Fabulous Lemon Basil Millet Burgers with Mango Salsa

Earthy millet burgers with bright lemon and basil topped with fruity mango salsa and rich cumin cashew cream make an easy weeknight meal.

These fresh-tasting millet burgers make an easy weeknight meal. No buns here; you can serve these wrapped in romaine or Bibb lettuce leaves and eat them with your hands. Make sure your millet isn’t too dry or the burgers won’t stick together!

More Eating Clean goodness: Golden Bell Pepper Soup, Coastal Carrot Fettucine

Get the recipe for millet burgers from my new cookbook, Eating Clean. If you want to read about how I recovered from 10 years of chronic illness by changing my diet, you can read my story here or get my book, Eating Clean.

Fabulous Lemon Basil Millet Burgers with Mango Salsa

Ingredients

• 1 cup millet (dry)
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, plus a pinch for cooking millet
• 1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1 large carrot, peeled and grated
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 handful fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 1/2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons coconut oil
• 6 large romaine or Bibb lettuce leaves
• 1 recipe Mango Salsa, for serving
• Large drizzle Cumin Cashew Cream Sauce, for serving

Method

1. Cook the millet with a pinch of salt. Set aside to cool.
2. Combine the flaxseeds and water in a small bowl; set aside for 10 minutes until the mixture forms a gel,then mix well.
3. While the millet is cooking, combine the carrots, scallions, basil, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Once the millet is cool, add it to the bowl with the flaxseed mixture and mix well.Using your hands, shape the mixture into six burgers.
4. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Place the burgers in the pan and cook until goldenbrown, 7 to 8 minutes on each side. Serve warm wrapped in lettuce leaves with a dollop of Mango Salsaand a drizzle of Cumin Cashew Cream Sauce on top. Uncooked burgers will keep for up to 4 days in therefrigerator or 1 month in the freezer, stored between pieces of parchment paper in a sealed container.

Mango Salsa

Makes 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients

• 1 ripe mango, peeled, pitted, and finely diced
• 1 medium English cucumber, finely diced
• 3 tablespoons finely diced red onion
• 3 teaspoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Method

1. Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl; toss to combine, and serve. Add more red onion, if desired, for a spicier salsa. Serve immediately.

Cumin Cashew Cream Sauce

Makes 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients

1. 1 cup raw cashews
2. 3/4 cup water
3. 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
4. 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
5. 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Method

1. Combine all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Serve chilled or at room temperature. Store leftover sauce in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Text and images excerpted from EATING CLEAN, © 2016 by AMIE VALPONE. Reproduced by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved. Image ©Lauren Volo.