MILLET A GOOD GLUTEN-FREE GRAIN: Sausage and Millet Stuffed Peppers; Apple, Maple Millet Breakfast Pudding

Raw Organic Millet

Back in the '80's when a friend of mine gave me some millet to try, I said, "What, are you kidding me??..that stuff is bird seed!!"

I was right, it is used for bird seed and fodder for other animals, but cooked in chicken broth, it was more than suitable for us human animals as well!! I really liked it. My family liked it too. It was light, mild and tasty and I could see many possibilities.
But soon, the gourmet craze of the times crowded out my thoughts of this humble, ancient food and led me to seek pink peppercorns, kiwi fruit and the like. Millet faded away in my pursuit of Szechuan Pepper and Thai Chiles!

Millet may have been the first grain eaten by man. It has been a staple for populations in Asia and India and parts of Europe for centuries. It is alkaline, very digestible and grows easily in arid conditions.
The proteins it contains are not complete, but as with other grains, combined with legumes, it supplies complete protein. It is a good source of B vitamins, folate and minerals. One note of caution: millet contains phytates and can inhibit the absorption of minerals and it can draw iodine from the system. Those with hypothyroidism need to limit consumption. Moderation is the key as with any food, but millet's health benefits far outweigh any risks.   

Millet can be used toasted and raw to give "crunch" to breads and toppings. It can be used in soups, stews, casseroles, stuffings, pancakes and porridges. In fact, it can be a great substitute for any rice or couscous recipe. Flour made with a millet-like grain is the main ingredient in flatbreads such as Ethiopian Injera and Indian Roti. It does not rise, so if a risen bread is desired, it must be combined with wheat flour.

Cooked Millet

Fast forward to the next century, now, and grains are coming back into vogue. We Boomers are finding that as we age, wheat does not agree with everyone's digestive tract, and that alternative ancient grains sosmetimes help. Quinoa is now the rage. It is high in protein, easy to digest and gluten-free. But millet has all these attributes too, and lacks the saponin that can make quinoa "soapy" or bitter if not rinsed well.

I found some organic millet at an organic farmstand. We are currently studying and testing high-carb diets in my nutrition program at IIN, so I brought the millet home and cooked up a batch.
The following recipes are two delicious ways I used the cooked millet! The Stuffed Peppers are much lighter than rice or breadcrumb stuffed peppers and delectable, I think!  The Breakfast Pudding is sort of like having apple custard pie for breakfast with no guilt or heaviness in your tummy afterwards.
Please try them and enjoy!!

To cook millet, rinse, use 1 part millet to 2 parts water. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat. Cook for 35-40 minutes. Let sit for a few minutes and fluff with a fork.

APPLE MAPLE BREAKFAST PUDDING

• 1/2 apple, cut into pieces
• 1 cup cooked millet
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 cup milk or half and half or almond milkl
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon sliced almonds or other nuts, chopped
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup (or to taste!)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix cooked millet with apples, cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar. Place in a baking dish.(6x8 for this recipe for 2 people, larger if doubling).
Whisk egg, milk and vanilla together and pour mixture over top. Dot with pieces of butter and sprinkle almonds evenly over entire casserole. l
Bake for about 30 minutes until custard is set and top is slightly browned. Drizzle with maple syrup and serve warm..mmm!  >3

Yummy Warm Apple Maple Breakfast Pudding

Cook extra millet and you can use it in the following recipe for stuffing, add it to soup or use it as a substitute for rice or couscous in any recipe (except risotto, it is too fine).

ITALIAN CHICKEN SAUSAGE AND MILLET STUFFED MINI PEPPERS

• 1 hot Italian fresh chicken sausage (Publix Greenwise for example)
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup cooked millet
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano (or 1 tablespoon fresh)
• 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
• 3 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
• 1/4 cup stock, chicken or vegetable
• 1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 6 whole mini-peppers multi-colored, or 1 large sweet red pepper

Preheat oven 375 degrees.

Remove casing form sausage by slicing it down one side with a scissor and removing meat.
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet. Add sausage meat and crumble with a fork. Add onion and garlic and cook until sausage is no longer pink and onion is softened. Do nut burn or brown onion or garlic! Medium heat.
Take off the heat and add millet, oregano and parmesan. Mix thoroughly.

Wash, seed and cut peppers in half. Place them in a baking dish coated with a little olive oil. Stuff peppers with millet mixture. Pour stock, vinegar and wine over all and drizzle with remaining olive oil. Sprinkle with more parmesan if desired.

Florida Mini-Peppers, SWEET!!

Bake for about 1/2 hour basting with sauce every now and then.  If you cannot find Mini Peppers, I think they are a Florida thing grown by one farm in particular, Pero Family, and incredibly sweet, use a very large sweet red pepper cut in half and the roasting time should be about the same. You might want to cover them for 15 minutes to be sure the pepper cooks.

• For an alternative you may add tomato sauce, but try it without for a change!!
• This same stuffing is good for eggplant, tomatoes, mushrooms and would be good in chicken or pork cutlets too.  Flour and brown the stuffed cutlets in a little oil and bake with the liquids as above.

So good with Organic Greens and Tomatoes!

You see, Sola really is simple and simply scrumptious!!!