Millet is an ancient grain that has been cultivated for over 10,000 years in East Asia for its highly nutritious properties, with many different varieties grown around the world.
This nourishing, millet-infused breakfast risotto is both gut healing and anti-aging. It's excellent for everything from postpartum support to replenishing the body after something like chemotherapy or a serious illness. Other benefits include its ability to reduce inflammation and boost digestive health.
Read on to learn more about why I love this easy spinach & kale risotto (besides that it's versatile and great for meal prep), and how starting the day with a warm porridge or soup (versus cold cereal or a smoothie) can transform your digestive health!
IN THIS POST:
Why I Love This Recipe: Let’s Talk TCM
Millet, as well as rice, are both known in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for their ability to heal and protect the digestive system by nourishing spleen qi. Millet is also a yin-tonifying food that helps to build fluid in the body and moisten dryness, which can aid in cooling down inflammation. The addition of coconut milk, sprouts, avocados, and even black sesame seeds in this super easy spinach and kale risotto further the yin-nourishing properties of this dish.
Spinach and kale are known for their rich nutritional value, packed with calcium, folate, vitamin C and more. Spinach is also iron-rich. This leafy green combo, along with millet and arborio rice are all high in fiber, promoting healthy digestion. From a TCM perspective, both spinach and kale nourish blood, with spinach also nourishing yin.
Beyond the TCM nutritional properties contained in this healing risotto, in many Asian countries, it is standard to start the day with a warm porridge, congee or soup. It is believed that, after a night of deep rest, the body is "cold" and so the digestive fire within (AKA: our digestive tract) must be "warmed up" to start the day right. It is understood that the warmer temperatures paired with nourishing ingredients help to increase circulation, which then encourages a stronger metabolism and better assimilation of nutrients from the foods we eat.
This recipe is a great one for meal prep! It's also super-versatile: hold the toppings and instead bathe the bed of risotto in sliced mushrooms simmered in soy or tamari sauce (or coconut aminos!) for a yummy lunch or dinner option.
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Easy Spinach & Kale Risotto Ingredients:
1 tablespoon plant-based butter
1 cup millet
1 cup arborio rice (substitution: calrose rice - sticky “sushi” rice)
4 cups vegetable stock
1 cup coconut milk (canned)
1 cup water
4 eggs (1 per serving)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves of garlic (1 1/2 teaspoons)
1 cup spinach
1 cup kale
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 avocados
sunflower or pea sprouts
extra virgin olive oil (to drizzle in bowls)
1 teaspoon black sesame seeds
lemon wedges
Why You'll Love This Recipe: Transform Your Digestion
Supports Digestive Health: Millet, arborio rice, and leafy greens like kale and spinach are rich in fiber, which supports smooth digestion and gut health.
Nourishes Blood and Qi: The combination of eggs, leafy greens, and avocado provides essential nutrients like iron, healthy fats, and protein—ideal for replenishing blood and boosting qi in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).
Grounding and Satiating: With warming grains and a creamy coconut milk base, this dish is both grounding and satisfying—perfect for calming the nervous system and promoting a sense of inner stability.
Balances Yin and Moistens Dryness: Coconut milk, avocado, and olive oil offer yin-nourishing fats that help combat internal dryness and support skin, hair, and overall hydration from within.
Supports Kidney Essence and Promotes Longevity: In TCM, black sesame seeds are prized for nourishing the Liver and Kidney, strengthening jing (essence), and supporting healthy hair, bones, and vitality—making them a valuable addition for overall longevity and graceful aging.
How to Make This Easy Spinach & Kale Risotto (Summary)
Toast the Grains: Sauté millet and rice in butter for a few minutes.
Simmer the Risotto: Add vegetable stock, coconut milk, and water. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered for 25 minutes, lowering heat in the final 10 minutes.
Soft-Boil the Eggs: Simmer eggs for 5–6 minutes, then cool in cold water.
Sauté Greens: Cook garlic in olive oil, then add spinach and kale until just wilted.
Combine & Season: Stir greens into risotto, season with salt and pepper, and cook for a few more minutes.
Assemble Bowls: Serve risotto topped with halved eggs, avocado, sprouts, sesame seeds, a drizzle of olive oil, and a lemon wedge.
