Celiac Disease, Cooking 101, Diabetes, Healthy Heart, Vegetables, Weight Management

Gluten Free Whole Grain: Millet

Posted on by Lori Brizee

Whole grains provide not only carbs, but fiber, B vitamins and iron.

If you have celiac disease or allergy to gluten, you must follow a gluten free diet. That means NO wheat, rye or barley. It can be hard to eat 100% gluten free and still get whole grains. We all benefit from eating whole grains! They are a fantastic source of fiber and give us B vitamins, zinc and iron. That high fiber makes them great for anyone with diabetes—they do not cause as fast a rise in blood glucose as refined grains like white flour or white rice do. Whole grains help lower blood cholesterol, so are great for anyone at risk for heart disease. They also feed the good bacteria in your gut—your “microbiome”! A healthy microbiome improves gut health AND makes your immune system stronger.

By themselves, whole grains have NO sodium, so they don’t contribute to high blood pressure. This post gives you some recipes for the whole grain, “Millet”.

Gluten free whole grains:

  • Brown rice
  • Quinoa
  • Millet
  • Teff
  • Amaranth
  • Oats (ONLY if labeled gluten free; many are contaminated with wheat)

Some of these may be unfamiliar to you. In this post I’m going to give you some ways to use millet.

Millet is packaged and sold by Bob’s Red Mill. You can buy it at many large grocery stores or order it online from Bob’s Red Mill.
Millet is a small round grain (looks a bit like Quinoa or Couscous). To cook: bring 2 cups water to a boil, add 1 cup millet, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes, until water is completely absorbed.

Millet by itself has a fairly bland taste, but it picks up the flavors of whatever you mix it with.

Italian stir fry over millet, 2 servings:

  • 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, cut in strips
  • 1/2 yellow bell pepper cut in strips
  • 1/4 pound mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 links, 4 ounces each, Isernio’s pre-cooked Sweet Italian Chicken Sausage with Parmesan cheese, cut into rounds.
  • 1/2 teaspoon each: dried oregano, thyme, rosemary and paprika (vary to your taste)
  • 1/4 cup torn pieces of fresh basil
  • 1-14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes (with no added salt)
  • 1/4 cup white wine

Directions:

Heat heavy frying pan, add oil. When oil is hot, add onion and garlic. Sauté  until soft (about 5 minutes). Add bell peppers, and mushrooms, and continue to sauté until soft. Stir in herbs and paprika. Add sausage, canned tomatoes and wine. Continue to cook until boiling. Add basil and serve over cooked millet.

1/2 cup cooked millet topped with 1/2 of stir-fry mixture makes a  complete, hearty meal. Since it is more vegetables than anything else, it is low in calories!

Millet and Veggie Salad

  • 2 cups cooked millet
  • 1 carrot, grated
  • 2 ribs celery, diced
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 tablespoon finely minced onion
  • 1 tomato chopped
  • 2 tablespoons salted Pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
  • 2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
  • 1/4 cup Italian vinaigrette salad dressing
    • Italian dressing recipe
      • 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
      • 1 tbsp water
      • 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
      • 1/8 teaspoon each: garlic powder, onion powder, Italian herbs, paprika
      • 1/2 cup olive oil
      • Put all ingredients in a bottle or jar with a tight fitting lid and shake until well mixed (this makes more than you need for this recipe. Save it an use it on green salads or as a marinade for chicken, fish or tofu.)

Directions:

Mix millet and veggies together, add dressing and mix well. Makes 4 servings, about 1 cup each.

Whether you eat gluten free or not, these are  healthy, high fiber recipes. Try something new today!

 

 

 

Lori Brizee
Lori Brizee