5 Millet Recipes That Let You Enjoy Desserts Guilt-Free

When you think of millets, you don’t really think of luxurious chocolate cake or a soft laddu. When it comes to millets, imagining them as a chief ingredient in desserts, but the ancient grain is so versatile, they can take the form of your favourite sweets and add a dash of health to them.

So here are 5 delicious recipes to up your dessert game and surprise your system with a healthy dose of “kuch meetha” after meals.

Before we begin, keep these ready:

• A packet of browntop millets to provide you with necessary nutrients like iron, magnesium, potassium and Vitamin B. Click here to order it now.
• Gluten-free rolled oats to add to the nutrition of millets. Follow this link to get a packet.
• This chocolate peanut butter that will not only be perfect for these recipes but also doubles as a delicious spread on bread. Click here to get the yum, vegan spread.

1. Sweet millet balls with berry sauce

This gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan recipe is sure to have you drooling over it. A gourmet dessert fit for any health-conscious guest, you can prepare the sweet millet balls in under one hour. This recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:
For millet balls:

• 125 gm of browntop millets
• 450 ml of mylk (dairy-free milk made with almonds, peanuts etc)
• 4 tablespoons corn grit
• 110 gm sugar (or any other sweetener you prefer)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the berry sauce:

• 2 cups mixed berries (frozen)
• 110 gm cane sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Directions:

• Pour the millets and milk into a saucepan and turn the heat to small-medium. Put a lid on it to conserve fuel and cook for about 15-20 minutes.
• When the millets absorb all the milk, turn off the heat and add corn grits, sugar (for sweet millet balls) and vanilla extract. Mix well.
• Keep the lid back on and let the mixture cool.
• Mould it into small balls and keep aside.
• While the solid mixture is cooling, add the frozen berries, remaining sugar and ½ cup water to another saucepan. Cook them on medium heat.
• When the sugar dissolves, add cinnamon and cornstarch to the water. Mix well and make sure no lumps are formed.
• Turn off the heat when the mixture thickens. Let it rest.
• Once both the balls and the sauce are ready, pour the sauce on them and enjoy.

2. Millet chocolate cake:

There’s nothing better to lift up my mood than a good old chocolate cake, the love of my life. Just the name gets me drooling. But of course, a healthy diet always acts as an obstacle between me and my love. If you are like me, here’s a healthy dessert recipe to tackle that issue.

Ingredients:
For the millet filling:

• 350 ml (plus 2 tablespoons) almond milk
• 120 gm dates (soaked in water for 2-3 hours)
• 100 gm millet
• 100 gm dark chocolate
• 100 gm roasted hazelnuts (ground)
• 50 gm creamed coconut

For the crust:

• 80 gm roasted almonds
• 50 gm dates (soaked in water for 2-3 hours)
• 10 gm rolled oats
• 1 tablespoon cacao powder

For the chocolate topping:

• Chocolate peanut butter (plus some peanut milk, if to make the spread thin)

Directions:

• Blend the almonds and rolled oats (crust ingredients) in a blender till they are finely ground.
• Drain the dates and add them and the cacao powder to this ground mixture. Run the blender again until the mixture sticks together.
• Line two springform cake tins with baking paper. Divide the crust mixture between the tins and press down firmly. This is the base of your cake. Refrigerate and move on to making the filling.
• Add the millets and 350 ml almond milk to a saucepan. Bring to heat (low) and cover the saucepan. Cook for about 15 minutes till the millets soak in all the milk.
• Once absorbed, let the saucepan cool.
• In the meantime, melt the creamed coconut and chocolate over low heat.
• Drain the dates and add them in a blender. Add the cooked millets. Blend until it turns into a thick paste.
• Add the melted chocolate, ground hazelnuts and blend again till it forms a thick chocolate cream.
• You may want to add 1-2 tablespoons of almond milk if the texture is too thick.
• Carefully pour this cream on the crusts. Refrigerate overnight.
• The next day, spread chocolate peanut butter on the cake, enjoy guilt-free.

3. Millet pudding

Desserts need not always have elaborate preparations. Sometimes, something as simple as a pudding can wrap up your meal in a satisfying way. This millet pudding recipe serves 4 people and is perfect for a quick dessert fix.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups almond or peanut milk
• 85 gm uncooked millets
• ¼ cup coconut sugar (or sweetener of your choice)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon almond extract
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon salt
• Chopped nuts and fresh fruits as garnish

Directions:

• Pour the millets in a saucepan. Roast them over medium heat. Keep stirring so they don’t burn. When they start popping, it’s your cue to follow the next steps.
• Add the other ingredients to the saucepan and start stirring.
• Cover with a lid and bring the mixture to boil on low heat. This should take about 20 minutes. Keep stirring occasionally.
• When the millets are cooked thoroughly, pour the porridge in a bowl. Garnish with chopped nuts (almonds, cashews, walnuts etc) and fresh fruits. Eat warm.

4. Lemon Millet Balls

Laddu comes in a variety of delicious flavours. But with lemon? Unheard of! This recipe combines the goodness of ancient millets with a touch of a modern zing and presents the lemon millet laddus- perfect to surprise your guests (recipe makes 12 balls)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cooked millets
• 1 cup oat flour
• 1 cup dates (deseeded)
• 2 tablespoons coconut milk powder
• ½ a lemon (juiced)
• Zest of 1 lemon

Directions:

• Add all the ingredients (except for the coconut milk powder) in a blender. Process it until the mixture clumps together.
• Take it out and roll them into laddus.
• Not spread the coconut milk powder on a plate and roll each ball in it.
• Refrigerate all of them for 2-3 hours (until they become firm)
• If you plan on not eating the laddus all at once, store it in the fridge.

5. Coconut and Chocolate Pudding (with millets)

Bring together the goodness of millets and the irresistible chocolates in this pudding recipe. Perfect for those chilly nights when you want to end your meal with a warm dessert, this pudding is vegan too! The recipe below serves 3 people.

Ingredients:

• 400 gm cooked millets
• 250 gm oat milk
• 4-6 tablespoon honey
• 3 tablespoon coconut (shredded)
• 1 tablespoon raw cacao powder (heaped)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon coconut oil (melted)
• Chocolate bits, shredded coconut, powdered sugar to garnish

Directions:

• Let the millets cool down to room temperature after you cook them.
• Add them and the other ingredients in a blender. Process them until you get a smooth, creamy texture.
• You can add more honey to increase sweetness.
• Serve in bowls and refrigerate if you prefer the dessert cold.
• Sprinkle coconut shreds, powdered sugar and chocolate nibs to garnish.

Also Read: 12 Reasons Why a Daily Dose of Tulsi Is Great News for Your Health!

(Edited by Saiqua Sultan)

Recipe sources:

• My Pure Plants

• Rainbow In My Kitchen

• Pickles N Honey

• Feasting on Fruit

• Travelling Oven.

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