Eat for your Qi! Warm Breakfasts Idea: Pumpkin Millet Porridge

If you have spent more than 5 minutes with me in the treatment room you know that one of my favorite pieces of advice for patients is to shift to eating a warm breakfast.  Our bodies make our qi (or energy) from the food we eat and that is especially true in the morning.  Warm nourishing breakfasts give our bodies all the raw materials it needs to maximize the amount of energy we have.  Some foods are especially good for building qi.  This recipe--which is delicious and seasonal--contains some great qi building foods.  

By the way, eating hot breakfasts does not mean having to slave over a stove every morning.  This recipe by the way is easy to make in a big batch and then save in little single container servings.  Defrost in the am, heat up and go!  

Pumpkin Millet Porridge

Makes 3 servings

Adapted slightly from Sarah Britton’s Recipe at My New Roots and  (http://mynewroots.org/site/2012/02/pumpkin-pie-amaranth-porridge-2/) Pumpkin Pie Millet Porridge at Core+ Diced (http://coreddiced.wordpress.com/2013/03/05/winter-millet-porridge/)

1/2 cup of millet or amaranth (soaked in water for 8 – 24 hours)

1/2 cup homemade (or canned) pumpkin puree 

a pinch of sea salt

1 tsp of vanilla 

1/2-1 tsp of cinnamon

a pinch-1/2 tsp of nutmeg (freshly grated, if possible) 

2 cups of almond coconut milk or almond milk

1 TBS of pure 100 % maple syrup to taste (optional)

chopped walnuts, almonds, flax meal, raisins or unsweetened coconut for topping

 

1.  Drain and rinse the soaked millet or amaranth.

2.  Combine in a medium pot with pumpkin, salt, vanilla, spices, and almond coconut milk. 

3.  Bring to a boil on medium heat while stirring frequently. Turn heat down to low and cover and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring every few minutes. Texture should be rather liquidy but if not, add a bit more almond milk. 

4.  Add maple syrup according to taste. Portion into bowls and top with extra almond milk, nuts, raisins, flax, cinnamon, coconut and whatever else you’d like.