Millet Tabbouleh with Sauteed Sunflower Sprouts and Cottage Cheese

It’s the end of the week and like always, I was craving for a hearty salad for my Sunday dinner. My trip to the super market was ever interesting with the discovery of organic sunflower sprouts. These sprouts were new to me but I knew they are very nutritious. I was yearning for the addition of greens to my salad, but not the normal leaves that are predominantly used in salads; like lettuce, rocket, kale or chard!! Lucky me, I got hold of these beautiful organic sprouts which looked fresh, gorgeous and gave me an “oh-please-try-me” look!

This salad is fresh, healthy, filling and is a complete meal by itself. I have prepared the Tabbouleh salad using yellow millet. This tiny grain is gluten-free and packed with vitamins and minerals. Although it is usually considered a grain, but actually it is a seed which is most commonly used as bird-food. But if you think it’s just for the birds, you are definitely missing out on vital benefits of millet nutrition for yourself!

As far as sunflower greens go, its various health benefits need no mention at all. They are packed with proteins, antioxidants and can work as a cleansing agent to detoxify our bodies.

The recipe is simple, easy healthy and absolutely delicious. Once you assemble the salad, top it with a dollop of Dairy Farmers lite cottage-cheese and you will be good to go for a healthy balanced one-bowl meal.

Ingredients:

Yellow millet – 1 cup

Mix of dry herbs (rosemary, thyme, basil, dill) – 1 tsp

Onion –  1 large

Sunflower sprouts – 1 bunch

Mini cucumbers – 4-5 (peeled and diced into small cubes)

Tomato – 1 large (finely chopped)

Extra Virgin Olive oil – 2 tsp

Lime juice – 1 tbsp

Cilantro leaves – finely chopped

Dairy farmers Cottage cheese – 1 tsp

Ground Black pepper – 1/4 tsp

Salt – as per taste

Method:

Prepare the millet.

Wash the millet under cold running water.

Take some olive oil in a pan. Add 1 onion finely chopped.

When the onions turn translucent, add the washed millet and saute for a min.

Add water. Add 2 cups of water for 1 cup of millet.

Also add the salt, ground black pepper and the mix of herbs (rosemary, thyme, basil). I used dry herbs. But you can use the fresh ones if available.

Once the water comes to a boil, cover the pot and cook until all of the water dries out.

Once done, lightly fluff the cooked millet using a fork.

Now let the millet cool down to room temperature.

Take some olive oil in a pan and add the sunflower sprouts. Add some salt and saute for a about a min or two.

P.S: You can cut the greens into small pieces before sauteing or just leave them whole.

 

Now it’s time to assemble the Tabbouleh salad.

In a mixing bowl, add the sauteed sunflower greens. Add the cooked millet.

Add the rest of the ingredients; i.e. diced mini cucumbers, chopped tomatoes, chopped cilantro leaves, lemon juice, olive oil and salt.

Give everything a good mix. Store it in the fridge for at least an hour before serving.

Add some cottage cheese on top and relish the goodness of this lovely colorful salad.

Enjoy!!