millet oatmeal with golden raisins

a big bowl of morning comfort

millet - golden grains of nuttiness

I grew up eating congee everyday for breakfast, and on some days for lunch and dinner too. Congee is Chinese rice porridge, usually made with short grain white rice, but can vary from black rice to mung beans. On special occasions, my grandfather would mix in a handful of millet into the steamed rice or congee. (Since it's not as prevalent as rice, it is slightly more expensive.) It added a nuttiness to the sweetness of the rice.

Millet is high in lysine, vitamin B, and iron. It's also a gluten-free whole grain. Which makes it perfect food to jump start the day. For the current Weekend Breakfast Blogging challenge,
I made a warm bowl of millet oatmeal, drizzled with honey and topped with toasted pecans. It's a twist on your average bowl of instant oatmeal, with another layer of flavor and texture.



Millet Oatmeal with Golden Raisins
serves 2

1/3 cup millet
1/3 cup steel-cut oats
3 cups water
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup milk
pinch salt
honey and toasted pecans, for topping

1. The night before, bring water to a boil in a heavy saucepan. Turn the heat off, and stir in the millet and oats. Cover and let sit overnight.

2. The next morning, add the salt and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to low to simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the grains are tender.

3. Stir in the raisins and milk and cook for another 3-5 minutes. You can add more water or milk at this point, if you prefer a thinner consistency. Spoon into bowls, drizzle with honey, and sprinkle with pecans.