Beating high blood pressure with millet with spinach and pine nuts

Bright green spinach and golden apricots add rich colour and flavour to this easy grain-and-vegetable dish. Serve it with stews and casseroles that have plenty of sauce.

Preparation time 10 minutes

Cooking time 20 to 25 minutes

Serves 4

• 250 g (1 c) millet
• 50 g (2 oz) dried apricots, roughly chopped
• 750 ml (3 c) reduced-sodium vegetable broth
• 50 g (1/4 c) pine nuts
• 250 g (1/2 lb) baby spinach leaves
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• Salt and pepper

1. Put the millet and dried apricots into a medium pot and stir in the broth. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat. Simmer until all the broth has been absorbed and the millet is tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts in a small skillet until they are golden brown and fragrant. Set aside.

3. Add the spinach and lemon juice to the millet, with salt and pepper to taste. Cover the pot and leave over a very low heat for 4 to 5 minutes to wilt the spinach.

4. Stir the millet and spinach mixture gently, then spoon into a serving bowl. Scatter the toasted pine nuts on top and serve immediately.

Eggplant with Millet and Sesame Seeds: Cut 2 medium eggplants into dice. Heat 30 millilitres (2 tablespoons) olive oil in large frying pan, add the eggplant and brown over a high heat, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and stir in 250 grams (1 cup) millet and 750 millilitres (3 cups) vegetable broth. Return to the heat and bring to the boil. Stir, then reduce the heat and simmer until the broth has been absorbed and the millet is tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a serving bowl and scatter 30 millilitres (2 tablespoons) chopped fresh cilantro, 15 millilitres (1 tablespoon) thinly sliced scallions and 30 millilitres (2 tablespoons) toasted sesame seeds.

Millet provides useful amounts of iron and B vitamins and, as it is not highly milled, it retains all its nutritional value.

Pine nuts are a good source of vitamin E and potassium. They also contribute useful amounts of magnesium, zinc and iron.

Each serving provides:

Key nutrients: 310 Calories, 60 Calories from Fat, 7 g Fat, 1 g Saturated Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 10 g Protein, 53 g Carb, 8 g Fibre, 390 mg Sodium

Blood pressure nutrients: 21 mg Vitamin C, 122 mg Magnesium, 656 mg Potassium, 85 mg Calcium