top of the casserole dish.
Bake in a 350ºF/180ºC oven for about 30 minutes until the lentils mixture settles and browns on top.
Take out of the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes.
Slice a piece of the lentil and serve with a large salad or a bowl of soup.
Bon Appétit!
Please share this recipe with someone you love.
I can’t wait to try this! It looks so delicious and nurturing! Thank you so much Rachel for your creative ideas each week.
Oh, so happy you are going to try it, you will LOVE this recipe.
Looks yummy- I know millet is good for you too