Millet forms the base of these crispy, gluten-free cakes that are packed with nutritious veggies.
For me, the New Year is all about starting fresh, making healthy choices and trying new things. And that’s exactly what the Recipe Redux challenged us to do for the first month of 2016- pick a new ingredient that we’ve been wanting to try and cook up a new recipe with it.
I make a lot of recipes with whole grains. After all, the dietary guidelines recommend that half of all the grains we eat be whole grains. But most of the time, I end up making either brown rice or quinoa for dinner. Sometimes I’ll make barley or farro. I've been wanting to try some new whole grains so this week when I was at the grocery store, I ended up buying a bag of millet. Although millet is a new grain for me, it’s actually quite ancient. According to the Whole Grains Council website, “Before rice was widely consumed in Asia, it’s thought that different forms of millet were the staple grain in this region, as long ago as 8300 B.C.E.”
These tiny, gluten-tree grains are prevalent in the diet of many cultures around the world, especially in Asia and Africa. In the US, it may be most commonly recognized as the primary component of birdseed. However, millet is becoming more popular at the American dinner table. It's is a highly nutritious grain that’s rich in antioxidants and is also gluten free. It’s easily digestible and for this reason, is often one of the earliest cereals recommended when introducing solid food to babies. It can be cooked to different consistencies and can be used in a wide variety of dishes. It can be cooked in water or stock to a fluffy consistency similar to quinoa. If you cook it in more water, it takes on a
porridge-like consistency similar to polenta. It can be ground into flour and incorporated into breads and other baked dishes. Millet can even be popped like popcorn, and eaten as a snack.
porridge-like consistency similar to polenta. It can be ground into flour and incorporated into breads and other baked dishes. Millet can even be popped like popcorn, and eaten as a snack.
So I challenge you to step out of your culinary comfort zone and try experimenting with a new
ingredient that you’ve never cooked with before. In the meantime, try these delicious millet cakes. These crispy, savory fritters are packed with flavor and nutritious ingredients. Serve them at parties as a lovely appetizer or to your family as part of a nutritious, vegetarian meal. They even make a great finger food for babies and toddlers.
ingredient that you’ve never cooked with before. In the meantime, try these delicious millet cakes. These crispy, savory fritters are packed with flavor and nutritious ingredients. Serve them at parties as a lovely appetizer or to your family as part of a nutritious, vegetarian meal. They even make a great finger food for babies and toddlers.
Veggie-licious Millet Cakes
Millet forms the base of these crispy, gluten-free cakes that are packed with nutritious veggies.
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Servings: 6
Calories: 67kcal
Ingredients
- 1 cup low sodium vegetable or chicken broth
- ½ cup millet
- 6 teaspoons olive oil, divided use
- ¼ cup finely chopped shallot or onion
- 1 carrot, peeled and grated
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- 3 ounces (3 cups) baby spinach, chopped
- Kosher salt
- 1 large egg plus 1 egg white
Instructions
- Bring the broth to a boil in a small saucepan and add the millet. Cover, reduce to a simmer, and cook until soft, 15-20 minutes. Transfer the cooked millet to a large bowl.
- Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot, carrot, garlic and thyme and cook 2-3 minutes until partially softened. Add the spinach and season it with a pinch of salt. Cook until wilted, another 2-3 minutes. Transfer the mixture to the bowl with the cooked millet and let it cool for a few minutes. Add ¼ teaspoon salt, the egg, and egg white and stir to combine.
- Form the mixture into 12 patties (about 2 tablespoons each), compacting them well so that they hold together. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in the skillet over medium heat. Add half of the patties to the pan and cook until golden brown, about 4-5 minutes. Flip and cook another 4-5 minutes on the second side. Remove from pan. Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil and cook the remaining patties.
- Serve millet cakes with Greek yogurt or your favorite dipping sauce.
Nutrition
Serving: 0g | Calories: 67kcal | Carbohydrates: 7.5g | Protein: 2.1g | Fat: 2.9g | Saturated Fat: 0.5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 74mg | Potassium: 0mg | Fiber: 1.1g | Sugar: 0g | Vitamin A: 0IU | Vitamin C: 0mg | Calcium: 0mg | Iron: 0mg
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Have you ever cooked millet? If so, what is your favorite way to prepare it? What new ingredients do you want to try out this year?
Check out below to see what my fellow Recipe Reduxers are trying out in 2016!
GiGi Eats Celebrities says
Love me veggilicious FOODS 😀
sonaliruder says
I know you do 😉 Thanks GiGi!
Farrah says
I have yet to try making anything with millet (come to think of it, I'm not sure I've ever even consciously had it? :O!), but this looks delicious!! I'm gonna need to try it soon!
sonaliruder says
Thanks Farrah! I'm definitely now a fan of millet. I hope you like it too!
Kelly says
What a great way to use millet! THese sound very tasty!
sonaliruder says
Thanks Kelly!
anne@cravingSomethingHealthy.com says
I've never tried millet but I'll definitely be trying this recipe soon! Thanks for tempting me with a new whole grain 🙂
sonaliruder says
Thanks Anne, I really hope you enjoy the recipe 🙂
Caroline Kaufman says
I'll take some crispy, savory fritters please and thank you. 🙂 I want to cook with a more diverse array of grains myself, and millet is on my list. Now I have a wonderful recipe to try! I think these would be great on a salad with hummus.
sonaliruder says
I'll send some right over 🙂 Thanks Caroline and I totally agree, they would be great in a salad!
Jessica Levinson says
Millet is on my list to try and thud looks like a great wY to use it! I'm sure my girls would love these patties too!
sonaliruder says
Thanks Jessica! Sienna really enjoyed them, and I hope your girls do too!
Alanna says
I adore millet but never seem to eat it enough!! This has inspired me to go out and by some ASAP. Definitely giving these cakes a try!!!
sonaliruder says
Thanks Alanna! I'm definitely now a fan and will be using it a lot in the future!
Deanna - Teaspoon of Spice says
I'm with you - I'm usually using brown rice or farro, sometimes barley or whole wheat couscous so now it is time to expand my whole grain horizons! And these millet patties look amazing 🙂
sonaliruder says
Thanks Deanna! Yeah, it was definitely time for me to expand my horizons too 🙂
Selena says
These look SO good and just the perfect texture...yummy! I have never used millet before so now I definitely have a reason to try it 🙂
sonaliruder says
Thanks Selena, I was a big fan of the texture!
Min Kwon says
I've tried millet before, but like you, it's not one of the whole grains that I normally gravitate towards. These cakes though...need to run out and get me some millet..NOW!
sonaliruder says
Haha, thanks Min! I hope it's worth the trip 🙂
Jeanette | Jeanette's Healthy Living says
I've only cooked millet a few times, but never as a cake - love this idea!
sonaliruder says
Thanks Jeanette!
Unknown says
These look amazing! I've never cooked with millet before either! Thanks for all the good info!
sonaliruder says
Thanks so much Rachel!
Diane Boyd says
You picked a good one Sonali! I have never had millet before. Your recipe looks great and your post is informative. Want to try this one for sure!
sonaliruder says
Thanks so much Diane! I'm really glad I tried it out and I hope you like it as much as I did 🙂
Rebecca Pytell says
Glad to see so may reduxers using millet! One of my favorite "seeds" 😉
sonaliruder says
Thanks Rebecca. It definitely seems like a popular choice for this challenge!
Lauren @ Eating with a Purpose says
I've never used cooked millet before- only dry in baked goods for a little added crunch. Your recipe sounds great!
sonaliruder says
Thanks Lauren!
Tyra Lane-Kingsland says
Looking forward to making these. I have used mullet before in a bean cake recipe from author Bryant Terry. Thanks for keeping it fresh and exciting!
sonaliruder says
Thanks Tyra! I really appreciate you stopping by and leaving such a nice comment 🙂
Shashi at RunninSrilankan says
Sonali, I've worked with millet flour but never millet grains - these little veggielicious millet cakes sound delicious - kinda like a healthy pakora of sorts!
Hope you have a wonderful weekend!
sonaliruder says
Totally like a pakora! Thanks so much Shashi, I hope you have a great weekend too!
Regan @ The Healthy Aperture Blog says
I must try millet soon! Great place to start 🙂
sonaliruder says
Thanks Regan, I'm really glad I tried it!
Cindy Kerschner says
I've used millet mixed with other grains but never alone. I have to try your millet cakes real soon!
sonaliruder says
Thanks Cindy, I hope you enjoy them!
Aggie says
What a great recipe! I have been intrigued by millet (among other whole grains) for a while, this is a great way to try it for the the first time. Looks so delicious!
sonaliruder says
Thanks so much Aggie!