I had an "oh right" moment this morning. My dog and I are currently sitting on a front porch, overlooking a lake, with only the sounds of birds to keep us company. I'm out of cellphone reception and I'm 15 minutes from town. I didn't realize, but I needed this.
We took a hike this morning and I didn't take my camera. It's the type of morning that's unseasonable warm for Illinois in March but there was still a slight chill in the air. I turned around just in time to see the sun just about to crest over the hill and my first reaction was, "I wish I had my camera." My second, "Actually, I'm glad I don't."
I know a lot of people say this, but I grew up behind the camera. We had a partial dark room in the basement and I can't ever remember a time when my father didn't have a camera in his hands. My first camera was a pentax 35mm and from there on out- I always had my camera, always looking through the lens
Yet this morning was a precious reminder that sometimes life is better experienced, living in the moment. I stood, watched the sunrise, took a deep breathe, and then continued on my hike. It was one of those "you had to be there" moments.
A good for the soul moment.
Millet is like amaranth in that I don't cook with it as often as I should. This breakfast was inspired by Sarah's (The Yellow House) Spiced Millet Bowl and Sarah's (My New Roots) Pumpkin Pie Amaranth Porridge. (both are blogs you should check out if you haven't already!)
Pumpkin Pie Millet Porridge
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 2 1x
Ingredients
- ½ cup uncooked millet
- 1 ⅓ cups water
- ⅓ cup pumpkin puree
- ½-1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ginger
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- pinch clove
- maple syrup, to taste
- toasted pecans, to top
Instructions
- Combine millet, water, pumpkin, and spices together in a sauce pan. Stir and bring to a boil the cover and reduce down to a simmer. Let cook for 20-30 minutes until millet is cooked and tender. Stir and check occasionally while cooking, adding extra water as needed. It's all about the kind of texture and consistency you want.
- When almost done, add a bit of maple syrup and taste. Start on the low end (a teaspoon or two) and continue until you've reached a desired sweetness.
- Remove from heat and serve with toasted walnuts (and a bit of heavy cream if you like!)
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says
This looks so healthy! Love this idea!
Laura says
Like you, I don't eat millet nearly as often as I should. Breakfast seems like a good segue for change. And also like you, Im really savoring those totally-beautiful-no-camera-just-enjoy moments too.
Ambika Viswanathan says
Looks so hearty. I am trying to eat more healthy grains, would love to try this recipe!
Adrienne @ How To Ice A Cake says
I tried millet a few months ago and was not a fan. But I'm thinking I should give it another shot after reading this post 😀
Margarita says
Incredibly healthy and delicious! Thanks for the recipe. 🙂 I wish I was looking at a lake right now too...
naturallyella says
It's really nice- sometimes I don't think my parents know how lucky they are!
Laura @ Gluten Free Pantry says
Amazing! I can't wait to make this for breakfast this week!
Courtneyraejones says
This looks delicious 🙂 And the photos have the most lovely mood & lighting. Beautiful post 🙂
naturallyella says
Thank you! I've been spending a lot of time playing with light- it's so much fun!
Ana_ILTdP says
I need to try this! It looks just perfect 🙂 Really, it's lovely
Jen Neef says
That sounds like a very peaceful morning 🙂
Katherine Martinelli says
Sounds like an incredible morning! And I know what you mean about being behind the camera, and sometimes being glad that you've forgotten it so you can just experience the moment. This porridge sounds like the ultimate breakfast.
naturallyella says
I really think there should be more times when I forget my camera!
Yasmeen says
Wow, this is truly beautiful. I admit that millet has been on my to-make list for ages now, and yet I still haven't gotten around to it. This decadent porridge has just given me every reason to try it, stat.
My fiance is hypoglycemic, so this is something he could enjoy too, which makes it even nicer 🙂
Sarah says
This looks so good! I'm on a millet bender recently 🙂 And thanks for the kind mention, friend. ---S
Vanessa Larson says
I have been hooked on millet ever since making Heidi Swanson's millet muffins. I am so excited to try this and to have another millet recipe in my repertoire. Thanks for sharing!
okanaganrd.com says
This looks fantastic! I found it searching for new recipes for millet- I love millet and recommend it to my clients all the time, but thought I'd best suggest something more inspiring than just millet. Thank you! Kelly Lehmann, okanaganrd.com
Katie @ Produce on Parade says
Yum, yum, yum! All around 🙂
Grace says
Arrhh! This looks delish. I've got a whole bunch of millet in the pantry that I've been wondering what to do with... looks like I've found the perfect solution!!
Tricia says
I have been doing something very similar with cream of wheat and other hot grains when I received a surplus of canned pumpkin.
here's a tip: stir in a spoonful of peanut butter for a little protein boost. peanut butter +pumpkin+maple=awesomeness!
jeni says
is it possible to do this recipe with precooked millet? I made a giant batch of it to last me the week. thanks!
erin says
Hmm- I've never tried. It really relies on the millet soaking up the pumpkin puree while it cooks!
Cary says
I have only made millet once in a savory dish, so I'm not very familiar with it. I am usually rushing through my mornings and this seems like it takes a bit of time and attention. Would this be something I could make the night before and then reheat on the stove for breakfast or would the texture be weird? I will definitely try this on the weekends though! Sounds delish!
erin says
I've never tried to make this ahead of time- it might work, but I wonder if the texture would be softer? If you decide to try- please let me know!
Christa says
I found the combination of cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg to be too much; only a pinch of nutmeg would have sufficed (a little goes a long way). Fresh ginger, too, would perhaps have been more flavorful. Good idea, but too overpowered by spices for me.
Victoria Lee Van Beek says
I LOVED this recipe!! I am also trying to vary my grains that are GF. I topped mine with some almond butter and yogurt. I loved the spices and cooked mine in almond milk, not water. DELICIOUS!!!