Move over, Quinoa.

There's a new kid in town.

Meet millet. A whole grain, non-glutinous like quinoa. I know this isn't the first time I've mentioned millet, but when I started having stomachaches after eating quinoa, I turned to millet. It takes about as long to cook as quinoa and has a mildly sweet flavor. It's perfect as a pilaf or eaten underneath a pile of sauteed veggies and beans. And like I mentioned in the post below, it makes a great binder for croquettes and bean cakes.

I found this delicious breakfast recipe in Rebecca Katz' Cancer-Fighting Kitchen cookbook. Rebecca provides clean, healthy recipes and advice for those cooking for someone going through chemotherapy. But I think most people could benefit from eating this way. I've made her gluten free almond muffins and can't wait to try her vegetarian pot pies. 

This has quickly become my favorite winter breakfast. If you're looking for an alternative to oats, this is your answer. The millet is cooked with orange juice along with water, which adds a lovely natural sweetness to the cooked grain. Cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger spice it up as the almond milk and coconut oil make it creamy. Paired with the dried fruit compote, this breakfast is rich in fiber and will give you that push you need in the morning.

Orange millet

Adapted from Katz' Cancer Fighting Kitchen
1 1/4 c water

1/4 c orange juice

1/2 c millet, rinsed

1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cardamom
1/4 tsp ginger
dash of sea salt
1 T orange zest
1 tsp coconut oil
1/4 c almond milk

Add water and orange juice to a pot over high heat. Bring to a boil, then add the millet. Stir in cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and sea salt. Cover and cook for 15-20 minutes. Once the millet is cooked, remove from heat, and add the remaining ingredients. Makes 3-4 servings.

Dried fruit compote
1 c prunes
1/2 c raisins
1/2 c apricots
2 cinnamon sticks
1/2 tsp cardamom
1 tsp lemon juice

Soak prunes, raisins, apricots, cinnamon and cardamon in water overnight. Bring all the ingredients (minus the lemon) to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour. The liquid should be syrupy. Remove from heat, add lemon juice and toss out the cinnamon sticks. Makes about 3 cups of compote.

Top the millet with compote and enjoy. Add a dollop of plain yogurt for a nice contrast to the sweetness.

Best coffeecake ever

I know those are strong words, but it's true. This is the best coffeecake. Ever. And it happens to be dairy free. I live with a coffeecake lover and he even agrees.

I know this probably doesn't look like the coffeecake you buy at your local bakery or coffee shop. That cake is lighter in color with a cinnamon sugar crumble piled high on top. Since this cake uses half whole wheat pastry flour and half unbleached all-purpose flour it has a darker color, denser texture and more fiber (added bonus). It also uses less refined sugars and natural sweeteners.

You can taste a hint of almond as well as the warming cinnamon and nutmeg spices that really make this a comforting breakfast or dessert. Four days later, this cake is still really moist and delicious.

Watch out, it's hard to only eat a small piece. This coffeecake is perfect for a lazy Sunday morning, eaten in bed with an almond milk latte and a great book.

Best coffeecake ever
This recipe is adapted from Fran Costigan's More Great Good Dairy-Free Desserts Naturally. 
1.5 c walnuts
3 T sucanat or turbinado sugar
3 T light sugar, like evaporated cane sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
2.5 T olive oil

1 c whole wheat pastry flour
1 c unbleached organic all purpose flour or white spelt flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1.5 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg, freshly grated (or allspice)
3 T light sugar, like evaporated cane sugar
3/4 c maple syrup
3/4 c almond milk
1/4 c olive oil
2 tsp almond extract
2 T vanilla extract
1 T apple cider vinegar

Preheat oven to 350. Grease an 8 or 9-inch spring form pan with melted coconut oil or butter. Then line the bottom with parchement (use scissors to cut into a circle).

Toast walnuts over medium heat, stirring frequently, until they release their scent. Put aside to cool. Once cool, roughly chop and put into a small mixing bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients.

Sift the flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg into a large mixing bowl. Pour the remaining wet ingredients into a separate large bowl. Whisk until combined and pour over the dry ingredients. Mix well.

Pour half the batter into the spring form pan. Top with half the walnut mixture. Pour remaining batter over and then add the rest of the walnut mixture to the top. Don't worry if you're spring form pan is too large, just make one layer of batter and topping instead of two.

Bake for about 45-50 minutes. If you're making it one layer, it will cook in about 30 minutes. Test the center of the cake with a toothpick or paring knife to make sure it's done.

Let cool for 15 minutes. Remove the spring form pan and allow to cool on a wire rack. Eat warm or at room temperature.

Cinnamon coconut popsicles

One of the best summer treats are popsicles. I have many memories as a kid enjoying those sugary artificial-colored popsicles. You know the ones I'm talking about. Bright blue, red, green, orange and purple. Nowadays I avoid those and enjoy popsicles that use whole food ingredients like fresh fruit and real organic milk, almond or coconut milk. Of course, homemade ice cream is great too, but I don't own an ice cream maker. Plus popsicles take a lot less time to make.

We bought coconut popsicles from Whole Foods a few weeks ago. They were good, but really sweet. I decided to try to make my own version at home. The hardest part about making popsicles for me was finding the molds. I tried a few different stores before finding these buried at Target.

Cinnamon Coconut Popsicles
Serving size: 4 popsicles
1 can of coconut milk, full fat*

1 tsp cinnamon

2 tbsp maple syrup

1/4 c unsweetened shredded coconut or coconut flakes (optional)

Popsicle molds 

Stir all ingredients together in a bowl. Pour into your popsicle molds. Put the tops or sticks into the molds and freeze. Freeze for 6-8 hours or until popsicles are completely frozen. When you're ready to eat them, remove from freezer and run hot water over the bottom of the molds to loosen the pops.
*Full fat coconut milk will make the pops creamier.

Cool down with these summer treats too:
Watermelon granita
Espresso granita
32 homemade pops
One ingredient ice cream