Millet - it's not just for the birds

My aunt lives in Orlando, Florida and for Christmas, she mailed me some oranges picked right off the tree in her back yard. I was nothing short of ecstatic to get them. For one, I am obsessed with getting snail mail and two, I love food gifts. Inside the box was a sweet handwritten note tucked inside; it wished us a Merry Christmas and sent her love, after she called out that the oranges were pesticide free. Sweet. And seriously, these oranges were blissfully divine tasting; sweet, juicy and you just can't eat them without making noises.


These perfect oranges made their way into our Christmas morning breakfast.

On the menu: orange millet pancakes with maple orange syrup, scrambled eggs with basil and feta, a side of blueberries and French pressed coffee. Sadly, this was the first Christmas for my husband and me to be away from our families, which makes me think this is probably the first time I've ever made breakfast on Christmas.

 

Okay, so I have a slight infatuation with whole grains. I feel they are terribly underappreciated, especially millet. There are many studies that show eating whole grains instead of refined grains will lower the risk of chronic diseases. Amazing... and worth several more posts alone to cover the amazingness.
When I mention millet, people have heard of it, but they often crinkle their faces, tip their heads side ways and say, “Isn’t that bird feed?” Why, yes. Yes it is, but it’s human feed, too.

MILLET

Millet is sweet, mild and fluffy. It’s a fantastic GLUTEN-FREE whole grain that earns its rightful place in the pantry. It’s highly nutritive being rich in iron, protein, calcium, phosphorous, potassium, magnesium, B vitamins and is a fabulous source of soluble fiber. Millet is cooling and very alkaline making it easy on the gut; being easy to digest makes it a major bonus for those with GI issues. I love that it’s a super inexpensive, budget friendly grain, about $1.29 / lb from the bulk bins. It’s been around for literally a few thousands years and was the staple grain until wheat farming came into the picture. It was commonly used in breads back in the Old Testament days as well. (Ezekial 4:9 & 27:17)

Keep in mind that millet doesn't rise like other flours so works well as cereal or used in flat breads or paired up with whole wheat pastry flour for example.

Also, if you have some arthritic pain, you can make a warm poultice with millet porridge.
Combine millet with water in a small pot and heat until warm; put mixture in a cheese cloth or piece of cotton or flannel fabric and apply to the affected area (not scolding hot of course). Millet has anti-inflammatory properties and stimulates circulation around the painful area.
Make a whole grain baby cereal.

When baby is ready for solid foods (after 6-8 months), toast ¼ cup of millet in a dry skillet and grind in a spice grinder into a flour; add ¼ cup of flour to 1 cup of water and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly. If the cereal consistency is too thick, add a little more water or breast milk.

***Note that the freshly ground flour goes rancid pretty quickly so store it whole in an air tight container and ground it as you need it.

You can eat it in your pancakes, feed it to the birds, rub it on your body and make a nutritious cereal for your baby. Are you not sold yet?

Ok, here’s a good place to start…
Orange Millet Pancakes
Pancake batter
1 1/3 cup plus ¼ cup whole millet
2 tablespoons sucanat or rapadura
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 egg
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon orange zest
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2-3 tablespoons safflower oil

Syrup
1 ½ cup 100% pure maple syrup
½ cup fresh squeezed orange juice with pulp


Ground 1 1/3 cup of millet in a grain mill or spice grinder until it's a fine powder. Over medium-high heat, dry toast the remaining ¼ cup of millet in a skillet for about 5 minutes, or until the millet begins to pop and gives off a toasty aroma. Next, quickly pulse the sugar in the spice grinder to make the sugar finer but not into a powder.

Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a small bowl and set aside. In a separate bowl, beat the egg. Add vanilla, milk, zest and stir to combine. Using a whisk, stir in the oil.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry bowl and whisk until combined well. Finally, whisk in the ¼ cup of toasted millet.

Heat a cast iron pan or griddle over medium heat and allow to get very hot. Place a little bit of safflower oil (or other high heat oil) in the pan and scoop ¼ cup of batter into skillet. Cook for about 1-2 minutes on each side, once pancake batter begins to bubble and when it turns golden brown. Repeat until batter is used up, but be sure to stir the batter and scoop from the bottom each time as the millet will settle.

Meanwhile, over medium-low heat, combine the maple syrup and orange juice to gently warm it. Drizzle over pancakes and garnish with an orange slice.


Preparation time: 35 minutes
Makes about 10 5 inch pancakes

Copyright 2010, S. Nester, Original Recipe