2. Place the millet in a pot with water & salt. Turn heat to high & bring to a boil, then lower the heat & cover the pot. Simmer until the millet is almost completely cooked, which takes about 20 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat & let it rest with the lid on for an additional for 10 minutes.

3. Rinse chickpeas in a colander. Place in a heatproof bowl & cover with hot water to warm them before serving. Slice & steam the veggies that need to be cooked. Cook them for a short time so they still retain some crispness & the peak nutrients in them are preserved.

4. When everything is ready to serve, drain the chickpeas. Build a bowl by starting with a layer of millet & chickpeas, followed by a drizzle of vinaigrette. Then layer on nuts (optional), & your selection of veggies. Top with another drizzle of vinaigrette.

 

TEA-INFUSED VINEGARS

makes approximately 1 cup

INGREDIENTS 
1 cup good quality, unfiltered vinegar

1 tablespoon SILK ROAD tea (you are using dry, loose tea leaves—do not brew them in water first)

 

DIRECTIONS

1. Use a sterile glass jar with a tight-fitting lid (mason jars are ideal). Place loose tea & vinegar in jar. Stir gently with a stainless steel spoon about 5 rotations clockwise (but don’t overmix).

2. Screw lid onto jar. Let sit for 24 hours at room temperature, away from exposure to sunlight or heat, then strain using a fine mesh stainless steel strainer.

3. Store in fresh, sterilized glass jar. Keep in a dark, cool cupboard, avoiding exposure to light or heat.

IMPORTANT NOTES 
For maximum health benefits, use within a month. After that time, the vinegar will still taste good, but the healthful properties diminish.

Do not infuse tea leaves in vinegar for longer than 24 hours, as it may alter the healthful properties of the combination. While it’s possible to heat vinegar with herbs or tea to extract flavour, I don’t recommend it because heating vinegar can cause a loss of some valuable benefits. This cold infusion method tastes delicious too!

 

TEA VINAIGRETTE

Use good quality, cold-pressed olive oil, grapeseed oil, hazelnut oil, hemp, flaxseed or other good quality vegetable or nut oil—these will enhance the healthful properties of your dressing, as they bring a wealth of antioxidants & healthy fats. Avoid oils that are stale as they no longer have the same nutritive value. Remember that heating the vegetable or nut oil or tea-infused vinegar will also cause a decline in nutrient value. It’s fine to drizzle it over warm grains or salads, but avoid cooking with or heating the dressing.

For a classic style dressing: 1 part Tea-Infused Vinegar + 3 parts Cold-Pressed Oil

For a zestier, tangier style dressing, increase the proportion of vinegar: 1 part Tea-Infused Vinegar + 2 parts Cold-Pressed Oil

DIRECTIONS

1. Place the oil & vinegar in a bowl & whisk thoroughly for the two ingredients to emulsify. This is important because it ensures the two ingredients combine together very nicely & that changes how they coat food better.

Vinegar is naturally zesty & salty so the dressing shouldn’t require salt. As the vinegar is flavoured with tea, it doesn’t require the addition of any other items.

2. If you like a bit of sweetness to your dressing, add 1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey per every cup of dressing you make—but try to enjoy it without the sweetener if you can. All of the processed grains & foods we eat nowadays are so full of sugar or high in carbohydrates that we are getting far more sugar in our diets than we need. Try to develop a taste for foods without added sweeteners, to help your entire system function better.