Every once in a while it’s nice to be reminded that the universe is working in your favor; even when it comes to something as seemingly insignificant as a fig.
And so it was on an early Saturday morning when I was preparing to head across town in pursuit of the not-so-common, common fig.
I had just made a similar trip the week before and was feeling a bit sheepish about the expense and the weekend departure from the family when the doorbell rang.
It was a neighbor who had never dropped by before. With a bag swinging from one hand and a smile on his face, he let me know that his fig tree was flush with fruit and would I, by any chance, have any use for fresh figs.
Even my husband, about as pragmatic as they come, couldn’t quite get over it.
My breakfasts have been remarkably consistent over the past decade or so. Sure, on the weekends I might vary outside the fold with some eggs, feta, coleslaw and apple cider vinegar but generally I’m an oatmeal for breakfast kind of gal.
I love the warmth and comfort it fills me with while supplying just the right amount of energy to get me through a workout without bogging me down. I often toss in nuts (walnut is a favorite) and seeds (ground flaxseed is my go-to) and some fresh berries or seasonal fruit. It may sound involved but really the whole affair takes about 15 minutes.
Lately I’ve been having fun experimenting with different textured whole grains including millet (not just for the birds!). Naturally gluten-free, millet is a versatile grain with a mildly sweet and nutty flavor — you can prepare it as you would rice and enjoy it as a side, toss it into salads and burgers or enjoy it as I’m doing today, in a warm cereal.
When it comes porridge, millet is prepared much the same as oatmeal by cooking it on the stove top in its whole form or by grinding it into a powder/flour for a creamier texture. I much prefer the whole form (pictured below).
While it’s different from oatmeal (more textured and lumpier – a bit like a rice pudding) the cooked ground millet by contrast, is pasty — almost gag-inducingly so. Soft is good, wallpaper pasty not so much. But it’s all a matter of personal preference so forget what I think and try it out to see what you like!
More information on the nutrient profile of millet and preparation tips in the Notes section below.
- ½ cup whole grain millet (I used Eden organic yellow millet), whole or ground as preferred
- 1 cup almond milk or milk beverage of choice
- ¾ cup water
- The seeds of 1 vanilla bean or 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp honey (I used The Spartan Table)
- 2 Tbsp hemp seeds
- 6 fresh figs, chopped into small pieces or segmented however you wish
- Other optional toppings: toasted shaved coconut, dried cranberry or apricot.
- Place milk and water in a saucepan on the stove.
- Add dry millet and vanilla bean seeds (or extract), mixing to combine with liquids, and turning heat up to medium.
- Bring liquid just to the boiling point, stir, reduce heat to the lowest setting and cover the pot - allowing the cereal to simmer for about 12-15 minutes or until most of the liquid has soaked into the grain. Remove from heat.
- Add honey and more liquid to the cooked millet, as desired.
- Divide millet porridge between two bowls, adding more milk if desired and topping each bowl with one Tbsp of hemp seed, fresh fig (or fruit of choice) and any other toppings of choice.
Grinding: if you would like to try grinding the millet prior to cooking (I know, I really sold it in the post), you can do so by using a coffee grinder or other small grinder. The end product will resemble flour.
Toasting: whether you decide to boil the whole millet or work from ground, toasting the millet seeds prior can add a delicious punch of nutty, roasted flavor.
Vanilla Bean: don't be intimidated by vanilla beans if you haven't worked with them before. My favorite method is to toss a bean in a small bowl, cover it with boiling water and allow it to soften for a minute. Carefully remove the bean, snip one of the ends with a knife and then run the flat side of your knife along the full length of the bean and watch the glorious black paste emerge (aka: VB seeds). Scoop up the seeds and toss them into the recipe.
I bought some millet a while back thinking I was going to do something with it. It’s still in the pantry because I had no idea what to do with it…until now! Thank you for this recipe Kelly! I just bought some Black Mission figs and have everything in the recipe except for the hemp seeds. Do you think I could toast up some sunflower seeds? What a healthy looking breakfast and so different from what we’ve been eating. And thanks for you opinion on cooking ground millet. I’m not a fan of “pasty” and since I trust your opinion, I’ll be keeping my millet whole.
Millet! What a cool twist on porridge…I’ll have to try this out. Perhaps the whole form…I’m not sure how I feel about wallpaper paste ;-) I’m more of a smoothie for breakfast kind of girl but Fall and Winter always make me crave something a little more comforting every now and then! Figs though…what a nice gift from your neighbour. I love figs so much but you’re right- they are not always easy to find and come with a hefty price tag attached.
Wow Kelly, that recipe looks fabulous! I love the little figs, which are not only so photogenic, but incredibly tasty too. I love topping my porridge with fresh figs these days.
I’ve also tried millet porridge before and loved it. I’m sure your recipe tastes just as delicious.
Thank you for sharing.
xx Lynn | Heavenlynn Healthy
Wow, I can’t imagine having someone come by with such an amazing fruit delivery! How different from my life in the city…and in a good way :) I love fresh figs and don’t use them often enough. Now I have the perfect reason! I have never cooked with millet before, but have been meaning to try it out for quite some time now. I’ll be on the lookout for it the next time I’m at the store. I’m a big oatmeal fan too and look forward to trying something a bit different!
A neighbour (or shall I say neighbor?) with a fig tree? How fortunate is that??? We used to have oatmeal every morning but now it’s hard boiled egg whites and a half a grapefruit. My mom used to make cream of wheat which we adored as kids. I’m going to have to try millet, it sounds like something I’d really like.
I have never had millet actually… though I always hesitate if I should discover some of the grains sold in my organic shop… This porridge looks fabulous and I wish I also had a neighbour who has too many figs ;-) The almond milk suggestion sounds like an excellent idea! I stopped having cow milk with coffee (the only way I had it) because it gave me cramps about 15 years ago at least…. then I switched to soy milk (it took some time to get used to… I’m not crazy for the taste) but when I discovered almond milk, I never even looked at soy milk! I really love it.
almond milk has a lovely flavor doesn’t it. Beyond that, I’m not sure I’m a big fan of soy beverage as a frequent/common replacement for cow’s milk – I prefer natural soy products with a moderate isoflavone load.
I got used to it at the time but I don’t understand how drank alone it can be enjoyed… it really tastes a bit strange (and I did it at home too several times). The tofu consumption by some people in Western countries is apparently dangerous… I love tofu, but have it maybe twice a month… The thing which is really fabulous is the leftover product (pulp) from soy milk production (I did soy milk several times just to have it!). It’s called okara (I once posted a Jam Cake made with it, but there are many experiments on internet). It’s delicious!
That is kismet if I’ve ever heard it! How wonderful and sweet that your neighbor brought you such beautiful fibgs. I absolutely love figs, but they are hard to come by for sure. I’ve never had them in oatmeal, but I bet that lends a delicious sweetness to it. :)
do you think it’s fate or will finding a way :) fresh figs are surprisingly hard to come by! (even when local and seasonal…)
A Great Article & Recipe Kelly!
Inspiring and Wonderfully Written!
Thank You so much for trying our “Wild Flowers Honey”
Our Deepest Regards From Sparta.
so spoiled to enjoy your beautiful homegrown treasures from Sparta Jehny…thank you for the samples.
Well personally I can’t wait to try the creamy wallpaper paste version haha! thanks for the heads up. Your porridge is beautiful Kelly – I love the look of those blushing figs decorating the bowls and hemp seed is not something that I have much experience with. Is it different from chia? Did you tell your neighbor you were on your way out to find figs or were you too starstruck in the moment? :) that’s just amazing and like everyone else, I’m very jealous!!
haha, impartial reporting that’s me :o) hemp, flaxseed and chia have similar health benefits and nutrition profiles with slight differences in micronutrient concentrations.. Flaxseed is considerably less expensive than its counterparts and also has lignans (which the other 2 don’t) a phytochemical that has been linked to breast and prostate cancer prevention. A little goes a long way when it comes to these superseeds – they are all energy concentrated (40 calories per tbsp for flaxseed and 65 for hemp & chia) one tbsp per serving is generally sufficient.
Totally wishing someone would come to my door with a bag of figs swinging from their hand. Oh my, what a treat, Kelly! I spied some figs at the store last week; $8 for a tiny pint! Woah! I’ll just have to go back and deal with the price. I am completely craving them in porridge, tarts, oats… raw.. whatever! They are so dreamy and their texture is sublime.
I too love oats or porridge in the morning. Cold or warm, I’m good to go for the day! So I’ve tried Millet not as porridge, but love it when used in Bread or as a sub for rice dishes. It is so good and nourishing. I’ll have to give this a go. Thank you for this, Kelly! Have a beautiful weekend!
figs are wildly expensive Traci! That was part of my trepidation …plus, they are so hard to find… even here where they are both in season and locally grown, I find myself having to drive miles to track them down… :O) I wonder if they’re hard to grow (not according to our neighbor!) I guess we will just have to do the experiment ourselves and put one in the ground :)).
What a great story about the figs! That really is incredible and it just goes to show, all is possible. And speaking of such, how do I find a neighbor like that? ;-0) Look at those beauties. Thank you for providing an oatmeal option – like you, I’m drawn to the warmth and comfort but I could use a change-up too. Thanks for all the information and inspiration.
Isn’t that a wild story — I was positively stunned at the door (I tried to explain but I probably came across as a bumbling fool) they were *so* delicious too! Nothing quite like a fig grown across the street :). Happy Sunday Clare.
I saw this beautiful fig porridge on your Instagram gallery last week and fell in love. It’s gorgeous! Also glad you explained the different ways of preparing millet as I’ve come across both the lumpy and the smooth and wasn’t sure how that worked. I think I’m going to try toasting it too :) thanks so much!
thank you so much for your kind words about my Instagram gallery Mia ~ so nice to know you’re visiting. Appreciate you taking the time to drop-in as well to say hello! Let me know how you like the lumpy version if you give it a try :) have a great day.