Top-It-Yourself

Millet Breakfast Porridge

Hot cereal on a cold day? Yes, please. Here in Boulder, we get our share of chilly weather, and I stir up this millet-based porridge when I want a rib-sticking breakfast or when the kids request it (which is often). Millet is a protein-packed seed with a much lower glycemic load than oats or wheat, making it a great candidate for porridge. I enrich the cooked millet with almond and coconut milks and infuse it with warm spices. Then comes the fun part: arranging the meal as a do-it-yourself bar with healthy topping options.

Serves 6

For the millet porridge

• ¾ cup millet, soaked and dehydrated
• 1¾ cups water
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1½ cups Raw-mond Milk or other unsweetened almond milk, plus more if necessary
• 1 cup canned coconut milk
• ⅓ cup coconut palm sugar or nectar
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
• Pinch of ground cloves

For the toppings bar

• Assorted raw soaked and dehydrated nuts and seeds, such as almonds, walnuts, and pepitas
• Chopped dates and dried cherries
• Fresh berries
• Unsweetened shredded coconut
• Flax meal
• Coconut palm sugar or nectar or maple syrup

Make the millet porridge: Bring the millet, water, and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the millet is just cooked through, 13 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes. Uncover and fluff.

Add the almond milk, coconut milk, coconut sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and cloves. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the millet absorbs most of the liquid and appears porridge-like, 15 to 20 minutes.

Transfer to a serving bowl. Arrange the ingredients for the toppings bar in small bowls or serving dishes. To serve, ladle the porridge into bowls and invite everyone to sprinkle with a variety of toppings.