Back to Basics Cornbread

The secret to Back to Basics Cornbread is frozen sweet corn. It creates a dense, soft cornbread with just a hint of added texture from the corn. This cornbread goes well with beans or chili. It is also lovely left-over, toasted and served with a drizzle of honey.

The Ten Things Challenge

It’s a new year. As I turn the page on a fresh calendar I am sweeping out the old to make room for the new. Last night we celebrated Epiphany as the kings of our nativity set completed their journey to visit the Christ Child. Today they were packed away with the last of the Christmas decorations.

I”m not stopping there. The new year calls for another round of “Ten Things”. With the holiday boxes on their way to the garage, I search the house for other items to remove from my living space, countertops and drawers. Beginning a new year in a freshly decluttered space feels like opening the door to new possibilities. In January I am all in.

Over the past few years my husband and I have pared down the volume of our belongings through a challenge we call “Ten Things”. When we are feeling burdened or overwhelmed, when we can’t find something or are simply drawn to take another step toward reducing the clutter and distraction in our life, we agree to stop and find 10 items to discard before we carry on with whatever else we are doing.

A Decluttered Perspective

For a few minutes we sort through our closet or desk, the kitchen cabinets or junk drawer, the garage or the pantry. There we search out ten items we no longer need or use. Then we put those items in the donation box we keep in the laundry room.

When we have come up with ten items we can stop, but we often feel inspired and keep going. By the time we get back to what we were doing before, the donation box is often overflowing. We have already made one trip to empty our box (and the pile beside it) this year and it is now half full again.

It feels good to clean out the clutter as we begin a new year. Still, there can be a downside. Unless we sort and discard carefully there is a chance of future regrets. I think of the Parable of the Clean House. In Matthew 12:43-45 Jesus warns that a house swept out and put in order can invite back the very things we swept away, and then some. It is important to be mindful of the space we are creating and to occupy it with good things.

Wholesome Cornbread

One new thing I have recently discovered is Eating Well, a magazine my husband subscribed to. The November issue was the first one I looked through. It was packed with inviting recipes that focused on a healthy approach to traditional dishes.

My favorite was a recipe makeover for traditional cornbread. Unlike other breads and cakes that rely heavily on butter, whlte flour and other ingredients I try to limit in my diet, this recipe cuts them to a minimum while delivering a tasty bread that is soft and moist. The secret is frozen sweet corn, thawed and pulsed in the food processor until it is smooth. The resulting cornbread is dense and soft with just a hint of added texture from the corn. Back to Basics Cornbread goes well with beans or chili. It is also lovely left-over, warmed or toasted and served with a drizzle of honey for a snack.

Enjoy!

Back to Basics Cornbread

Servings

9

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Baking time

25

minutes

Total time

40

minutes

This cornbread goes well with beans or chili. It is also lovely left-over, toasted and served with a drizzle of honey.

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups yellow cornmeal (whole grain if you can find it)

• 3/4 cup white or whole-wheat flour (I used a mixture of the two)

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 cup frozen sweet corn, thawed

• 1 large egg

• 3/4 cup low-fat milk

• 3 Tablespoons oil

• 3 Tablespoons honey

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350F.
• With a whisk, combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
• In the bowl of a food processor, combine the thawed sweet corn and egg. Process briefly, just until smooth. Add oil and honey, pulsing to combine. Add milk and pulse again.
• Add the corn mixture to the flour mixture and stir together, just until combined.
• Spread batter evenly in a prepared 9-inch square baking pan.
• Bake for 20 – 25 minutes, or until done.
• Allow to cool in pan for at least 10 minutes on a wire rack. Cut into pieces and serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

• Recipe Source: From a November issue of Eating Well