Creamy Millet with Roasted Portobellos

Preparation Preheat the oven to 400°F. Rinse and drain the millet. Put it in a heavy pot (enameled cast-iron, if you have one). Add the milk, 2 cups water, and a big pinch of salt. Stir. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally so the bottom doesn't burn, until tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Stir in the nutmeg and thyme and cook another 3 minutes. The consistency should be like that of a soft polenta with some millet nuggets in it. If it starts to thicken too much or the texture is too coarse, add another 1/2 cup water as it cooks. Stir in both cheeses, taste, and add salt and pepper, if desired. Turn off the heat and leave the lid ajar. In a large bowl, stir together the oil, vinegar, herbes de Provence, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Brush both sides of the mushrooms with the dressing and gently toss the kale with the remaining dressing. Put the mushrooms on a rimmed baking sheet, stem side up. Bake until the mushrooms have shrunk down and softened, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven, spread the kale in the remaining space, sprinkle with the red pepper flakes, and roast until the kale is just softened and crisped a bit, another 5 minutes. To serve, place a generous scoop of the cheesy millet on each plate. Top with a portobello, some roasted kale, some Pecorino, and serve. Reprinted with permission from The Sprouted Kitchen: A Tastier Take on Whole Foods by Sara Forte. Copyright © 2012 by Sara Forte. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Clarkson Potter, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher. Sara Forte discovered a love for whole foods when she volunteered at an organic farm while working toward her English degree at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. The interest led to an internship in Italy at a bed-and-breakfast and cooking school, jobs at a few different markets, and eventually a food blog, Sprouted Kitchen (sproutedkitchen.com), that she produces with her husband, Hugh. She writes recipes and stories about life while he documents their whole food approach to eating well. Her work has been featured in InStyle, Better Homes & Gardens, Sunset, Fine Cooking, The Kitchen, Etsy, Food 52, and EcoSalon. The Sprouted Kitchen was a recent finalist in Saveur's Best Food Blog Awards for Best Food Photography. Sara continues to freelance in recipe development and take on small catering jobs on the side. They currently live in Dana Point, California, working, eating, and inspiring people to cook fresh, real food.

Preparation Preheat the oven to 400°F. Rinse and drain the millet. Put it in a heavy pot (enameled cast-iron, if you have one). Add the milk, 2 cups water, and a big pinch of salt. Stir. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally so the bottom doesn't burn, until tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Stir in the nutmeg and thyme and cook another 3 minutes. The consistency should be like that of a soft polenta with some millet nuggets in it. If it starts to thicken too much or the texture is too coarse, add another 1/2 cup water as it cooks. Stir in both cheeses, taste, and add salt and pepper, if desired. Turn off the heat and leave the lid ajar. In a large bowl, stir together the oil, vinegar, herbes de Provence, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Brush both sides of the mushrooms with the dressing and gently toss the kale with the remaining dressing. Put the mushrooms on a rimmed baking sheet, stem side up. Bake until the mushrooms have shrunk down and softened, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven, spread the kale in the remaining space, sprinkle with the red pepper flakes, and roast until the kale is just softened and crisped a bit, another 5 minutes. To serve, place a generous scoop of the cheesy millet on each plate. Top with a portobello, some roasted kale, some Pecorino, and serve. Reprinted with permission from The Sprouted Kitchen: A Tastier Take on Whole Foods by Sara Forte. Copyright © 2012 by Sara Forte. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Clarkson Potter, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher. Sara Forte discovered a love for whole foods when she volunteered at an organic farm while working toward her English degree at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. The interest led to an internship in Italy at a bed-and-breakfast and cooking school, jobs at a few different markets, and eventually a food blog, Sprouted Kitchen (sproutedkitchen.com), that she produces with her husband, Hugh. She writes recipes and stories about life while he documents their whole food approach to eating well. Her work has been featured in InStyle, Better Homes & Gardens, Sunset, Fine Cooking, The Kitchen, Etsy, Food 52, and EcoSalon. The Sprouted Kitchen was a recent finalist in Saveur's Best Food Blog Awards for Best Food Photography. Sara continues to freelance in recipe development and take on small catering jobs on the side. They currently live in Dana Point, California, working, eating, and inspiring people to cook fresh, real food.