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Super-Fresh Millet Bowl with Tasty Chickpeas

I recently jumped onto the millet bandwagon. Can you believe that I’ve never posted a millet recipe in 5+ years of this recipe development nonsense? In fact, I don’t think I had ever intentionally eaten millet before last month. But I have to tell you guys, millet is really delicious! I think it might be my new favorite grain (you know you’re a vegan when you have a list of favorite grains…).

Dried millet looks almost identical to quinoa, but when cooked it has a nuttier, sweeter taste with a firmer and chewier texture. It’s packed with protein and has an awesome nutritional profile. But the best part is how fast & easy it is to cook. 20 minutes in a covered stockpot and it comes out perfect every time (unlike quinoa which can be a little finicky).

So for my first millet recipe, I was thinking of something like a tabbouleh because the grains resemble the bulgur wheat of a tabbouleh, and the flavor of millet works really well with fresh lemony, herbal notes like that of the parsley/mint in tabbouleh. But to kick it up a few notches, and to make it more like a complete bowl/meal, I’m also adding some incredibly tasty chickpeas and mushrooms, and some pomegranate seeds for a sweet and crunchy component. It’s just three parts (seasoned millet + chopped parsley/herbs + tasty chickpeas) that can all be made in about 20 minutes:

And when tossed together into one big bowl, they create an incredibly delicious, healthy, one-dish meal with some pretty great flavor combos:

Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients:

  • 2 15 oz cans chickpeas
  • 2-3 cups sliced mushrooms
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic veinegar
  • 1-2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 3 cups cooked millet
  • 1 + 1 tablespoons lemon juice
  • salt & pepper, to taste
  • 2 cups chopped parsley
  • 1/4 cup chopped mint
  • 1 cup pomegranate seeds

1. The Millet

Again, millet is so easy to cook. Simply measure 1 part millet and 2 parts water (for this recipe, about 1 cup of dry millet is a good starting point) in a large stockpot and allow to reach a boil before turning down to a low simmer and covering for about 20 minutes, or just until all the water is absorbed. When it’s done, season with a tablespoon of lemon juice, salt and pepper, then fluff with a fork. Don’t forget to season, it makes a big difference!

2. The Tasty Chickpeas

As soon as you get the millet on the stove, turn your attention to the chickpeas. Start by adding the chickpeas and sliced mushrooms (any kind) into a large skillet or pot with a splash of water. Then throw in everything else from the first list – some vinegar, soy sauce, black pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. Allow them to cook (stirring occasionally) for at least 10 minutes (15 is ideal) until the mushrooms are reduced and all the liquid has evaporated, leaving you with some very tasty chickpeas and mushrooms. These make an incredible meal / side dish on their own.

3. The Greens

The final component is the parsley + mint. Grab a few big handfuls of fresh parsley (flat or curly is fine) and finely chop it along with about 10 large mint leaves. Add these to a bowl with the pomegranate seeds and season with salt, pepper, and that other tablespoon of lemon juice. Toss to coat.

Finally, when the millet is cooked / seasoned, the chickpeas are all tasty, and the greens are chopped, simply transfer everything to a large bowl and gently toss together. Feel free to add more salt, pepper, or lemon juice to boost the flavors even further.

NOTE: I’ve actually eaten this both warm and cold and can’t decide which is better, so I think it works really well either way!

9 Comments

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  1. Huge millet fan here! Can’t wait to try this. Funny millet story: my mom told me that when she was young, they used to feed millet to chickens, so she had a hard time thinking of it as people food instead of chicken food. ‍♀️

    • Haha! That’s so funny because I just made a little bird feeder for my yard and filled it with… millet. Most people think I have the diet of a rabbit but I guess there’s some bird food in there too 🙂

  2. Do you have an easy way to chop parsley fast while getting rid of the big stems. It always seems to take me a long time to get rid of all the stems and just get the leaves. This recipe looks amazing!

    • Ah I wish I did. It takes me a long time too. I just rinse it and then try to hold one end of the stem and slide my hand up to pull off all the leaves, but these days I don’t worry so much about the smaller stems.

    • Oh, you could either leave them out or use some kind of fruit the you like. They’re more of a complimentary flavor in this dish 🙂

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