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.
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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.
Okay you are too funny! When I see good food (and I’m alone) I say, “Get in mah belly!” I got a chuckle when I saw your post and it’s nice to know I’m not alone…so to speak.
I just made this and for some reason it didn’t turn out creamy at all, even though I used cornstarch. I really wish it would’ve come out right. Do you have some secret trick w/cornstarch (I’ve never used it before)
Thanks!
Made this last night…yummmm! Apologies if someone already asked this above, but if I were to substitute the fresh rosemary for dried, how much dried should I use? I used fresh last night, but I have soooooo much left over and no clue what to do with it. So I think the next time I make this I will try it with dried.
I made a similar meal and blogged about it a few weeks ago! The mushroom gravy looks delicious, I have to give that a try!!!
Do you think it would be possible to substitute quinoa with the millet? If so, how much quinoa would you suggest?
It’s a rainy day, which means perfect weather for a bowl of cozy millet <3
Made this tonight and it was great. Rich and savory!! Definitely comfort food for this snowy day.
Thanks so much for the yummy recipe! It’s SO good and savory. I hurt my foot so my husband whipped this up tonight all by himself in about 30 mins. Tomorrow I’ll prob. throw in some chickpeas for a little more oomph. If anyone needs a DELICIOUS and easy recipe, try this!
I just wanted to say that as soon as I saw this recipe, I was determined to make it. I went and bought all the ingredients and had to wait till after classes to make it. All the while, I just kept day dreaming about it and wishing that the teacher would just hurry and finish her lecture so that I as well could get this in my belly. Got home at 9:30PM and stayed in the kitchen until this was done…it was beyond my hopes and dreams. Absolutely delicious. I shared with the boyfriend and he kept telling me how delicious this was. Definitely saving this recipe for future use. Thank you!
That is so great to hear!!
Hi
I should have re-read this post before making my millet tonight!
I ended up with the mushy variety.
never had millet, is it similar to quinoa? by the way, this looks amazing. I am salivating!
Literally scarfin” down now! Yummo,,,I used up my kale earlier on a shake but I had swiss chard and left over sweet potato I thru in<3
Finally just made this today. SO DELICIOUS. Thanks for another awesome recipe.
I have been loving grain bowls as well! My go to right now is Spanish rice made with Quinoa with a bunch of greens and chopped sweet potato and avocado topped with salsa! But we are trying your bowl for lunch today, it looks amazing:)
Yum! I’ve just recently started enjoying Millet and love it! I can’t wait to make this :)
Angela- this gravy changed my life! No, really…I haven’t had gravy in about 2 years! This was amazing! I kind of changed it around a bit and I’m going to post the recipe on my blog on Monday, but I’m giving you credit for the recipe and picture. I linked back to your blog and this blog post. That’s ok, right?
me and my dad both use the austin powers line regularly, ha!
Made this tonight – super yummy! Thanks for introducing us to millet!
This is yummy, even substituting white mushrooms and fresh spinach for the creminis and kale (using what I had on hand). It was my first time trying millet.
I too wish I had your cookbook RIGHT NOW!
Made this last night – delicious as usual! So, so good. My only comment to other people who make this – make sure to really chop the kale. I would have preferred smaller pieces (rather than my lazy very rough chop).