Tag: corn

The Sprouted Kitchen Cookbook – Cornmeal Cakes Recipe

I borrowed The Sprouted Kitchen: A Tastier Take on Whole Foods from the library and I’m loving this book! I hope I have time to write a complete review, but until then, I wanted to blog the details of her cornmeal cakes recipe.

the sprouted kitchen - cornmeal cakes

I made a batch this morning and was extremely impressed. Pancakes are hit or miss with me, usually because I wing it and don’t follow a specific recipe! This time, I followed her directions, well, up to a point. I still put my own spin on the ingredients, but it worked beautifully.

Her original cornmeal cakes recipe also includes cherry compote, but we topped with some of my own homemade Concord grape syrup instead.

Cornmeal Cakes Recipe sans Cherry Compote

Recipe adapted from The Sprouted Kitchen by Sara Forte (page 42)

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 cup fine cornmeal or corn flour
1.5 Tbsp olive oil
3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp boiling water
3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp sea salt
1 Tbsp chia seeds (or experiment with other seeds, like sesame, poppy or even caraway)
1/4 cup yogurt mixed with 3/4 cup water
1 egg, beaten
coconut oil for pan

Directions:

  1. Add cornmeal to large bowl, then stir in oil and boiling water. Allow to rest for 5 minutes to soften cornmeal.
  2. In another small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt, then set aside
  3. Add chia seeds, yogurt liquid and egg to the cornmeal mixture and mix until blended.
  4. Pour the dry flour mix into the cornmeal mixture and stir carefully until blended.
  5. Cook pancakes over medium heat in cast iron pan or griddle, adding 1/2 tsp of coconut oil to the pan for each batch.

NOTES:

  • Blending the cornmeal with the liquids beforehand seemed to make it a lot easier to blend in the flour. Sometimes I feel like I’m over mixing.
  • Sara’s original recipe included honey and sugar, but I don’t like adding any sweetener to pancakes since we always top with sweet syrup of some sort. Truthfully, even plain, these pancakes were really delicious! I didn’t miss the extra sugar at all! Anyway, I replaced 2 Tbsp honey with more boiling water. If you want to go by her original recipe, add 2 Tbsp honey with the cornmeal, olive oil, and boiling water, and 3 Tbsp of natural sugar to the dry flour ingredients.
  • Sara made her pancakes with 3/4 cup buttermilk. I had plain yogurt on hand, so I mixed 1/4 cup with 3/4 cup of water, making a full cup of liquid which was 1/4 cup more liquid than the original recipe. I like a really thin batter, and the consistency of this was perfect for me.
  • The original recipe used all butter, but I replaced with olive oil and coconut oil.
  • The chia seeds were my idea. I love adding seeds to pancakes!

I will definitely make these pancakes again. I love the taste of corn pancakes, and next time I’m thinking 1/2 cup of shredded coconut might be a nice addition. Yum!

the sprouted kitchen - cornmeal cakes

Gardening Diary: Canning & Preserving the Harvest

canned jelly and apple sauce

Wow, this year, surprisingly I found that I really enjoy the craft of canning!

It’s a lot of work, but once you get 2 or 3 batches under your belt, there’s confidence and organization that makes the process a little bit easier. The rewards will outweigh the work!

There was a lot that I was worried about in the beginning (like most newbie canners), most importantly was I did NOT want to kill myself and my family with deadly bacteria!

But after reading a lot of library books, and scouring the web for good information, I learned that if done properly, following the instructions, you do not have to fear the canning process!

This post is L-O-N-G, and it might be boring to a lot of visitors, so if you want to learn more about my canning experience (and see a few photos), read onward!

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Instant Yeast & GMO (Genetically Modified) Ascorbic Acid (Vit C)

I home bake a lot of bread, about 2-3 loaves per week (kneaded in my bread machine). I don’t use an excessive amount of yeast (only about 1/4 – 1/2 tsp), as I like my dough to rise slowly, sometimes overnight in the fridge, depending on how quickly it’s needed (or kneaded, ha, no pun intended.)

I have been buying jars of Fleischmann’s Bread Machine (instant) yeast. It’s quite expensive; Last time I paid $5 for a 4 oz jar, but it lasted me over 4 months.

I had been hearing a lot of recommendations for 1 lb SAF Instant Yeast – it’s packaged as an air-tight, vacuum-sealed “brick” and it will last close-to forever stored in your freezer or even fridge.

I was tempted to purchase from Amazon’s Subcribe & Save – under $12 for a bulk pack of four 1lb packages…..but what would I do with all that yeast!? So, I phoned Whole Foods and asked if they carried it. Yes, and their price was $5.49, so I added it to my shopping list for my next visit.

Made In Mexico

So, here’s where I learned my first lesson.

After reading reviews online, I learned that SAF Instant Yeast is “Made in Mexico“. Nothing personal against Mexico or Mexicans, but I make it a point to stay clear of food imported from Mexico and China. I double-checked the label on my Fleischmann’s yeast and it’s “Made in Canada.”

But I use such a small amount of yeast, will it really make a difference either way, where it’s made? It’s not like eating an apple, or is it?

I decided to take a chance and go for budget-friendly, so I purchased a 1 lb brick of SAF Instant Yeast at Whole Foods.

Instant Yeast Contains Genetically Modified (GMO) Ascorbic Acid (Vit C)

Here’s where I learned my second lesson. There’s GMO in the yeast!

Ascorbic Acid (synthetic Vitamin C) is a man-made product derived from genetically modified corn. Ugh. Who knew!

And it’s also an ingredient in “instant” yeast. And would you also believe, ascorbic acid is the reason why so many bakers love “instant” yeast vs “active-dry” yeast? Ascorbic acid helps doughs “rise” better and faster, and also also acts as a preservative.

I’m thinking it might be worth the extra effort to start using “active-dry” yeast and perhaps just add a smidge of real lemon juice or vinegar to make up for the lack of synthetic ascorbic acid.

Well, I need to make a decision PRONTO, because I just used up the last bit of instant yeast in my bread dough this afternoon.

Do I just forget it, go with the cheap Mexican-made instant yeast, with a small amount of a GMO ingredient? Or perhaps the Canadian-made instant yeast with with a small amount of a GMO ingredient?

Or probably the best way: vote with my fork and go for the active-dry yeast with no GM ingredients (that I know of).

I think I’ll invest in a couple of little packets of active yeast, just to see how easy or difficult it is to work with. Online sources say you must “activate” in warm water first, and others say you can use just like instant yeast, and toss it in dry, unless you don’t know if it’s still viable, and it’s best to test in warm water with sugar added.

So, we’ll see!

UPDATE July 15, 2012: Well I tried the active yeast and it did work but I’ve decided to go back to the instant yeast even with the ascorbic acid.

I preciously only used 1/2 tsp of instant yeast but with the active yeast, I was using at least 1 tsp and it rose alright but not as easily as with instant, and the texture of the dough isn’t as smooth.

So, my reasoning is I’d rather use as little yeast as possible (for a longer rise) and since I’m using such a small amount, I’m hoping that any GMO ingredients are incidental. Plus I’ve decided to stick with Fleischmann’s brand that is made in Canada.

UPDATE December, 2012: I’ve gone back to active dry yeast! In october I purchased a 1 lb bag of the “Frontier Naturals” brand active dry yeast from iHerb.com. It works fine whether I “bloom” it ahead of time or just whisk it together with my flour.

Masa Harina Corn Jalepeno Muffins Recipe

masa harina corn jalepeno muffins

This recipe is slightly inspired from the Cornbread Muffins recipe found on page 124 in the Power Food Cookbook by Rachael Anne Hill and Tamsin Burnett-Hall. I used their recipe as a base, but put my own spin on the ingredients according to what I had on hand.

It’s all about adapting to your own pantry!

I didn’t have any milk (dairy or non-dairy) but I did have a carton of powdered buttermilk in the fridge, so I figured that would work. I also added 2 Tbsp of local raw honey and used less wheat flour, adding a mix of different corn flours, including masa harina, which I bought weeks ago to make tortillas (still on my list of things to do.)

The original recipe included chili peppers and corn! I still have a stock of frozen chile peppers from the summer CSA and there was a half bag of Trader Joe’s frozen organic corn. The original recipe called for 2 Tbsp of baking powder, and in my opinion, that is just way too much, so I cut it in half.

Masa Harina Corn Jalepeno Muffins Recipe

1 cup whole wheat flour (pastry if you have it)
3/4 cup stoneground cornmeal
1/4 cup corn flour
1/4 cup masa harina flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
5 Tbsp powdered buttermilk
couple of grinds of fresh ground pepper
1 tsp ground cumin
1 fresh chile pepper, deseeded, deveined & minced
1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
1-1/3 cups water (or use milk and skip the powdered buttermilk above)
2 Tbsp honey (optional)
1 egg, beaten
4 Tbsp (1/4 cup) olive oil

  1. Whisk the powdered flours, baking powder, salt and powdered buttermilk in a large mixing bowl.
  2. Add black pepper, cumin, chile peppers, and corn, then mix to combine
  3. In large glass measuring cup, melt honey in about 1/2 cup of hot water and stir; once honey is completely dissolved, add the rest of the water to equal 1-1/3 cups liquid.
  4. Whisk in egg, and oil, then pour liquids into dry ingredients. Stir together until just mixed.
  5. Spoon into muffin tins, then bake in preheated 360F oven for 15-20 minutes until risen, firm, and lightly browned.
  6. Transfer muffins to cooling rack.

I thought these muffins were delicious. I loved the texture of the corn kernels, and the chile peppers didn’t add heat, but did add yummy flavor.

They were delicious for dinner, paired with a fried egg and sides of homemade cole slaw & cranberry sauce.

corn muffins with fried egg & coleslaw & apple cranberry sauce

Swiss Chard Ricotta Egg Pie (Frittata) Recipe

I found an inspiring recipe over on Kalyn’s Kitchen for ; I had some yummy swiss chard greens from this week’s CSA share, and I knew it would be a great substitution for the kale.

swiss chard ricotta egg pie

Recipe Ingredients

1 large bunch of swiss chard or other hearty greens (kale, spinach, arugula, turnip/radish greens, etc)
8 oz fresh ricotta cheese – I used whole milk ricotta, but to save calories, part skim might be preferred.
1 – 2 oz grated cheese – cheddar, Parmesan, Pecorino, whatever you have on hand.
1 cup eggs, beaten. I used 5 extra large eggs, but the original recipe called for 6 large
kosher salt & freshly-ground black pepper to taste

Recipe Instructions:

2-4 servings depending on how hungry you are! We turned what was originally thought to be four into just two servings for us.

  1. Preheat oven to 375F.
  2. Wash swiss chard leaves, pull/cut off ribs, then coarsely chop and quickly steam in a shallow saucepan or fry pan. About 1-3 minutes.
  3. Use a little coconut or olive oil to grease the bottom and sides of a baking dish. I used a large round quiche pan. Kalyn’s original recipe suggested to use a spring form pan. Any type of glass or ceramic baking dish would be fine.
  4. Line bottom of baking dish with steamed swiss chard or greens.
  5. In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, grated cheese, and salt/pepper.
  6. In separate bowl, beat eggs, then blend into the cheese mixture. It’s lumpy, so don’t be alarmed.
  7. Pour egg/cheese mixture over swiss chard greens in baking dish.
  8. Bake for about 20-40 minutes, maybe longer depending on the depth of your pie. The original recipe called for 40 minutes, but her pie was much thicker.
  9. Allow to cool and enjoy! Serve with a small salad or even veggie soup. Great for Meatless Mondays!

Recipe Notes:

  • Farm fresh ricotta is always the best choice before a grocery brand. It tastes like cream! I like Maplebrook Farms from Vermont…they also make fresh mozzarella cheese.
  • We also received 2 very small corn on the cob in the CSA share this week. I figured instead of boiling them, I’d add some freshly cut corn off the cob. Well, because there was such a small amount, the corn really didn’t add anything special to the dish, so I left it out of my recipe here.
  • I would have loved to add a sprinkling of freshly grated nutmeg into the cheese mixture, but since my microplane grater/zester had soft cheese all over it, I couldn’t grate the nutmeg. Next time, I’ll grate the nutmeg first.
  • Leeks and tomatoes would also make a great addition! Hmm, like sliced tomatoes placed on top before baking! Yum.

swiss chard ricotta egg pie

Nutritional Data

Use the nutritional data as a guide; the info is not absolute, your results might vary considerably depending on the total weight of the finished dish.

Calories: 456
Fat: 33.6g
Saturated: 17g
Polyunsaturated: 2g
Monounsaturated: 9g
Trans: 0
Cholesterol: 591.7mg
Sodium: 716.7mg
Potassium: 532mg
Total Carbs: 7g
Fiber: 1g
Sugar: 1.7g
Protein: 33.5g
Vit A: 76%
Vit C: 13%
Calcium: 44.4%
Iron: 20%

Corn on the Cob

corn on the cob fresh from the CSA farm

We got 3 ears of fresh sweet corn on the cob in the CSA share this week.

My DH was going out for the evening, and I was hungry. I couldn’t waste time cooking the corn, so I ate all three raw, as a late afternoon snack. Oh it was fabulous. Brought me back to my childhood at our summer house. My mom used to buy fresh corn at the farm and we used to eat an ear or two raw. Yum, I just love corn. I don’t believe the nah-sayers that say it’s not good for you!

corn on the cob fresh from the CSA farm

Meatless Monday – Quinoa Pasta with Tomato Puttanesca Sauce

Meatless Monday - quinoa pasta with tomato puttanesca sauce

We went meatless tonight (with a little bit of dairy) by eating a satisfying plate of quinoa pasta topped with tomato puttanesca sauce. I included some lovely kousa squash in the sauce, which was part of our CSA vegetable share this week. It’s a summer squash similar to zucchini.

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Homemade Microwave Popcorn

My microwave usage has gone way down since I started eating cleaner. I am not necessarily afraid of the “microwaves” emoting from the microwave, but I don’t think it cooks food quite the same as on the stove or in the oven. I think it kills a lot of healthy nutrients.

But I was intrigued to try homemade microwave popcorn. And I was surprised how easy it is! Healthy too!

arrowhead brand organic popcorn

I like purchasing organic popcorn, mainly because it’s free of pesticides and it will not be grown from GMO (genetically modified) corn seeds. I found the Arrowhead Mills brand at Whole Foods. Check the organic isle at your local grocery. Whole Foods also carried bulk organic popcorn if you don’t want to commit to a full bag.

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Recipe: Mexican Bowl with Brown Rice, Chicken, Beef, Peppers, Onions, Tomato Salsa, and Cheese

I just loved the Burrito in a Bowl at Chipotle Mexican Grill, so I was eager to try cooking something similar at home. This recipe isn’t really the same as Chipotle Grill’s version, but it’s healthy and I thought it tasted delicious. Enjoy!

Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup Brown Rice (all I had was short grain, but long grain would work better)
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 Tbsp Cilantro (I used dried, but if using fresh, you will need more, and you won’t want to add until rice is cooked.)
  • 1 lime – zest and juice (approx 1Tbsp juice)
  • 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 2 medium Onions (I found wonderful “spring” onions at Whole Foods)
  • 1 medium sized sweet Pepper (green, red, yellow, or orange)
  • Half Chicken breast – about 7 ounces
  • 2 1/4 cups of Frozen corn (3 servings)
  • 1/4 pound deli sliced Roast Beef
  • 1 jar Tomato Salsa (I used Muir Glen mild)
  • 4 oz cheese (1 oz for each person – I had Cabot Vermont Sharp Cheddar, but Monterey Jack would be great too)

Continue reading “Recipe: Mexican Bowl with Brown Rice, Chicken, Beef, Peppers, Onions, Tomato Salsa, and Cheese”

Cheerios Aren’t What They Used To Be

Today Hungry Girl posted a question on her Facebook Page:

Anyone out there try Chocolate Cheerios? Whatd’ya think of ’em?
http://www.facebook.com/HungryGirl?v=feed&story_fbid=266498302257

No surprise, of course, her loyal followers were gushing all over them! One naive woman even compared them to cocoa puffs, thinking they were healthier.

Are people really that stupid, or is it just laziness? Do people even bother to read labels anymore? What, so it carries the Cheerios name, and it automatically HAS to be healthy right? WRONG!

Take a look at the ingredients for both Cocoa Puffs and Chocolate Cheerios, and try to figure out which is healthier. Same calories and portion size. The Chocolate Cheerios have a little less sugar and fat. The Cocoa Puffs have more fiber along with more fat, but it’s mono-saturated fat.

The ingredients list on both products is almost identical. But because one is named “Cheerios” people automatically assume it’s healthy.

Chocolate flavored cheerios is not healthy, it's just as bad as cocoa puffs

Chocolate Cocoa Puffs are just as bad as chocolate Cheerios

My big problem with Hungry Girl and sites like hers, is that her followers are substituting so-called bad foods with what they think are better alternatives, instead of figuring out how to reduce the bad foods, and only eat them occasionally as a treat.

Why not just reward yourself with real chocolate once or twice a week, but just in a smaller portion? For about 100 calories I can eat 6 squares of Green & Black Milk Chocolate and it satisfies my sweet craving and I am not putting dangerous chemicals like BHT into my body.

I just don’t eat chocolate every day! But these people are eating Chocolate Cheerios every day for breakfast and/or snacks. And then everyone wonders why the US is so overweight and obese. Hmm, and kids are eating this crap too! Not good.