Baked Quinoa and Millet Pilaf

Ok, Ok, I know….it doesn’t sound scrumptious to call out “Hey who wants quinoa n’ millet?” but shockingly enough it is quite good tasting! I found the basis for my recipe out of a book I came across recently, Cool Cuisine: Taking The Bite Out of Global Warming. The book, which is from 2008, has some very good ideas but may I call the publisher out on one HUGE thing? Ummmm…if your book is about eating and living green by lowering your carbon footprint by eating more locally and with thought – maybe you shouldn’t print your book in CHINA! Anyhow, beyond that (major) palm to the face it does have good points. And it did point out to me how to cook some of the more odd grains that I keep buying. One of which is millet – which for 99.99% of America is the bird seed that birds kick out of the feeders and you spend all summer plucking millet sprouts. So I tried (and adapted heavily) the recipe on page 192.

Now having said this all, I won’t lie. Millet and quinoa are adapted tastes. Both are very earthy. The pilaf is a starter. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top, a drizzle of soy sauce – whatever you like. But do try millet. It is a neat grain.

Baked Quinoa and Millet Pilaf

Ingredients:

• 3 cups lower sodium organic vegetable broth
• ¾ cup organic quinoa
• ¾ cup millet
• 1 small sweet onion
• 1 cup organic carrots

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350° and get out an 8×8″ glass baking pan.

Bring the broth to a boil, in your microwave or in a small saucepan. Meanwhile peel and dice both the onion and carrots. Add the vegetables to a large mixing bowl.

Rinse the quinoa and millet together in a finely meshed strainer, shake off the excess water, add to the bowl. Mix the broth in.

Pour into the dish and cover tightly.

Bake for 45 minutes to an hour or until the broth is absorbed and the pilaf is fluffy.

Run a fork through to fluff up before serving.

Makes quite a bit so be warned!

~Sarah