Hello and welcome to the NFM Malibu Menu!
This first class was all about THE MILLET – a grain that y’all will want to get down with ’cause it’s fantastic tasting and off the chart yummy in yo’ tummy.
GINGER BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP
The flavors are perfectly complimentary: sweet and mild heat mixed with yum!
Whatcha’ Need:
1 butternut squash peeled and cut into medium sized pieces
3 medium carrots – cut into medium pieces the smaller the faster they cook
1 medium apple peeled and cored
1 small onion cut into medium half moon slices
1 small piece of ginger – chopped or more- depending how much heat you like!
1 tsp of grated turmeric – I use fresh but you can use powdered if all available to you
3 cloves of garlic chopped large
1 tbsp tamari/shoyu
1 large tbsp of sweet white miso
5 cups water
1 cup left over brown rice
Put everything except the miso into the pot. Cover with lid. Cook on medium low for about 20 minutes, long enough for everything to cook down. If it looks dry, add more water. I usually pull out some of the liquid broth to dilute my miso. Make sure to turn the heat down before adding the diluted miso. After everything is blended, whip out your electric wand and blend this baby – if you don’t have a wand use your blender.
IT’S ALL ABOUT THE MILLET & MEE BABY!
Here is Mee making basic millet: Peep it shawty!
A third of the world has been living on millet for 2500 years! When I first introduced it to my family, my husband said, “We can’t eat that- it’s for cows!” He couldn’t be more wrong. Millet is full of mightiness. It is alkalizing: it balances overly acidic situations. Millet also sweetens the breath ‘cause it retards bacterial growth in the mouth, helps prevent miscarriages, and is an anti-fungal agent (it is said to be one of the best grains for those suffering from Candida albicans overgrowth) Millet is not a carbohydrate it is a protein, as it is a seed. If you’ve got the “pooh’s”, vomiting, indigestion or diabetes, eat it! If you are pregnant and suffering morning sickness – make a soup with it or prepare the millet creamy/ porridge style. I choose to teach this first as it is a true FOUNDATION FOOD – you can do tons with it and if you have it already made it becomes the foundation for your weeks menu.
Whatcha’ Need:
1 c. organic millet
¼ chopped organic yellow onion
1 tsp. chopped organic garlic
2 carrots cleaned and chopped half moons
1 cup of frozen organic peas
1/2 cup of chopped mushrooms – maitake, shitake or any type u like.
1 tsp. organic olive oil
4 – 6 inches of Kombu
A pinch of rocking Sea Salt (from Natural Imports)
Watcha’Do:
Soak your millet in a glass bowl over night with the kombu in it or for 15 minutes – this helps the grain open up and become more digestible.
In the morning, remove kombu and chop it into tiny bite sized pieces, strain millet and rinse.
Heat your olive oil in the skillet, then add chopped onions, Kombu and garlic, cook the onions until they are clear, then add your strained millet.
Totally toast this millet, covering it with the flavors in the skillet. Once it seems toasty, I add 3 cups of water, carrots, peas & mushrooms. I bring it to a boil, I lower the heat after it boils for a few minutes and then toss in my pinch of salt, cover and let simmer on low for 35 minutes (just like rice).
Millet Croquettes (it’s all about the leftovers)
Whatcha’ Need
1 cup or however much leftover pilaf you have.
1 egg – could use half if you only have a little bit of millet.
1.5 cups of gluten free, dairy free, yeast free bread crumbs or corn meal.
1/4 cup of grapeseed oil.
Whatcha’ DO:
In a bowl whip up your egg with a fork, toss in your left over pilaf and 1/4 cup of bread crumbs. Work together with your hands and let it sit for a few minutes allowing the gluten free breadcrumbs to absorb the egg and for everything to settle together.
On a separate plate spread the rest of your gluten free breadcrumbs, make small patties out of your pilaf mixture and then roll them in the breadcrumbs. Heat your pan, add in oil bring it to a medium high heat and cook your croquettes until brown on both sides!
These are great leftovers for school lunches – my kids call them crunchy cakes.
“>MILLET MASHED POTATOES
Whatcha’ Need:
2 cups millet
1 small cauliflower (approx. 2 cups flowerets)
1 stalk of celery *optional but adds great flavor(add when you add in the cauliflower.
¼ tsp sea salt
7 cups water
Extra water for mashing
Ghee for taste
Lightly roast millet in skillet. Bring water to a boil and add millet, cauliflower and salt. Cover and simmer for 25 minutes. I like to use my “wand” to mash, adding Ghee – clarified butter, the process of cooking the butter down removes the lactose from it. Ghee is also known to aid in the healing of digestive ulcerations. Adding the Ghee brings the buttery mashed potato flavor to the millet mash!
KUZU GRAVY IS THE BOMB BABY!
Gravy with cornstarch, flour, arrowroot or kuzu is a tough recipe to be exact about so trust your instinct & never turn your back on – stick close so it doesn’t stick to the pan.
Whatcha’ Need:
2 tbsp of KUZU – diluted with about 2 to 3 tbsp of water
2 tbsp sesame oil (olive oil works great too!)
1 tbsp sweet white miso or barley miso (diluted)
2 tbsp shoyu or tamari
1 tbsp mirin (rice wine)
½ onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 cup shitake mushrooms(or any mushroom you like)
2 cup water
Heat pan and add sesame oil, onions, garlic and mushrooms. Season with shoyu or tamari and mirin and add 2 cups of water. Cover & cook.. Remove a ladle of hot broth and dilute miso in a separate bowl. Add diluted miso to the pot and let cook for a few minutes. Don’t bring it to a full boil in order to maintain the live culture. Lastly, add the diluted kuzu. To dilute the kuzu, add cold water to kuzu in a separate bowl. Once it becomes a white liquid, add it to the pot. Stir constantly to avoid clumps. This gravy is perfect for mashed potatoes, grains or pastas. Sometimes I add frozen green peas, too!
