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.
Didn’t have enough mushrooms in my fridge so I used some asparagus in this recipe for some added greens and OMG! I’m in love. Also, I didn’t have any millet so I figured quinoa would do and yup! Definitely making this a staple after a long week. Nothing warms your soul like good food.
Hi! I just wanted to shout out that I made this last night and it was SO good! My carnivore husband said it was awesome (and added that it would be even better with some steak on top). Haha I disagreed, but either way, we were both happy with it. It was the perfect healthy and easy dinner for a busy weeknight. Thanks!! =)
I made this tonight & served over spaghetti squash. It was sooooo delicious! Thank you!
I’ve been making your recipes for years now (!) and they are soooo fantastic! This one will be in my rotation on a frequent basis. I put the mushroom gravy over mashed potatoes/ yams and it was exactly what I needed :) Even the 3 kids ate it (and they hate mushrooms!)
thanks!
I’m a big fan of this recipe. It’s cozy and comforting in the winter and just as delightful in the summertime. Major bonus that it’s a one-pot creation too!
This was awesome! We sauteed green beans and added to broth and mushrooms in pan. Used baby kale. This was definitely a hefty 2 servings. Just like we like it! Thanks again!
I loved this recipe! I subbed thyme for the rosemary and was out of kale so I threw in some roasted Brussels sprouts I had. Wonderful and very filling!
Tried the recipe, and awesome! :) Worked out well, thank you for it!
Absolutely amazing recipe! I made this for lunch today and got impatient while waiting for my quinoa to finish and so I ended up eating some directly from the pot with a spoon :) Thank you HEAPS for this recipe. I will be making it again all fall/winter long!
Hey Angela,
I have severe soy allergy, other than buying the fake soy sauce do you recommend another substitute?
Made this for dinner last night! I didn’t have millet but served it over a baked sweet potato… I can’t wait to eat the leftovers!
I used quinoa but still it’s DELISH!!
Absolutely yummy! I didn’t have fresh rosemary on hand so that was left out. This recipe is joining the rotation most definitely!
Hottest day of the year so far, and I crave hot gravy!
This was absolutely delicious. I served the gravy over some cooked raw buckwheat along with some cubed roasted japanese sweet potato and added some green beans and sweet corn. A big bowl of comfort :)
I usually love anything on Oh she Glows but this time I was a little disappointed. I think there was a bit too much yeast which overpowered the mushroom taste. I have another similar recipe I like more than this called mean chefs mushroom gravy. I just sub to make it vegan.
This is deeeelicious! I will be featuring this recipe (with credits to your website) at a monthly vegan cooking class that I do for about 25 people. I hope this will inspire them to check out the website and to love bird seed. ;)
Aw, thanks for spreading the recipe love, Leslie!
Haven’t been able to find millet in the grocery stores around us yet. Any recommendations for a good substitute? Would farro work?
Hi Caitlin, The great thing about this recipe is you can easily change it up by swapping in your fave grain! I’d also suggest quinoa, rice, barley, or noodles—I think they would all work well here.
I made this for dinner last night, and I’m so glad I doubled the recipe because it was so good!! I did everything as written, subbing (less) dried rosemary since I didn’t have any fresh. Thanks :)
Is it possible to use flour instead of corn starch?
I can’t see why not! Many readers have used arrowroot, as well.
When I first tried this recipe I have to admit, it was one that didn’t thrill me. It didn’t taste like comfort food, and just in general wasn’t that exciting to me, despite the fact that it had many ingredients I like, such as mushrooms, millet & kale. I was dreading the leftovers and put it off for a day.
When I made them, I decided to add a large spoonful of Tofutti Better than Sour Cream after reheating the gravy. Suddenly, this is no longer mushroom gravy and instead it is Kale Stroganoff over Millet. Yum!!! I am putting this is my cookbook with the addition of the Better than Sour Cream as a very wonderful comfort food. Thanks for the recipe!