Great Alternative to Mashed Potatoes and Gravy

Millet Cauliflower Mash

This recipe comes from the cookbook, love, sanae,written by a young woman who recovered from ovarian cancer with natural healing and macrobiotics. She and her husband Eric founded Seed, a vegan macrobiotic restaurant in Venice, Ca. I recently ate there and loved it so much I had to order all their cookbooks.

1 c millet
3-3.5 cups water
2 cups diced cauliflower
1/8 tsp sea salt

1. In a skillet over medium heat, lightly dry roast the washed millet, stirring constantly, until it smells toasty
2. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, bring water to a boil. Add millet, cauliflower and salt, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 min.
3. Transfer to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth and fluffy, adding a little water if necessary. An immersion blender works well so you can puree right in the pot.

Shiitake Gravy

2 shiitake mushrooms, dried
2 cups water for soaking
1/4 c chopped onion
1 heaping tbl. kuzu, dissolved in 2 tbl water (a root starch found in Japanese grocery stores or the macrobiotic foods section of Whole Foods)
1 tsp tamari

1. Soak the mushrooms for about 30 minutes
2. Remove mushrooms, reserving soak water and coarsely chop
3. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine 1/4 c of the soaking water and the onion. Saute the onion for 1 minute.
4 Add remaining soaking water and mushrooms, cover and simmer for 15 min
5. Add dissolved kuzu and stir constantly until it thickens
6 Flavor with tamari and serve over millet mash.

Yum! Just like mashed potatoes with gravy.