GLUTEN FREE VEGETARIAN INGREDIENT OF THE DAY: MILLET

There are several varieties of millet, grown throughout Asia and Africa for millennia. They all are rich in B vitamins, like wheat, which is a bonus to those who do not eat gluten, since B vitamins are missing in many wheat substitutes used in gluten-free cooking and baking. Millet should not, however, be eaten in large amounts by people with thyroid disease, since it might cause goiters for them. (This is not a problem for people without thyroid disease.) 

Millet: bland or versatile? I vote for versatile, and that's not even mentioning millet flour, which of course would be versatile because it's gluten free and, well, flour. I'm talking about a grain which can be used equally successfully in a sweet or savory context and unflavored as well, as a foil for a heavily flavored dish (try it as a base for chili rather than rice). My favorite way to prepare it for years has been with diced carrots in flavored broth (I use Better Than Bouillon for a quick vegetable broth.). The carrots cook along with the millet (use double or a bit more of the volume of liquid to grain, as with rice) and your side dish is done with hardly any effort. 

Here, though, is a cozy little New England-y muffin. 

MILLET SPICE MUFFINS

In addition to being nutritious, these muffins have the flavors of an old-fashioned spice cake, with density between a traditional muffin and a brownie. 

Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients:

3 cups cooked millet

2 oz olive oil

4 oz water

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1/4 cup chopped raisins

1 egg

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ginger

1/8 tsp cardamom

1/8 tsp cloves

8 envelopes Splenda (to equal 16 tsp sugar)

Directions:

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, beat egg, oil, spices and Splenda. Place one and a half cups millet in food processor with water. Process until almost smooth, with most of millet texture gone. Add processed millet to egg mixture. Stir in nuts and raisins. Fill sprayed or lined muffin tins to top. Bake until toothpick to center is clean, about 30 minutes.

Note re cooked millet: If you do not have cooked millet available, toast one cup dry millet in a dry pan until it gets a nutty aroma. Then add to two and a half cups water, bring to a boil, simmer till all moisture is absorbed.

Note re sweeteners: if you want to replace the Splenda with agave syrup or honey, reduce the water by the number of ounces you use of either liquid sweetener. If you want to replace the Splenda with sugar, reduce the water by half.