Whole Grain Millet Breakfast Bowl with Berries and Greens

If you need a delicious, easy breakfast that’s easy to prep ahead of time and heat up when you need it, I’ve got a new recipe for you. Breakfast is a meal that needs to pack nutrition and energy that’s going to sustain you a long time. Simple carbs like waffles or pancakes with syrup or a piece of toast just aren’t balanced. You’ll find yourself feeling hungry again within the hour. When you’re able to get some protein, fiber and healthy fat in your meal, you’ll start your day out in a more balanced way. This recipe is simple and easy to make and I really love the flavors that it combines.

There are so many kinds of whole grains out there – millet is just one versatile option you can create a lot of dishes with. I’m talking this week on Seattle television show “New Day NW” about gluten-free vs gluten-containing grains. There are so many reasons to go gluten-free – if you have Celiac disease or a gluten-intolerance or wheat allergy for example. And there are a a lot of reasons not to cut this type of protein found in some whole grains like wheat out of your diet. Why eliminately something that you don’t need to? In the current environment of low-carb lifestyles, sometimes going gluten-free is another way to eliminate some carb options. But the good news is that there are tons of options for gluten-free grains that also offer the fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that you need. Enter my Whole Grain Millet Breakfast Bowl with Berries and Greens.

Health benefits of Whole Grain Millet Breakfast Bowl with Berries and Greens

This breakfast bowl is balanced and hearty. It also comes along with many health benefits. Millet is rich in protein, fiber, and B-vitamins in addition to some minerals like manganese, copper, magnesium and phosphorus. The protein is such a wonderful aspect of this whole grain because you can add more protein if you want, in the form of nuts and seeds like almonds, hemp or sunflower seeds, or you can enjoy it as it is.

Other gluten-free grains you could enjoy include amaranth, quinoa, corn, rice, and buckwheat. Buckwheat is a confusing one because it has the word “wheat in it”. But in fact the grains that have gluten include wheat, rye, barley and farro. There are a lot of gluten-free options today that are excellent. For example, if you love pasta, you can try one of the many bean or lentil pastas available. You’ll also get more fiber and protein. I love the flavor.

Making Whole Grain Millet Breakfast Bowl with Berries and Greens

This recipe is easy and fun to make! You don’t have to rinse millet like you do lentils or quinoa which makes the prep even faster. With quinoa, you really need to rinse it well to get rid of a very bitter compound. Millet is different and so you don’t have to worry about washing or rinsing.

There are a few very key tips for this recipe that will equal your success. Many of us aren’t as familiar with making millet as a whole grain so I’m so excited to teach you about it today.

The first part of this recipe is “toasting” the millet. What you do is toast the millet in a dry pan and you’ll know when it’s done because the color will change very slightly to become a light brown color instead of its typical, raw pale yellow. You can also smell a slight toastiness as well so make sure to be cooking with all your senses.

The millet cooks like other whole grains, simmered in water, covered. It really depends on your stove; today this took more like 20 minutes for me but it was on pretty low at first. I suggest checking in on it and tasting it as you go, starting at 10 minutes. The millet should be slightly “al dente” but not downright crunchy. Keep in mind that as you cook it longer and if you stir it too much or too aggressively, it can become a bit mushy. Make sure to keep your millet light and fluffy by mixing it with a large serving fork and not over processing.

As the millet is cooking, make sure your berries and greens are prepped and set aside. Focus on making the dressing by zesting and squeezing your lemons and combining them with a little olive oil and maple syrup. This recipe is super ‘lemony’ so if it’s too much for you, feel free to cut back a bit.

That being said, feel free to edit all my recipes, always! I got some feedback the other day about how I usually use “Kosher” salt and dairy-free milk. If you want to use non-Kosher salt or dairy milk – feel free.

What I suggest for this Whole Grain Millet Breakfast Bowl with Berries and Greens recipe is that you make a large batch of the millet, berries and dressing, mix it together, portion out and enjoy it throughout the week. I heated it up for several days in a row for a quick breakfast before working out and it was just the perfect fuel for me. Please let me know if you try this one!

And if you need a few more super simple breakfast ideas, I’ve got a variety for you up on the blog. Check out my Quinoa Breakfast Bowl, Egg Sandwich,  Blueberry Oat Bake and Lemon Curd Overnight Oats.