Recipes for Mom {intro + part 1}
June 13, 2011 Welcome to the new blog series, Recipes for Mom! I can’t wait to get this started and expand on it more + more. So many ideas rolling around in my head!
So what exactly is this new series?
I could have called it…
- recipes to a new foodie
- recipes + tips to refresh your life
- recipes for health
- healthy kitchen 101
However, I decided on “Recipes for Mom,” for a few reasons.
Over the last 20+ years, my mom has racked up quite the medical history. Her problems have all stemmed from a diagnosis of ulcerative colitis, at age 40. I’m not a medical professional, but my opinion is that mom’s medical history was not a direct result of what she was eating. Sure, there were probably certain foods that would have helped her UC and some that made it worse, but the ulcerative colitis was not caused by dietary choices. Also, 20 years ago, treating illness with food wasn’t as popular as it is today. She may have been able to better control her UC, but at the time, it didn’t seem to be an option. She also had an extremely severe case.
A brief rundown of my mom’s medical history:
- ulcerative colitis, treated with a slew of medications, that caused many of the following
- arthritis
- osteoporosis
- hip replacement
- large colon removal
- bacterial meningitis [after being on immunosuppressant drugs, near death experience]
- rotator cuff surgery
- sleep apnea
- obstructed sleep apnea surgery
- sciatica problems [since June 2010]
- sciatica surgery [February 2011]
And this is just from what I can remember!
Throughout all of this, it hasn’t been easy to stay on track with constant healthy eating. My mom also has a fairly high-stress job, with a lot of take home work each night. She doesn’t have hours of time on her hands for grocery shopping + cooking. My dad is also very busy with a co-owned appraisal business, typically working 6-7 days/week. And there’s also the golf addiction. ;)
My parents don’t eat poorly, by any means, but they are always saying they want to do better. They’ll try things that I have on the blog here + there, but I think some of the recipes + foods are a bit intimidating.
Since my mom’s latest sciatica problems, it was really hard to stay on track. She was in pain. A lot of pain. All over her body. The last thing you want to do when your body is in fiery pain, and having just worked a long day, is be on your feet in the kitchen. Even when you’re not in pain, it’s hard to get in the kitchen after a long day.
Healing from surgery, has taken months. It was extremely difficult. She was out of work for almost 2 months and in constant pain. She has finally started to feel a bit more like herself in the past few weeks. Ever since my trip home and her trip out to Colorado, my mom has had a surge of motivation to get back on track with food + exercise. She [and my dad] want to eat less meat, try new foods, eat less packaged/processed foods, and learn how to quick a handful of go-to weeknight meals that don’t take an hour to prepare.
Please remember that I am not a registered dietician, doctor, or trained health professional. Please consult your doctor before changing your diet, starting a new fitness routine, and for all medical related questions.
The basis of this new series is for beginners wanting to enter the world of health + ditch the idea of going on a diet. This will be about your diet, but it’s not about going on a diet. It’s for people who are confused on how + where to start and are not familiar with things like quinoa, kale, millet, tempeh, buckwheat, chia seeds, flax, etc. It’s for people curious on what items to stock in their pantry and what kitchen tools are most worth investing in. It’s for people that want to have fun with food and not see it as a chore, or something to be afraid of.
Simplicity in the kitchen!
My plan is not set in stone, and I can’t wait to expand on it more + more in the coming months. My hope is to inspire my mom + dad, friends, YOU, anyone at all. Maybe this will all be redundant for you. Maybe you will hit the “snooze” button on these posts. Maybe this is just the thing you needed. Either way, I can’t wait to get started!
One of my most used kitchen tools is the fine mesh strainer, pictured below. I use it practically everyday, and sometimes numerous times for 1 meal.
This little tool, will set you back $5-20, which will be worth it in the first month.
Fine mesh strainer uses:
- rinsing beans
- rinsing grains [quinoa, millet, etc.]
- draining small batches of pasta
- draining liquid from any canned good
- sifting flours for baking
- straining cooked liquid mixtures, to keep out food pieces
- straining citrus juices to keep the seeds out
Typically, I use this for rising grains + beans, which I eat a whole lot of!
A few places to buy a fine mesh strainer: [I recommend 6-8”]
- Amazon $16.99 [for the 6”]
- Target $4.99
- Crate + Barrel $9.99 [the one I have!]
What are we cooking today?
Millet! What exactly is millet? It’s a nutrient dense, gluten-free seed, that has a mild-nutty flavor, with a fluffy texture.
Here is the nutritional profile for 1 cup of cooked millet.
1/4c uncooked millet, yields approximately 1c cooked millet
*Edited to add – Millet actually has a high glycemic index level. I confused the original number with the glycemic load number. My apologies!!
Millet is packed with nutrients and health benefits that you can read about here. It’s quite possibly my favorite seed/grain and is extremely versatile. Millet can be paired with almost any meal and can take on any flavor you want!
Where can you find millet? Great question! You most likely find millet in the bulk section of your health food store. If you can’t find it, you may want to ask your store to carry it. You can also always buy in bulk online! I love storing my bulk goods in 32oz mason jars. It keeps them organized + fresh! At Whole Foods, I can buy organic millet for $.99/lb!
The first thing you’ll want to do is measure out your millet, depending how much you want to cook, dump it in your fabulous new strainer + rinse!
I always use cold water and rinse for about 30 seconds, until the water runs clear.
I typically cook 1 cup of raw millet, which yields about 4 cups cooked millet. When I do this, I start off by adding 1T cold pressed, extra virgin olive oil to a medium pot, over medium heat.
After letting the oil heat, I add the millet in.
And then stir for 1-3min until slightly browned. This helps to deepen the nutty flavor of the millet, but can be skipped if you’re in a hurry!
I use 2c water : 1c raw millet ratio. I’ve read 3:1 before, but have found 2c works best for fluffy results. I typically use 100% water, but you can incorporate low-sodium veggie stock [or organic/free range chicken/beef stock] for more flavor.
I bring the millet to a boil.
Stir once. Reduce heat to simmer + cover with a tight fitting lid.
Then I set the timer to 20 minutes, and let it simmer away.
Simmer = small, frequent bubbles
During the cook time, I prepare the rest of my meal. Typically something with beans, and 1-2x a week tempeh or tofu. I also always have some sort of greens involved. We eat kale chips [will get to that soon!], salad, or steamed/sautéed greens every single night.
This particular night, I cooked tofu. It was my best cooked tofu yet! The key to good tofu texture, is pressing out the liquid between dish towels, for 30min.
After 20min, turn the heat off, and move the pot to a neighboring burner. Let sit for 5min. You can also skip this step, but it does help with the texture!
Here is the cooked millet.
Next, you want to fluff it with a fork, just like cooking rice. Using a fork really helps keep things fluffy, light, and slightly sticky.
{fluffy love}
Typically, I top millet with just a little butter or soy free Earth Balance, fine grain sea salt + freshly ground black pepper.
You can dress it up more if you like, but this simple style is my favorite!
The full meal included:
- simple cooked millet
- tofu [tossed in coconut aminos, honey, brown rice vinegar, coconut oil, salt, pepper, garlic + a sesame oil drizzle at the end]
- 4min sautéed kale with garlic + salt
Simple Cooked Millet [4, 1c servings]
- 1c raw millet
- 1T olive oil
- 2c water
- salt/pepper/butter as preferred
- Heat a medium sized pot, over medium heat + add 1T olive oil.
- Rinse millet in a mesh strainer, until the water runs clear. ~30sec
- Add millet to the pot + stir 1-3 minutes, until lightly browned. *optional step
- Add in water + bring to a boil.
- Stir once, reduce heat to simmer + cover with a tight fitting lid.
- Let cook for 20min, until all liquid is absorbed. Do not open the lid or stir while cooking!
- Turn burner off and move the pot to a neighboring burner for 5min.
- Uncover and fluff with a fork.
- Serve and top with seasonings of your choice.
*For more flavor use 1c veggie stock + 1c water, instead of 2c water.
*You can use 1T unrefined coconut oil, instead of olive oil, for a slight coconut flavor. Perfect to go along with coconut curry dishes!
*If you only want 1 serving, using a smaller pot, reduce millet to 1/4c, water to 1/2c, and oil to 1 teaspoon.
*If you want millet all week long for 2-4 people in the house, make a larger batch with 2c raw millet, 4c water, and 2T oil. It will keep in the fridge for about 4-5 days.
Another reason I like to cook millet plain, is so I can use it all week and dress it up however I like. You can reheat millet, with a sprinkle of water in the microwave or in a pot/pan on the stove. Add whatever seasonings you want!
I love using millet for breakfast!
And even like throwing it cold on a salad.
Check out my recipe page for even more millet ideas! In your internet tools, use “find” and search for millet. Then you can arrow through all the recipe titles including the word millet.
And that raps up Recipes for Mom {intro + part 1}
Hope you enjoyed it!
Ashley
Recipes, millet, recipes for mom
Reader Comments (132)
mmmm it has been too long since i had millet!
what a fun idea I love that you are sharing simple recipes... even the best cooks need simplicity the millet looks delish!
i love this new series, i think it is something that will be awesome. Often times i read blogs and i am interested in looking at the stuff you guys make but often think to myself.. but i don't ever eat lunch at home, its just a different lifestyle. Thank you for making this more accessible for all types of jobs. Looking foward to reading this section.
-Larissa
Aw. I love this idea, Ashley! I can't wait to read more :) Also enjoying the step-by-step photos of everything. I'm on a whole simplicity kick (again -- hahah, I'm always trying), so YAY for that!
Oh my, how I love this. Such a wonderful idea! I talked to my mom about millet just today, and she told me that her only experience with it was feeding her pet bird millet as a child... I'll have to cook some up for her, as she's gluten sensitive and very interested in nutrition! (Which, uh, I'm obviously as well.)
this is a great idea ashley! (i'm going to go holistic nurse on you for a second) and ask if your mom has considered acupuncture/herbs for helping her through her medical issues (esp. stress)? ive seen so many people benefit from it who have digestive issues and pain, and even though food choices will definitely help, it seems like a much deeper issue. just throwing the idea out there! i love telling people about it because it really help the body in a noninvasive way- key is just to find a good practitioner.
back to the millet- my favorite way is eating it warm with milk and sweet pureed butternut squash. i use to have that all the time as a kid and its such a nostalgic + comforting meal, especially in the winter!
I love this idea! Looking forward to the series. Perhaps it will help me get MY Mom more interested in this particular way of cooking, as well. She is also easily intimidated by these "new" ingredients.
I am a relative newbie to millet myself, and have only cooked it a couple of times. I really enjoy it (I think it has a corn-y taste...)and have cooked it with light coconut milk (canned) and water. Also, I've always cooked it with the 3:1 ratio. Mine comes out more like mashed potatoes, which has been tasty - but I definitely want to have a go at the "fluffy" millet! Thanks.
~
This is one grain I see frequently on food blogs, but have never actually tried to make for myself! Too simple; I'm picking this stuff up at WF on my way home ;)
P.S. Wow, your Mom has endured a LOT. Huge hug to the woman who has fought through more than most of us could even imagine!
My Mom only thinks of millet as bird food, too! She feeds the birds in her yard with suet cakes, that have millet in them. Who knew?
~
yup, just sent this to every member of my family. you know us and our IBD!
you make my head spin. in a good way.
Looks like a great series!
Millet seems a lot like quinoa. I wonder if the nutrients in both are similar.
Hi Ashley,
I also have ulcerative colitis. I was diagnosed at 24 and have been living with it for 10 years now - I can't believe it's been that long. I agree, and don't believe that food would cure my inflammatory disease, but I do think that eating the right things helps to keep the flair-ups away. I started working with my friend, who is a holistic health counselor, for 3 months back in 2003. During that time, I learned how to eat and prepare whole foods and concentrate on whole body nutrition (for the mind, body and spirit). I have to say, it has really improved my life. I don't always eat well or exercise regularly, but when I feel a flair coming on, I know exactly what I need to do to help my body heal. Thankfully I have never needed surgery. I really hope this series helps your mom. I think it will also help to refresh my memory!
Thanks :)
Thanks for all the tips on millet..
and your mom is too cute, reminds me of me and my mom :)
I just wanted to say that I loved this!! I love healthy foods, but some of the ingredients are intimidating to me, so I've avoided them. This is just what I needed! Thanks!
I love this post! :)My parents and grandparents are the same way.
Also I am craving millet now, good thing I have some in the cupboards!
Ashley this is an amazing series and such awesome info.
And I just want to say to your mom, keep on keeping on! She's doing AMAZINGLY well considering ALL that she has going on and has survived. What a testament to her strength :)
I LOVE THIS. I am a complete foodie and am all about trying new (and complicated) recipes, but I definitely skipped the basics and am looking forward to reading and incorporating this info into my meal planning!
GREAT IDEA!
Great post! I know that your mom and lots of other moms will benefit.
One caveat - millet is not anti-inflammatory. The numbers are inverse - you want a high positive number for it to be anti-inflammatory. Millet is actually inflammatory - not a good thing.
Sadly, I don't seem to be able to handle millet. :(
Ohhh, gosh I read that wrong!! Thanks!
I love the idea of this series. I would've really liked it when I started revamping my diet 2 years ago. All the new terms and foods were super confusing and overwhelming at first. I like how you are breaking things down and explaining them. can't wait for some more posts in the series!
I misread the inflammation chart, if you were excited about that part. ;) Millet is an inflammatory food, not inflammatory, but not severely. :)
First of all I LOVE the idea for this series!!! I hope to see more in the future.
Also - tofu?? Weren't you the one who hated soy?!
Great new series!!
Yes! I love the idea of this new series. Everything you cook and bake looks delicious + healthy. I am so inspired by your pictures. This will be great for beginners ready to experiment in the kitchen. Looking forward to posts about tempeh and quinoa!
Your mom sounds so strong. I hope as the days pass by she continues to heal.
this is so cute! i'm sure your mom appreciates all of your help as well as us readers who missed the crash course and need a brush up on the basics:)
Millet is the next grain on my list to try! :)
I love the new blog series already! I am definitely not comfortable with some of the grains you use on your blog but I'd love to learn more.
Love the new series! Such a great idea. I love when I can learn new things from people's posts and I learned alot today. I have never used millet believe it or not, but I think it will be done soon now!
I love the new series! Especially because I think that they will be mostly gluten and veg friendly! I use a lot of your recipes already so I am excited. So sorry to hear about your mom. :( My mom deals with chronic pain, my thoughts are with her and hope she gets to feeling better and better.
Fabulous idea. I eat quite clean as it is but its always nice to learn more and get new ideas. As much as I love to cook, some of the things I see on here do look intimidating so its nice to have it broken down a bit more. Next on my menu.. Millet! :)
oh dear, I would never have imagined such health problems looking at your rocking mom! :-) Hope she feels relief soon, and enjoys your recipes!
Love <3 the new series and find it extremely helpful! I will definitely have to go out and try millet now.
Wow Ashley, this post was SUPER helpful- no kidding :) Although I'm familiar with grains, and other exotic foods like chia seeds, hemp, spirulina, kale, etc.... it's still good to know more about them! Cooking grains is definitely on of my weak spots, as well, so this was definitely useful indeed. I love millet and quinoa-- especially cooked in coconut milk :)
Can't wait for the next series! Coming from you i'm sure it'll be just GREAT
This great information! Thank you :)
Thanks for introducing me to millet! I'll definitely be purchasing some soon and giving it a try since it's gluten free and I'm allergic to wheat! It reminds me of quinoa.
www.glutenfreerunner.com
-irene
Love this post! Thanks for the great information.
Even though it is listed as slightly inflammatory (NOT anti-inflammatory), if you look at information from Dr. Weil's website - the Harvard-trained MD who started/promoted the anti-inflammatory diet - whole grains are generally anti-inflammatory as they reduce blood sugar spikes that promote inflammation. I believe he started the program as a way to holistically help those with rheumatoid arthritis, but it probably applies to those with other types of auto-immune diseases (like UC and IBD).
I think it'd be cool if you made recipes that focused on anti-inflammatory foods - they're hard to find specifically unless you're willing to join Dr. Weil's program (and I'm not really interested). Thanks!
You should call this "Recipes for Mama Pea," because I'm so making that millet dish!
What a sweet tribute to your mom. I also haven't used millet. I like how you are organizing it and hope to learn a lot to try. My problem is cooking for me and my husband. He doesn't understand or want to try newer foods, so I have to find great recipes and have good knowledge for him to try new things.
wow you weren't kidding around about her health issues! it's amazing how we feed/nourish our bodies directly results in our overall well being and health. my husband obliges and tries my health food but my mom and dad are totally anti!
This is such a great idea for a new series. I'm sure many people are like your mom, are struggling to maintain everything happening in their lives and also striving to eat healthier.
I hope that your mother continues to improve, and that these nutritious foods help to keep her pain at bay!
What a great series! I've had puffed millet before and my family makes fun of me, because my bird also eats millet- they think I eat bird food now!
Hello,
This is my first visit. I asked Kath of Katheats for any bloggers from Colorado as we are moving to Colorado Springs this summer.
Being from Las Vegas, NV I have only a small idea as to what to expect other than COLD (scary for us desert rats) and Beautiful (looking forward to that). She gave me your name. And I am so glad that she did.
I love you site already. I love millet and can see that I will be blessed to get some very good info from you.
I am a 64 yr young grandma who loves the grandkids, good healthy food and reading. So it is a hello and thanks for your blog. Best wishes to your mother.
Looking forward to checking in often. :)
i love this new series as well!
can you do one about simple/healthy salad dressings?
Hey Ash! Just wanted to point out that while millet is a great, gluten-free grain, it's actually not a low-glycemic index grain. The number listed on nutritiondata.com is for glycemic load which is not the same thing as glycemic index. According to my dietitian, millet is actually NOT a low glycemic index food. I actually have a medical issue where my doctor and dietitian both recommend I follow a low glycemic index diet, so I wouldn't want anyone doing the same to get the wrong idea here.
Honestly it's a shame it's not low GI - I miss millet! Love the series idea and can't wait to see where you go with it!
Hello again Ashley,
Just to share a recipe you may enjoy. However, I don't know if you eat dairy but I will share anyway.
To one serving cooked millet I add some diced fresh tomato and couple tablespoons of plain yogurt. Some salt and pepper.
It is really quite good. Sometimes I add diced cucumber also.
Ashley, this post meant so much to me. I was diagnosed with UC last year after years of malnutrition problems, severe weight loss and then finally being hospitalized for almost 2 weeks. I can relate so much to what your mom is and has gone through but not nearly as much. I know exactly that the food choices I make basically control my disease but I've also learned that it's not impossible to live a nearly care free life as long as I put the right foods into my body for me. It's so hard because you can't really base it off of one particular diet either. UC is different for everyone and some foods may be good for me but not for others. It's so much of trial and error, which can be a long and painful process.
You're mom seems like such a strong and wonderful woman and I know she will be able to do the things that are the healthiest and best for her body. But she is so lucky to have such a caring and amazing daughter to support and encourage her. :)
What a fabulous idea! :) I can't imagine how much your mom will appreciate this! I know I will too!
I love the idea of this series Ash!! I cannot wait to follow along. Your talk about millet actually inspired me to cook up some millet, risotto style with mushrooms for dinner! Thanks for the idea :)