This golden, beadlike, U.S.-grown grain tastes nutty and mildly sweet, is highly digestible and gluten free, and packs plenty of fiber, protein, minerals, and B vitamins. It’s also inexpensive, averaging 60–90 cents per pound.
To cook, combine 1 cup rinsed millet with 2 1/4 cups water and a pinch of salt; bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20–25 minutes. Let stand 5–10 minutes, and fluff with a fork. For a nuttier taste, dry-toast millet in the pan before adding water. Millet more than doubles in quantity when cooked.
Breakfast
Combine cooked millet with chopped, toasted almonds, apples, dates, cinnamon, and your favorite nondairy milk for an allergen-free breakfast.
Baby food
Use apple juice instead of water when cooking millet, and then purée the mixture for a nutritious first food.
Breading
Coarsely grind uncooked millet in a spice grinder; mix with garlic salt, paprika, or dried herbs for a gluten-free breading for chicken or fish.
Salad
Add cooked millet to finely chopped kale, scallions, carrots, bell peppers, cooked beans, or any vegetable combination; toss with a nut-based dressing for a healthy lunch salad.