Breakfast, breakfast...Is there anything more scrumptious than breakfast? Oh wait, there is. That would be dessert, but I'm beginning to think that breakfast can be its cousin, or more like a healthified knock-off, if you will, because of its extremely versatile and sweet nature. I know that many people actually prefer savoury flavors in the morning hours, but our household does best with sweet. Greg loves his breakfast extremely sweet though, which isn't normally my thing because I need that wholesome, healthy nutritional profile in order to keep my stomach satisfied and happy through the day. In case you're curious to know sometimes our kitchen conversation goes something like this:
Greg: "Oh no no, my french toast needs more maple syrup than that. It's because we're on rations, isn't it?"
Me: "Uhhh no? More like, I'm a nice human being and I care about your health? *smiles sweetly* You know you're going to sugar crash within the next hour."
Greg: "Haha...you and your 1 TBSP of creamer.
Me: "B--but! Look at how white your coffee is already. I think 1 TBSP is plenty."
Greg: "Here. Let me see that creamer." *dumps into perfectly brewed coffee*
Okay so that's just the gist of it! Thankfully we don't bicker to that extent. Honest! It's more or less like that every now and then but these are certainly some of the differences we've come to find and compromise on. Yes, we've learned to compromise on breakfast! And this baked millet dish is an example of how far you can go when you compromise on little things. It is inspired by the amazingly talented Marta of What Should I Eat for Breakfast Today, and although I took some of the main ingredients into this dish I also substituted the berries for lychee, as well as some of the flavors. Although Marta used uncooked millet to bake this beauty up, I wanted a softer and fluffier consistency and thus, cooked the millet in water ahead of time.
Now keep in mind that lychee is one of the most mild fruits out there, though its delicate taste shouldn't be confused with blandness. Nope, lychee is actually very flavorful on its own, but when added to other ingredients it tends to quiet down a bit and doesn't overpower the rest of the dish--which is what we want here. Since lychee is so reminiscent of Asian desserts (aka boba, or bubble tea to you east coast folk), I decided to pair it with ground ginger and a zesty yogurt to drizzle on top. This baked breakfast is mildly sweet yet satisfying like dessert! Only healthier, of course. :)
Baked Millet with Lychee and Lemon Yogurt Cream
Adapted from this recipe
Makes 6 servings or slices
Ingredients for baked millet
2 C raw millet
4 C water
2 large eggs
1 C milk (or almond milk)
1/4 C honey
1 C peeled and chopped lychee (about 10 lychees)
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp lemon zest (skin of about 1/3 of the lemon)
1 C mixed nuts (raising optional)
Ingredients for lemon yogurt cream
1/2 C greek yogurt
1 TBSP honey
1/2 tsp lemon juice
4 chopped lychees
Directions
First preheat your oven to 375. Grab a medium pot and on medium heat, boil and simmer the millet in 4 C of water by occasionally stirring for about 15-18 minutes or millet has soaked up the water. Set aside to cool while you peel and chop the lychees.
Transfer the cooked millet to a large bowl and whisk the eggs in until well incorporated. Then add milk, honey, lychee pieces, salt, vanilla, ginger, and lemon zest. Top with mixed nuts and raisins. Stir thoroughly and bake for about 55-60 minutes. Let cool on a rack.
In a small bowl (or wash the last bowl you used) mix yogurt, honey, lemon juice, and lychees. Cut the baked millet and drizzle with yogurt cream before you serve.
What are some of your favorite breakfast foods?
-I love sweet breakfast like oats, healthy french toast, protein pancakes, but I would never say no to smoked salmon and cream cheese!
In what ways do your eating preferences differ from others around you?