Featured recipe from Marilu’s table * Stovetop millet cakes
These cakes are similar to polenta slices – serve them topped with a marinara sauce or salsa, or perhaps with a mushroom sauce. Add steamed veggies and a green salad to make a complete meal.
At this time of year, zucchini is in abundance, but for the times it’s not available, you can substitute other vegetables.
For people with gluten allergies, millet is a good optional grain, as it contains no gluten. Millet is easy to digest, with a cooling and soothing effect on the digestive system. Millet is high in vitamins and minerals, notably iron, magnesium, and potassium. It helps the body with repair, cleansing, and elimination.
Millet can be cooked in two ways. Cooking it with plenty of water results in a thick consistency, ideal for stuffings, burgers, and as a hot cereal. If toasted first (dry in a hot skillet) and cooked in a little less water, the result is a fluffy grain similar to couscous.
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Stovetop Millet Cakes
adapted from The Yoga Cookbook: Vegetarian Food for Body and Mind, by The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centers
Blue * Serves 4-6
2 cups millet
1 quart water
pinch of salt
1-1/3 cups chopped zucchini
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
3 Tablespoons whole wheat flour (or use a gluten-free flour blend)
2 Tablespoons oil
7 ounces firm tofu, drained, pressed, and crumbled
Place the millet, water, and salt in a large pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower heat to maintain a simmer, cover and simmer for about 30 minutes. Add the zucchini, bring the pot back to a boil, and simmer for 10 minutes longer. Cool.
When cold, mash the millet and zucchini. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to make a thick batter. Add a little extra water, if necessary.
Heat a lightly oiled large skillet over medium heat. Form millet into cakes by putting a handful of the mixture into the skillet and pressing down on it with a wet metal spatula. Only cook 2-3 cakes at a time. Cook 3-4 minutes per side, until golden brown. Keep warm until they are all cooked (remove to an oven-proof platter or cake pan that you keep in a 200F oven).
