I present to you…
Healthy. Winter. Cozy. Comfort. Food.
For you.
And me.
And mah belly.
Am I the only one who occasionally screams Get in mah belly a la Austin Powers before I eat a good meal?
I thought so.
Let’s talk go-to meals. What are yours? Lately mine are big vegan bowls made up with a base of grains, sautéed vegetables/protein, and a tasty sauce to tie it all together. I can thank Fresh restaurant for my little obsession with bowls. I like to make them at home for a fraction of the cost. There’s just something so satisfying about digging into a huge bowl with a seemingly bottomless pit, isn’t there? Plus, bowls can be changed up countless ways, so you never get bored. Although, I could probably eat the same combo for a few weeks straight without blinking an eye…
During the winter I tend to crave hot, stick-to-your-ribs bowls and in the summer I crave cold, lighter bowls. This is a stick-to-your-ribs kinda bowl…the bowl you make when your house is frigid and no matter how many layers you have on, you can’t shake the chill from your bones. That kind of night calls for a gravy bowl.
And guess what? It just happens to be good for you.
For the base, I used fluffy millet. This is different from the scorched millet which was my first attempt. Fluffy millet is also different from the overcooked mushy millet which was my second attempt. When you don’t forget to set the timer and leave the room, it’s light and fluffy like quinoa, but heartier and denser, in a stick-to-your-ribs kind of way that is perfect for the colder months. If millet isn’t your thing, you can easily change up the grain. Quinoa, rice, barley, noodles, etc would all work well here.
I topped the millet with a healthy but rich mushroom gravy and kale for a pop of super power. Easy but fabulous.
Cozy Millet Bowl with Mushroom Gravy and Kale
Yield
2 servings
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Feeling cozy? Snuggle up with this comforting bowl of vegan goodness. The dish feels rich without the heaviness that usually comes with traditional gravy.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup uncooked millet (makes ~2 cups cooked)
- 1/2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cups chopped sweet onion (1 medium onion)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 cups sliced crimini mushrooms (300 grams)
- 1.5 tbsp minced fresh rosemary
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1.5 tbsp low-sodium tamari (soy sauce)
- 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 & 1/4 cup vegetable broth
- 1 cup fresh chopped kale, stems removed
- Freshly ground black pepper & kosher salt, to taste
Directions
- Toast millet (optional): In a pot or skillet with a lid, toast the millet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until it starts popping. Be careful you don’t burn it. The goal here is a light toast. Remove from heat. Cook millet: Bring a medium-sized pot of 1 cup water, a pinch of salt, and 1/2 cup uncooked millet to a low boil. Reduce heat to low and cover with tight-fitting lid (with no air holes). Simmer for 15-20 minutes or so. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes covered. Remove lid and fluff with fork. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, grab a large skillet and heat oil over medium heat. Add in chopped onions and garlic and sauté for about 5 minutes.
- Add the sliced mushrooms and sauté for about 12 minutes longer, stirring as necessary. Now stir in the rosemary, nutritional yeast, and tamari. Cook for a few minutes.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the broth and cornstarch until clumps are gone, and then stir into the mushroom mixture. Stir in kale. Cook for another 5-6 minutes or so, until slightly thickened. Portion millet into two bowls and serve the mushroom gravy on top.
Tip:
This mushroom gravy just screams comfort food. Check out this deliciousness…
Nutrition Information
(click to expand)Approx Nutritional Info (per serving, serves 2): 355 kcals, 4 grams fat, 63 grams carbs, 11 grams fibre, 6 grams sugar, 16 grams protein.
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This mushroom gravy just screams comfort food. Check out this deliciousness…
If I didn’t have any millet, I would’ve happily enjoyed this gravy all on it’s own. :)
Divide the millet into two bowls and then pour on the gravy mixture on top. That’s all there is to it.
that looks really delicious! (and, no, you aren’t the only one who does that ;) )
All I can think while look at this is exactly what you said ‘get in mah belly!’. So no, you’re not the only one! Can’t wait to try this.
hah good to know
Ok now, seriously drooling. Thank you for this amazing recipe, Angela! Can’t wait to try it!!
I’ve never been a gravy person, but this looks so delicious! I can’t wait to make it!
this looks amazing.
but seriously- 16g of protein? from where!? that’s amazing (and confusing)!
I was surprised too. Its from the millet, mushrooms, and nutritional yeast mostly.
Yum!!! This looks absolutely delicious! I love meals that are thrown together in bowls…you get everything you need all at once!
This looks unbelievably delicious! I’ve been using your lightened up nutritional yeast sauce to tie together a lot of grain + veggie bowl lately for dinner. I could drink that stuff! Definitely be trying this one out soon too!
where is the recipe for this sauce? that sounds amazing
is it the lightened up cheeze sauce by chance?
http://ohsheglows.com/2011/12/20/broccoli-cheeze-soup/ (scroll down to 2nd recipe)
Or this lightened up tahini sauce?
http://ohsheglows.com/2011/05/12/lightened-up-protein-power-goddess-bowl/
oh wow! this looks amazing~ never had millet but i’ve been wanting to try! i’m a huge fan of comfort food :) and i totally get that whole, ‘the house is still frigid no matter how many layers i’m wearing’ thing….
looks delich! I love mushroom gravy!!! and I would make this in a heartbeat if I had mushrooms on hand… time for a cruise to WF! thanks :)
Oh my gosh. This needs to be cuddled with ASAP! It looks delicious. :)
Goooorgeous…wow I this looks amazing.
I am saving this gravy recipe for a special occasion (i.e. Thanksgiving, Christmas, next weekend… you know).
I say “get in mah belly” @ least 3x a week. FYI ;-)
I forgot to mention I think the gravy would be great for that type of thing…it’s fairly light, so you can always adjust the seasonings to taste too. As well as make it thicker if need be with a tiny bit more cornstarch.
I didn’t see when to add the veggie broth, please let me know, I’m super excited to try!
its in step 4, do you see it?
The talk of bowls made me think of the Buddha Bowl from Uncommon Goods. You can find many beautiful handmade versions on etsy if you search “noodle bowl”.
This gravy would be great over biscuits or the chickpea cutlets from Veganomicon!
I don’t know what that is, but somehow I know I’d love it. Going to search…
I was just looking up this recipe to put on those cutlets <3
The gravy recipe is also in Angelas book.. :)
I used to steer away from mushrooms but after hearing about how some compound in them helps protect against breast cancer, I will eat them now! This looks like a delicious way to do incorporate more into my diet!
BTW: I included one of your post in my Friday Favorites! :)
http://www.scissorsandspice.com/2012/02/friday-favorites-raw-foods-paddington.html
What you need is a lab timer used by science labs everywhere. The standard one has 4 timers running, and most importantly – a clip to pin to your clothes so you don’t forget about it. I wish I had one at home!
that would be amazing!
This looks so good! I hope it stays cold so I can make it soon. Not likely in the South. :(
mmmm sounds delish!! Love this idea!! I love seeing grains with warm saucy toppings!
That’s warm, hearty, comfort food at it’s finest!
This could do double-duty for a Thanksgiving recipe, too, I think. Looks great!
oohhh yes! We’ve been eating a lot of rice/veggie/sauce bowls lately, but I’m running out of ideas for sauces! All I need to make this is mushrooms, so I’ll grab some at the store tomorrow. Thanks, Angela! Looks delicious, as always!
This *almost* makes me wish it was colder here. :) I haven’t had gravy in years – I love this idea of a lighter version, and I bet the meaty-ness of the ‘shrooms is perfect in it!