Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Crock pot millet and amaranth porridge recipe

I must admit that amaranth didn't win me over the first time I tried it.  When eaten on its own, it has a very strong corn flavor with a bit of grassiness mixed in.  It also becomes thick and sticky while cooking.  That being said,  I was willing to give it another shot, and I liked the idea of mixing it with one of my favorite grains, millet.  The addition of millet tamed the amaranth flavor, and I really enjoyed the combination.  I often mix brown rice, steel-cut oats, millet, and quinoa in the crock pot, but this was a nice change from my usual breakfast.

This recipe brings up one of my biggest complaints about this month's cookbook of the month: the number of servings is very high on most recipes.  Recipes list nutritional information, and I'm guessing that there are lots of servings to reduce calories and fat per serving.  I understand that, but if I had eaten 1/6th of this, like they suggested, I would have had about two spoonfuls.  Typically I end up with more servings than recipes suggest, so it's been quite an adjustment with this book.

Crock pot millet and amaranth porridge (adapted from The Complete Whole Grains Cookbook)
(Printable version)

1/2 cup millet
1/2 cup amaranth
3 cups water
dried fruits, nuts, cinnamon, butter, milk (optional)

Combine millet, amaranth, and water in a small crock pot.  Place a towel over the top of the crock, and then set the lid on top.  Cook on low for 7-8 hours.  Add any of the optional ingredients when serving.  Serves 2.

9 comments:

Tasty Eats At Home said...

I finally used amaranth flour for the first time the other day. Haven't found whole amaranth - not that I've really looked. Maybe I should try it!

Shaheen said...

I have yet to try both these grains. Thanks for sharing the recipe.

Katie said...

Alta - It took me a long time to find amaranth (and now I can't remember where I finally saw it). If you happen to try it, let me know what you think.

mangocheecks - I highly recommend them, particularly millet (I often substitute it for rice).

Leah said...

Hey, this sounds great! I make amaranth in the morning for breakfast a lot (I kind of like that weird taste), but it takes forever to cook, even when I soak it overnight.

This crockpot recipe sounds amazing!

Thanks!

Katie said...

Leah - I agree, I hate how long it takes to cook on the stove, which is why I was so excited to see a crockpot recipe. I'm not that patient in the morning! Let me know what you think if you try it out.

Leah said...

Update: I've made this twice now, and it's great! I liked how the millet and amaranth taste kind of creamy and corny together. Even my boyfriend (not a fan of amaranth) liked this, and specifically requested it last night!

I stirred a teaspoon of cinnamon into the crockpot last night, which tasted good. I like cooking the cinnamon with the grains rather than sprinkling it on at the end. Less intense that way.

Anyway, it's a big success!

Katie said...

Leah - Thanks for the update, and I'm so happy to hear that you and you boyfriend like it!! I often add cinnamon before cooking grains, but I forgot the night I made this. Next time I'll make sure to add it in.

ben said...

Is it possible to use whole milk in the crock pot in place of the milk? Or would it curd/spoil during the long cooking?


For easier cleanup of the crock pot, I've seen some recipes that place all the ingredients in a bowl, and place the bowl inside the slow cooker submerged with water.


I've never tried millet, how does it compare with oats?

Katie said...

Ben,

I don't see why whole milk wouldn't work.

I've seen the easier clean-up method too, but haven't tried it yet. Typically I want to make a lot of something when I make it (I love leftovers), but it is a bit annoying to clean up the crock.

Millet is very different than oats in terms of the taste and texture. It's a bit coarser and has a taste more similar to corn (that's the best descriptor I can come up with). I enjoy it, especially for a change, but don't take a bite expecting it to be oats :).