October 9, 2010

Millet: More of My Favorite Grain

As much as I love quinoa for its vibrant red color and high protein, there's something about millet that gets me excited. Maybe its the popping sound it makes when I toast it, or its chewiness, or maybe its versatility. Maybe it's all three. Either way, I love finding new ways to enjoy millet and I think my breakfast this morning is a winner. I was inspired by Jessica's pumpkin pie quinoa parfait and started thinking of ideas to put my own spin on it. I'm incredibly happy with the results, especially because of the addition of my beloved millet.


Pumpkin spice millet parfait
Ingredients

- 1/4 cup millet, dry
- ~3/4 cup milk (or water)
- 1 tsp pumpkin spice blend
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon

- 2/3 cup Wildwood soyogurt
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/2 tsp maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp maca
- Cinnamon, to taste
- Pumpkin seeds and golden raisins, for garnish

Instructions
- Prepare the millet the night before: Toast millet on a dry pan until it smells slightly nutty and starts popping. Meanwhile, bring milk, pumpkin spice and cinnamon to a low boil, add toasted millet and bring down to a simmer. Cover and cook for 20-25 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed. Let stand for 5 minutes, fluff with a fork, and refrigerate overnight.
- In the morning, combine yogurt blend ingredients.
- Alternate layers of millet and yogurt in a glass, top with pumpkin seeds and raisins, grab an iced tea spoon and feast!




I loved this. I usually have oatmeal, breakfast cookies or smoothies for breakfast, so this was a welcomed weekend breakfast change. The millet was chewy and spicy but became so creamy when it mixed with the yogurt. It tasted so decadent but is full of so many awesome nutrients. I can't wait to make more of these. In fact, I know exactly what I'm going to do next, so stay tuned.

Happy holiday weekend! I'm going home to spend some time with my mom and hopefully do some fall activities. biggrin



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9 comments:

  1. That looks so good. I just made myself a parfait for breakfast, but it was nothing like this ;-)

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  2. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so do it right! :)

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  3. mmm...looks good.

    Have you seen Whole Food now has Silk Nog? It takes every ounce of restraint I have not to guzzle the whole container.

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  4. I see egg nog oatmeal in my future.

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  5. I seriously cannot cook millet. Every single time I attempt it; it doesn't cook all the way. It's so frustrating...I feel like one of those people who can't cook rice or something...sigh. I have figured out crazy techniques for cooking...yet cannot master millet. sad day.

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  6. I think we all have those certain things we just can't make. Rice is one of mine; it ends up being either mush or crunchy 9 times out of 10. The best advice I could give you about millet is to a) toast it first and b) cook it for precisely 20 minutes and then let it stand, covered and off the heat, for 5 minutes.

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