A twist on biscuits and baked beans.
If you've never heard of millet before, I don't blame you. It's commonly referred to as bird seed... but hold on and just stay with me.
As I was googling more information on millet, I discovered that there's actually a PLACE called Millet, Alberta. WHAT A COOL NAME.
Anyways, so you're probably wondering what millet is and why I would make a recipe that contains bird seed... well firstly, sunflower seeds are in bird seed too so hold your horses.
Millet is gluten-free, and is a group of small-seeded grasses that has a strong ability to grow in relatively harsh, arid, and dry environments, which makes it a highly versatile crop. You cook it as you would rice or oats. It has this slightly sweet taste, you can even replace your morning oatmeal with it.
It's high in fiber, which means it'll help with digestion.
If I have't sold you on it yet, I suggest that you step outside of your comfort zone and just TRY it. You never know, you might love it.
Millet has been my go-to replacement for quinoa and couscous (because it contains gluten). Quinoa IS gluten free, but it is part of one of the many foods that my body decided it didn't want to process. So there ya go... I wish I could eat quinoa, because of all the great nutritional value it contains, but that's a no for me.
SO back to the patties. As it turns out, millet is sticker than quinoa, so these guys bind together quite easily. They’re packed with carrots and parsley and the lemon gives them a nice little summery twist.
This recipe is so delicious and foolproof.
The beans are simple to make - you just put everything in a pot and let it simmer. You can make this in the morning and let it simmer all day on low heat (slow cooker friendly as well).
I was a huge fan of baked beans growing up, but that was usually from a can. I have fond memories of heating up Clark Baked Beans on our stove and devouring most of the can for lunch in the winter months. That being said, a lot of processed foods are not as healthy for you because they contain a lot of additives and preservatives. As I look at the ingredients, they are not as bad as some other brands out there.
But still, why not just make your own at home?
Initially I thought that BBQ beans and lemon wouldn't go together very well, but I was surprised. They compliment each other quite nicely actually. The beans are smoky and rich and the patties are light and refreshing. If you're skeptical on the lemon aspect, you can put less of the lemon zest, as this is what makes the lemon flavor so noticeable. I went a little overboard, but I enjoyed the taste regardless.
A few little notes:
You will need a food processor to make the millet patties.
If you need to, you're also able to prep these in advance. You can make the patties up to 3 days ahead of time and store them in between pieces of waxed paper in a storage container in your refrigerator.
And with that, let's get on to the recipe.
LEMON MILLET PATTIES WITH HOMEMADE BBQ BEANS
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
For the lemon millet patties
1 cup millet
2 cups water
Pinch of sea salt
2 small carrots, chopped
1-2 green onions, chopped
Small handful fresh parsley
3-4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
3-4 tablespoons virgin coconut oil for sauteing
For the BBQ Beans
1 can (16-ounces) Navy beans), DRAINED
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
4 crushed garlic gloves
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 Tbsp honey
1/4 - 1/2 tsp chipotle chilli powder (or more)
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup water
INSTRUCTIONS
Lemon Millet Patties
Rince the millet in a fine strainer. Place rinsed millet, water, and sea salt into a pot with a tight fitting lid. Bring to a boil, then turn down heat to a low simmer and cook for 20-30 minutes.
Place chopped carrot, chopped green onions, fresh parsley, lemon juice, lemon zest, and sea salt into a food processor and pulse a few times. Add cooked millet and continue to pulse until just mixed.
Form millet mixture into patties.
Heat coconut oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Lightly saute patties on both sides.
BBQ Beans
Drain and rinse the beans.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, add the onion and garlic. Satuée for 5 minutes, until fragrant.
In a small bowl, mix together the tomato paste, vinegar, maple syrup, honey, sea salt, chipotle chilli powder and water.
Add mixture to onions and garlic. Add the rinsed beans.
Bring to a boil, stir well, and reduce to a low simmer. Cook, stirring frequently, for 20 to 25 minutes.
When ready to serve, spoon the beans into bowls, serve with the lemon millet patties on the side.
Serve warm and enjoy!
NOTES
I recommend making the BBQ sauce first because it's easy to keep warm.
This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled or quadrupled.
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