Sometimes, I think my body tricks me into carb loading.
This weekend I made a loaf of beer bread (recipe to come!) along with two loaves of this millet bread (okay one loaf of millet bread and one batch of rolls that proceeded to become millet rocks within about 4 hours, so do what I say and not what I do – make two loaves) and sure, I was kind of emotionally baking as well as trying to find something (anything!) that The.Boy would eat. But still.
It’s not like I’m headed to NOLA this weekend to run a birthday half marathon or anything.
Oh wait…I am.
And while generally I don’t really believe in excessive carb consumption for half marathon preparation…
…apparently there’s some mind-body disconnect at play here, because my stomach obviously has quite the opposite opinion.
Thankfully, it’s also fairly considerate of the fact that I have about 6 pounds of millet in my apartment (um, not an exaggeration) as well as a deep-seated love of leafy greens.
And that’s how this sandwich was born.
Think of it as a dressed up grilled cheese for those of us who (a) could live off of spinach and artichoke dip if our skinny jeans would let us and (b) want to convince ourselves it’s actually good for us (and (c) know that, realistically, we are going to spend every waking/not-running moment this weekend eating beignets, so shouldn’t we get in that swiss chard while we can?).
(And on that note, if anyone has any New Orleans food recommendations I would wholeheartedly appreciate it!! #MySmarterCommerce)
Speaking of healthy eating, did you all know that February is American Heart Month? Typically I tend to try to keep my meals as heart healthy as possible by steering clear of high cholesterol/high saturated fat foods. And to that end, I almost always use olive oil in my cooking since it’s full of healthy omegas as well as monounsaturated fat. However, olive oil isn’t necessarily the best oil for all applications. It has a fairly low smoke point so for frying or cooking at a high heat/for a long period of time, it’s really not the best.
Recently, I was contacted by Mazola who alerted me to the awesomeness of corn oil. Corn oil is super high in polyunsaturated fat (higher actually than both olive oil and vegetable oil), which helps to lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease. In addition, it has a high smoke point so it’s perfect for frying of all sorts, grilling, and, as I’ve used it here – bread baking!
The folks at Mazola were kind enough to offer up a bottle of corn oil for one of my readers!! To enter the the GIVEAWAY all you have to do is leave a comment telling me what you do to stay heart healthy. The winner will be announced next Wednesday, February 27th!
One year ago…Roasted Red Pepper White Bean Dip
Three years ago…Soft Polenta with Mascarpone
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 bunch swiss chard, leaves torn from stems and chopped
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 (14 oz) can artichoke hearts, chopped
- 2 tbsp greek yogurt
- 4 oz provolone
- 8 slices bread
- butter, for cooking
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add in the garlic and saute for 30 seconds, or until just fragrant. Add the swiss chard to the pan and saute until wilted. Cook a minute or two more, until the liquid has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the artichokes and saute for one more minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the greek yogurt.
- To assemble the sandwiches, lay 4 pieces of bread out. Put an ounce of provolone on each slice. Top each with a quarter of the swiss chard/artichoke mix. Top with the remaining slices of bread. Grease a skillet with butter and and then also rub the pat of butter on each slice of bread. Toast the sandwiches in the pan, turning once, until golden brown on both sides and cheese is melted. Serve immediately.
- I served these with smoked-paprika crusted purple cauliflower! Just toss florets with 1 tbsp olive oil, salt, and 1 tbsp smoked paprika and roast at 400 for 10 minutes.
- 2 cups whole millet
- 1¼ cups hot water for soaking millet
- 2 tbsp dry yeast
- 2 cups warm water
- 2 tbsp honey
- 3 cup all-purpose flour
- 3-4 cups whole wheat flour
- 4 tbsp corn oil
- 1½ tbsp salt
- Start off by soaking the millet in the hot water. Make sure the water is hot but not boiling.
- Dissolve the yeast in the warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir in the honey, 1 cup all-purpose flour, and 1½ cups whole wheat flour. Beat to form a smooth batter. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 40 minutes.
- Stir in the corn oil, salt and millet, including the water that the millet was soaking in. Using the bread hook attachment, fold in about 2 cups all-purpose flour and 1 cup whole wheat flour, ½ cup at a time. Mix, on medium-high speed, for 5 minutes. Add more flour as needed until it forms a dough and doesn’t all stick to the sides after a minute of mixing.
- Place the dough in a well-oiled bowl and cover and let rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes. Punch down and divide dough in half. Place each half in a greased loaf pan. Cover and let rise for 35 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350. Bake 50-60 minutes, or until nicely browned and hollow sounding when tapped.
Oh man, I love everything about this post! This bread looks incredible!
Good luck with your race this weekend! 🙂
Frankly if I was running half marathons my only motivation would be carb loading! Now do baking marathons count? Because I’d love to eat this for every meal.
How delicious! Your sandwiches always look so yummy! Birthday marathon? Why, happy birthday Joanne! Hope you enjoy that marathon! And to answer your question I stay heart healthy by eating lotsa fruits and doing hot yoga every day! 🙂
I love making bread – I need to try this one.
This is gorgeous, Joanne! I love the look of this bread too!
You know that I am anxiously waiting for the bread recipe, right? Just looking at those slices and their rustic nature got me salivating…
I will be paying attention!
That millet bread looks amazing. I love millet!
Please be careful with the corn oil. Corn oil is very high in Omega 6. More Omega 6 than Omega 3 can be very hazardous to one’s health. Thanks. Glen
Glen – thanks for the info!! I still plan on sticking with olive oil for 99% of my cooking but on those occasions where it isn’t suitable, corn oil will be my go-to oil of choice!
Oh that looks delicious! I’d probably take the short cut of just buying bread but this def looks amazing.
I’ve never tried millet. Looks interesting! I’m running a half this weekend too, and I know I’m definitely using it as an excuse to carb load 🙂
you’re gonna rock your half marathon! and this sandwich has everything I love. Chard, artichokes, and cheese. Yes please!
Baking bread is very therapeutic if it turns out well otherwise I am a little bald from pulling my hair out. This sounds like a must try sandwich Joanne.
Awesome. I’ll have to make some vegan substitutions, but I’m looking forward to trying this!
I tend to overload on carbs at times as well. When I get to baking bread and pizza, it’s like there’s no stopping me. Lol. Good luck in the marathon!
oh gracious. now i want this for lunch and not my black bean burger. i can also relate into trying new things or being away and worrying about what your significant other will eat *aka* will he starve without my supervision, which is irrational and illogical to think. i also fully support carb loading before, after, and during marathons. mainly because without carbs, i would cry. all the time. ok crazy CW out <3
That break looks absolutely delicious. I made whole wheat banana bars and granola yesterday and was going to make bread too but ran out of energy. To stay healthy I take long walks with the dog and kids. Good luck with your 1/2 marathon.
Yummm, beer bread! Good luck on your half this weekend!
Have fun in NOLA. Eat something good for me. GREG
Have fun in NOLA. Eat something good for me. GREG
Wow, Joanne! Have a great time in NOLA. I’ve been wanting to go there forever. Eat a beignet for me too
I love the shots of the purple cauliflower and the idea of an artichoke and swiss chard grilled cheese.
I love Millet Bread Joanne – this looks great. Have fun in NOLA – It has been at least 8 years since I’ve been so I have no current recs butit’s awesome there.
I try to eat as healthy as possible and I love spinach! Thanks for bread recipe. I have some millet in my cupboard that I’m not sure what to do with.
this bread looks really good! i’ve been obsessed with WF’s seeduction loaf so i’m trying to recreate it and i might play around with this recipe.
to stay healthy, i eat lots of fruits and vegetables, heart healthy fats (avocados!), and i work out everyday 🙂
good luck with your marathon!!
I love every single ingredient of this sandwich! Awesome millet bread.
Where did you get that purple cauliflower? It’s gorgeous! Good luck this weekend, Joanne…1/2 marathon for you? Pffft. In the bag.
This looks just fantastic! Totally amazing flavors. 😀
Good luck with the half marathon and happy birthday! I bought Swiss Chard awhile back, but was a bit uninspired by the recipes I found for it online, most of which contained heavy cream and very little seasoning. Yours sounds so much better!
Your millet bread looks fantastic. I think I would treat it like soda bread and would try to use it on the same day (or the next day for toast). Delicious filling that would be easily veganised and this triumph of a recipe could grace anyone’s table 🙂
Love the millet bread. And NOLA. But the restaurants I would suggest are not going to be healthy choices, so I’ll keep my mouth shut! 🙂
I LOVE beer bread – and this millet bread is something brand new to me. Girl, you are bringing new light to my kitchen life every day!
Now THIS is my kind of grilled cheese! It looks incredibly mouthwatering, Joanne. Thanks for shring this recipe and the giveaway. Wishing you the best of luck with your race!
Thank you for sharing such a delicious recipe my friend 🙂
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
I just wanted to take a bite…wonderful!
Good luck with the half-marathon, Joanne. I’d be doing some carb-loading too! How’s the post-surgery Boy going? I had swiss chard for dinner last night only it was in a baked pasta, not sandwiched between homemade bread! Looking forward to the beer bread recipe xx
The bread looks fabulous. I confess, though, that I’m a bit disturbed to read such a whole-hearted endorsement of corn oil on a blog which is so devoted to healthful eating. Here’s a discussion of scientific studies showing the problems with corn oil: http://wholehealthsource.blogspot.com/2010/02/dissolve-away-those-pesky-bones-with.html.
This is to say nothing about the environmental and economic implications of the corn industry…
Anyway, the last thing I want is to come across as a scold or anything like that. Corn oil is *great* for frying, as you noted, but to claim it’s healthy, though Mazola would love to say so, is pushing the point a bit.
Anonymous – Thanks so much for your comment and the link to that article! The only thing I have to comment on is that the science article that it was based on did not use the proper control for their study. They claim that corn oil specifically causes this increased body mass and bone depletion but they compare it to a regular diet and not to a high fat diet rich in another type of oil, such as vegetable oil or even olive oil. I think it is pretty indisputable that eating a high fat diet causes obesity, so I’m not sure the study can really draw any conclusions about corn oil’s effect specifically, at least not the way the experiments were done. I’m not saying they’re wrong, just that from a science standpoint their results do not substantiate the claims that they made.
I tend to not use much oil in my cooking to begin with and fully intend to stick to olive oil as my main oil of choice. Corn oil is definitely more of a once-in-a-while type of oil, especially since I don’t typically deep or shallow fry anything I make.
I run and do yoga every day!
And I love the chunky flecks of millet in that bread!
I always take off the fat or by skinless meats.
I find baking very relaxing….another recipe that I am keeping. I eat oatmeal just about every morning to keep heart healthy…boring but healthy!!!
Joanne, you are always on the go…another marathon? Good for you 🙂
I could not stop staring at your bread…looks delicious and so hearty.
Enjoy the rest of your week and good luck on your half marathon!
I am a sucker for artichoke anything but they just may be eclipsed by that amazing looking millet bread. Wow.
Be sure to stop in at the New Orleans School of Cooking and say hi to Kevin! A great and funny man that teaches cooking classes at the school – not far from Jackson Square. Also be sure to go to the Central Grocery, open market and if you can…get to Preservation Hall to hear the band – it is worth the wait, the crowd and the uncomfortable seating. Love, love NOLA for all it’s food, character and atmosphere.
artichoke and cheese–aren’t they like the perfect combo?
i’ve never seen millet bread.
i would eat it, but my hubby who calls salads “lawn clippings” would not. LOL
funny how me being a foodie married a non-foodie; what’s up with that?
This sandwich looks so hearty and delicious, Joanne. 🙂 I love the looks of that millet bread with all those grainy bits. 🙂 I start healthy by getting outside every day, breathing in fresh air, looking at trees, touching animals. It does me much good. 🙂
love.it.all. <3
That is one beautiful and fancy grilled cheese! Good luck & have fun this weekend.
We are totally doing the same thing right now. Carb loading all the way, even though I usually don’t do it…I want this in my body. Also, I CAN’T WAIT UNTIL SATURDAY!! Eeeeeeee!!
What a fantastic combination – I love artichokes – we have some preserved in oil from the Spring, and we grow heaps of chard in winter! So I’ll be keeping this one bookmarked for the right season 🙂
Have a blast in NOLA. Last time I was there was in ’05 on a college road trip… it’s been ages but we had an amazing time.
Oooh, that millet bread look so good! I love having a nice crunch to my bread. And I’ve never used millet. I think I might have to give this a try.
Good luck on your race!
This is absolutely my kind of grilled cheese sandwich! Chard and artichoke hearts sound so amazing with a crunchy grain-filled bread. I actually make similar open-faced sandwiches in the toaster oven–spicy mustard, all the veg I can pile on, and a bit of cheese to melt on top and meld everything together. So good!
i had no idea that corn oil was healthy – thanks for the info.
heart health – walk daily and lots of greens.
good luck in the race
fruitcrmble AT comcast DOT net
Oooo this looks interesting! I have never really experimented with chard before but I do love me some artichokes! Good luck with the marathon!
How absolutely stunning is that purple cauliflower?? I don’t know if I’ve ever seen that in the stores here, but I must have it! On that note, I’ve also never had millet bread – all kinds of introductions to new things going on here for me today 🙂
What a fantastic recipe, Joanne. I would really enjoy your sandwich. Good luck with the marathon! Have a great day. Blessings…Mary
I think the only thing I do that keeps me heart healthy is the running – it means I can eat un-heart healthy, potential artery cloggers like grilled cheese!!
I eat 90% vegetarian. It helps me be healthier, and it has gotten me to really appreciate fruits and vegetables. I only eat meat when I truly crave it.
I think this is perfect pre-half marathon food. Good luck for it!
”salt and pepper, to taste” the problem is that pepper from supermarket didnt taste and have no perfume. Choose a rare pepper from Cambodia or India and it will be very fragrant, just a real spice.
This is a brilliant combo – I wish I ran like you so I could eat it every day! And the bread is intriguing – I’d love to give it a try. Best of luck in NOLA this weekend 🙂
I try to exercise at least 3-5 times a week
These look wonderfully healthy and delicious. I’ve never baked with millet but it keeps popping up on blogs – I need to give it a try!
Yikes! This looks too good to be true. Good luck on your marathon!
I try to have “vegan weeks” or at least keep a large portion of my meals vegan to keep cholesterol low and I try to use heart healthy fats always.
This sandwich sounds AMAZING though. Definitely not vegan week friendly, but tasty for sure (good thing this is NOT a vegan week!).
Good luck on your marathon! You will rock it! That bread looks tasty too. If my stomach could handle it I would eat carbs like it was my job. I cut out a lot of my carbs and then tried to eat carb heavy one day and I was in a lot of pain. Sigh. I love carbs…why don’t they love me?
That millet bread looks awesome – would love to make that and your swiss chard artichoke sandwich. I love trying to squeeze in greens where ever I can.
Such a cool sandwich! I love that you even made the bread yourself, it looks pretty damn good.
While grilled cheese always sounds good to me, the roasted purple cauliflower with paprika is calling my name! Yum!
I think that looks delicious. Millet is something I don’t eat often enough. But I do eat dark green vegetables every day. 🙂
that bread looks awesome, joanne! love the textures it has going on. plus, purple cauliflower makes me happy. 🙂
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umm, i need that millet bread in my life! yum 🙂 and what a delicious grilled cheese!! good luck this weekend! and i stay heart healthy by eating lots of tamari almonds 😉
that bread looks so super packed with flavor, i’m in awe…that might be one of the most delicious grilled cheese sandwiches ever!
Who would’ve thunk that all these random things could go together??? Joanne’s magic touch once again!
I’d love to have that bread even all by itself! Yum!!!
This looks totally crave worthy! LOVE the looks of the millet bread! So hearty and nutty-tasting-looking.
That’s my kind of sandwich. I totally have to have a go at that millet bread. I really only recently discovered the joys of millet, so very happy to have found another use for it.
What is that purple stuff?
I would love to try millet bread!
You have such an incredible gift for knowing what things will come together and “play well”, I’m always amazed. This looks seriously scrumptious! Never would have thought of these ingredients combining so deliciously! Hope you have a wonderful run this weekend, I’ll be sending winning thoughts your way!
What an incredibly sophisticated sandwich..you really know how to party, Jo!!
I LOVE the idea of artichokes in grilled cheese. And the millet bread looks fabulous!!
Sues
One of the things I do is to take flax seed oil supplements, and I make my hubby do it too! Good luck in NOLA, and try to have some fun 🙂
i make a point of starting every morning with a healthy breakfast of plain oatmeal, peanut butter and a banana. sometimes i also eat healthy stuff later in the day 🙂
Love the bread recipe…and it goes without saying the grown up grilled cheese. I also have a bunch of quinoa to use up. I look forward to trying it out.
ooh nutty millet bread with an interesting filling – why can’t more sandwiches be like this – and why can’t more vegies look as adorable as that purple cualiflower
I think the one thing that I do that is actually healthy is to drink green tea; I only eat and drink what I think is tasty. Oh, a good thing is that I don’t like to smoke nor to drink alcohol.
Ahhhhh, this is definitely my kind of grilled cheese! It’s hitting close to midnight now and all I can do is think about this!
Now that is one nice and healthy and tasty looking grilled cheese!
Heart healthy? I used to just exercise a lot but as I’m getting older, I’m finding I actually have to…gasp…change my diet and make heart healthy swaps. My current favorite is Greek non-fat yogurt for anything with mayo or sour cream.
Oh man would I love to have a mouthful of this sammie right now! Who needs a meat when you have your delicious meat-less recipes to enjoy! ‘the boy’ must be in food heaven with your recipes, Joanne! I love cooking AND baking with olive oil and am slowly converting my guy to this side of the oil section of the grocery store (now that he’s had to have a 4 hour resting heart exam last week!) The butter consumption level has drastically decreased with that wake up call. Too bad he doesn’t like artichokes though! Argghh!
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