Millet Vegetable Balls
Yield: 2-4 dozen  VG, VN, WF, GF, DF, SoF, EF

2 c Millet; cooked, cold about 3/4 cup
-- uncooked *
1/2 c Hazelnut (filbert) flour; OR-
-- 1/2c Almonds; ground
-- or other ground nuts
2 tb Arrowroot powder;-OR-
2 tb Unbleached flour; or Kamut flour

REMAINING INGREDIENTS

2 tb Oil, natural; up to 3 tb
1 c  Onions; chopped
1 c  Broccoli; chopped small -OR-
1 c  Asparagus; chopped small
1 c  Carrots; chopped small
1 c  Mushrooms; up to 1 ½ cups, chopped
1 c  Celery; chopped small -OR-
1 c  Bell pepper; chopped small
1/2 c Olives, black or green; chopped
2 ea Garlic cloves; minced
2 ea Vegetable bouillon cubes
2 ts  Tamari soy sauce or miso; up to -3 ts
2 tb  Parsley, fresh; chopped, up to 3 -tb
1 ts  Dill weed
1 ts  Paprika
1/2 ts Marjoram
1/2 ts Thyme

OPTIONAL

1/4 ts Sea salt; especially if unsalted
vegetable bouillon is used
1/2 c Almonds; roasted at home, -chopped

Mix cooked millet, hazelnut flour (or ground nuts) and arrowroot powder (or substitute flours) together.  Heat the oil and sauté the onions, broccoli and carrots until semi-tender.  Add the other vegetables and sauté another 1-2 minutes more. Break up the bouillon cubes in the stir fry and mix them well with everything else. Remove the sauté from heat and mix it well with the millet-flour mixture.  Roll it into balls, using 1/8 - 1/4 cup for each ball. Bake the balls at 400F for 18-22 minutes until hot and toasted for a wonderful flavour.

Serve with Arrowroot sauce, Mushroom Gravy, Vegetarian Gravy or Toasted Cashew or Sesame Sauce

The 1/8 cup balls may be stir fried in a lightly oiled frying pan and served as "meat balls" with spaghetti and tomato sauce or they may be eaten plain or served as suggested above. Cold leftover balls keep 4-6 days refrigerated. They are terrific for lunches and snacks - a wonderful protein and vitamin lift.

* To cook millet, use 2 ½ cups water per 1 cup dry millet. It does not usually need pre-washing. Cook 40-55 minutes, and use as a substitute for rice in rice dishes. This is one of the best grains, high in vitamins and very alkaline.

VARIATIONS:

Rice or Quinoa Vegetable Balls

Instead of millet, brown rice may be used.  Cook f cup rice in 2 1/4 cups water so that the rice is very tender.  For Quinoa Vegetable Balls, cook 1 cup quinoa in only 2 cups water so that the grain will be less tender than usual.   Measure 2 cups of the cold cooked grain before using in the recipe. Other grains may also be used.  Experiment with kasha, buckwheat, pot barley, bulgur or other whole grains.

Millet, Rice or Quinoa Vegetable Burgers

Prepare the Millet Vegetable Balls (or the grain you are using as above) and use 1/2 to 3/4 cup of mixture for each burger.  Lightly coat the burger with whole wheat, kamut or spelt flour.  Grill them for 4-5 minutes on each side on medium-high heat in a skillet or on a griddle.  Serve with natural ketchup, mustard, pickle and a bun if desired.

Tofu Vegetable balls or Burgers

Prepare the Millet Vegetables (above) except use 1 lb of regular tofu, crumbled, instead of the millet.

TVP Vegetable Balls or Burgers

Prepare the Millet Vegetable Balls (above) but in place of the millet use 1 cup texturized vegetable protein (TVP) or texturized soy protein soaked in f cup boiling water for 10 minutes or until the TVP expands and softens.

Arrowroot Sauce
Yield: 4 - 6 Servings  VG, VN, WF, GF, DF, EF

2 tb Arrowroot powder
1 1/2 c Cool water
2 tb Tamari soy sauce, up to 3 tb
1 ea Vegetable bouillon cube, up to 2
-- cubes, - OR 1-2 ts vegetable broth
-- powder
Cayenne pepper to taste
Sea kelp to taste
dash of sweetener (to balance flavours)

Using a wire whisk, mix the arrowroot thoroughly with the water in a saucepan.   Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened. Keep warm over low heat.  Serve over hot vegetables, whole grains or stir frys. Keeps up to 7 days in the refrigerator.  May be frozen.

Mushroom Gravy
Yield: 2 1/2 cups  VG, VN, WF, GF, DF, EF

1 c Mushrooms; sliced thin
1 tb Oil, natural; *
1 3/4 c Water
1/3 c Flour; whole wheat,kamut, spelt,
-- millet or quinoa (up to 1/2 cup)
2 tb Tamari soy sauce OR
-- 2 tb Dark miso, up to 3 tb
1 ts Vegetable broth powder, up to 2 ts OR
1-2 veg. bouillon cubes
Sea kelp; several dashes
Sea salt to taste

*To eliminate oil from this recipe, sauté the mushrooms in the tamari or a bit of the water instead.

Sauté the mushrooms in the oil. Add the flour and stir constantly over medium-low heat for 1-2 minutes.  Brown the flour for more flavour.  Add the remaining ingredients and stir with a wine whisk until the sauce is very well mixed and there are no lumps.  Stir constantly over medium heat until very hot.  Reduce heat and cook on the lowest setting for 10-15 minutes until the sauce has thickened.  Stir occasionally while simmering.

Serve over hot vegetables, burgers, balls or whole grains and enjoy!

Toasted Cashew Sauce
Yield: 3 cups  VG, VN, WF, GF, DF, EF

1 1/2 c Cashew pieces; raw *
2 c Water
1 tb Arrowroot powder; up to 2 tb
-OR other thickener
2 tb White onion; chopped
1 ea Garlic clove; crushed
1 tb Tamari soy sauce
2 ts Ginger, fresh; peeled, grated
- up to 3 ts
Sea salt; to taste
Cayenne pepper; to taste
1 ea Vegetable bouillon cube

*Technically speaking, all cashews must be slightly cooked before being sold.  Buy the ones called "raw" in the store.

Spread the cashews about ¼" thick on a shallow baking dish or pie pan. Bake for 10-15 minutes at 300F, stirring once.  Blend the cashews ¼ cup at a time in a blender until finely ground.  Add all the ingredients to the blender and liquefy.   Heat the sauce on medium-low heat, stirring regularly. When thickened and hot throughout, serve over vegetables, grains or other main dishes.  Keeps 6-8 days in refrigerator.

Toasted Sesame Sauce
Yield: 3 1/2 cups  VG, VN, WF, GF, DF, EF

1 c Sesame seeds; toasted,hulled & ground
1 c Tahini
2 c Water; or milk substitute
2 tb Arrowroot powder or other thickener
1 tb White onion, chopped, up to 2 Tb
1 ea Vegetable bouillon cube
1 tb Tamari soy sauce
2 ts Lemon rind; grated,
-up to 3 ts
Sea salt to taste
Cayenne pepper to taste

Spread the sesame seeds about 1/8" thick on a flat baking pan or dish and bake for 12-18 minutes at 300F.  Stir once or twice and remove from oven when lightly browned and toasted.  Blend the toasted seeds 1/4 cup at a time in a blender until finely ground.  Place the seeds and all remaining ingredients in the blender and liquefy.  Heat in a saucepan on medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until thickened and hot throughout.  Serve on vegetables, grain, burgers, casseroles or pasta.  Keeps 6-8 days refrigerated.

Spring 1999 Vegetarian Page
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