Chili and Cornbread
So earlier this week I posted a delicious End of The Summer Veggie Stew/Chili recipe! If you haven’t had a chance to see this recipe you can view it here.
This chili is so delicious and if you are anything like me, I just love some cornbread with my chili! Check out the photo below, the chili and cornbread make for a perfect fall meal!
A Healthier Organic Cornbread Recipe
This recipe became quite the challenge because I didn’t want to use corn meal in the recipe. I was looking to create a healthier organic corn bread recipe to the traditional corn bread but I still wanted it to taste great!
I achieved a healthier cornbread by switching out corn meal with a flour called Masa Harina. Masa Harina is often used to make fresh tortillas (yep you guessed it, working on that recipe too! 🙂 )
What Is Masa Harina?
Masa Harina is made from freshly prepared hominy. To make hominy, field corn is dried and cooked and soaked in limewater and wood ash.
Lime and ash then break down the hemicellulose which is the glue-like component in corn. This loosens the hulls from the kernel and softens the corn.
In addition, the lime reacts with a corn so that the nutrient niacin can be broken down and easily digested in the digestive track. Simply put, Masa Harina has been prepared in a “traditional” way allowing it to be a much more digestible option.
Do You Have Troubles Digesting Grains?
Do you have troubles digesting grains? Try preparing the grains in a “traditional” way and see if it makes a difference for you. By “traditional”, I mean sprouting, soaking or fermenting. (click here for further reading)
I can tell you from my experience that I have a terrible time with grains spiking my blood sugar. I often become very irritable and edgy after consuming grains (a sign that my blood sugar is out of balance).
I did not want to go on a grain free diet so I set out to find out how I could eat grains. When you soak, sprout or ferment grains you are breaking down anti-nutrients and allowing the grain to become more digestible. Grains prepared properly oftentimes digest like a vegetable.
Traditionally Prepared Grain Recipes
Here are a few recipes that I have posted that included “traditional” methods of preparations.
- Sourdough Bread
- Traditionally Prepared Soaked Oatmeal
- Soaked Nuts & The Benefits (although not a grain, this is the “traditional” method of preparing nuts)
- Soaked Pecan Cinnamon Roll Quinoa
- Is Soaking Grains Necessary & How To Properly Soak Grains
I have a lot more in my recipe collection, these are just a few of my favorites. Feel free to browse around in our Recipe Gallery for more great recipes!
A Healthier Organic Corn Bread Recipe
Prep Time: 5 minutes- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 9 pieces 1x
Category: side dish
Method: baking
Cuisine: american
Prep Time:
Yield:
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Print Recipe
Pin RecipeDescription
This healthier organic corn bread recipe is perfect to pair with soups and chili recipes.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup masa harina flour – You Can Buy It Here
- 1/2 cup spelt flour, or other flour of choice, (with the exception of coconut flour, it won’t work in this recipe) I used sprouted spelt flour – You Can Buy It Here
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp unrefined sea salt – You Can Buy It Here
- 1/4 cup raw honey – You Can Buy It Here
- 1 tbsp sucanat – You Can Buy It Here
- 1 1/4 cup whole milk or coconut milk
- 1/4 cup grass fed butter or ghee, softened-You Can Buy It Here
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 F.
- Mix together dry ingredients.
- Cut 2 tbsp of the grass fed butter into the flour mixture.
- In a separate bowl, combine honey (slightly melted), eggs, sucanat and milk and stir well.
- Combine the dry and wet ingredients and mix just until moist. Allow to sit for 5 minutes.
- Place 2 tbsp of butter into a 8×8 square pan and place in oven until melted.
- Pour batter into pan and bake for 20 minutes or until edges are slightly brown.
- Remove cornbread from pan to cool so that the crust is still crisp.
Notes
This recipe was inspired & adapted from a recipe featured on www.chow.com
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 piece
Resources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masa
ericgpete says
September 27, 2012 at 12:34 pmHalle,
Where would you purchase an organic Masa Harina flour? I guess they would carry that at Whole foods. I was just curious as to where you get yours.
hallecottis says
September 27, 2012 at 12:54 pm@ericgpete Good question….i will update a post with a link. I got mine at a local place here in Wisconsin, let me see if I can find you a source on amazon.
hallecottis says
September 27, 2012 at 3:44 pm@ericgpete here is a link Eric http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0019L8I2G?tag=wholelifesn0f-20
Connie Lynn Cusate says
April 30, 2017 at 7:55 amI got mine at ALDI’S
Sue Kershnar says
September 27, 2012 at 12:39 pmMy husband loves cornbread… will have to try this !!!
Kimberly Lovoy says
September 27, 2012 at 2:15 pmI was wondering what a better meal to use to make cornbread Thanks it’s that time of season of soup and chili.
pythonesk99 says
September 27, 2012 at 2:34 pmI’ve never seen organic masa harina, but I’d sure like to.
hallecottis says
September 27, 2012 at 3:44 pm@pythonesk99 here it is 🙂 http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0019L8I2G?tag=wholelifesn0f-20
Flour Me With Love says
October 1, 2012 at 9:04 amI can’t wait to try this! I love cornbread, but don’t make it often…now I can! Thanks for sharing 🙂
mizhelenadams says
October 6, 2012 at 9:44 amYour Organic Corn Bread looks delicious and will be perfect with your awesome End Of Summer Stew, this is a great meal. Enjoy your week end and thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday.
Come Back Soon!
Miz Helen
DianeBalch says
October 7, 2012 at 10:53 amI didn’t know about masa flour… really interesting how it is easier to digest. Thanks for sharing this super healthy corn bread on foodie friday.
CindyDentGordon says
October 10, 2012 at 11:36 amThat is very neat, I have never heard of that! I love learning about and trying new things! I have this on my find list! I”ll check out WF to see if I can find it 🙂 Thanks for linking up at our Gluten Free Fridays party last week! I have tweeted and pinned your entry to our Gluten Free Fridays board on Pinterest! 🙂 I hope that you’ll join us this week to share more yummies! Also, be sure to stop back by to see who the winner of the Planet Rice will be! The winner will be announced at GFF #9 Cindy from vegetarianmamma.com
NataliaBC says
October 12, 2012 at 11:35 pmI was doing some research on nixtamalization recently and so was excited to see this recipe! Printed (with credit) and saved for my earliest cornbread opportunity. Thanks so much!
arroyovanessa says
March 28, 2013 at 7:36 pmI don’t have spelt flour, can I just add an extra 1/2 cup of corn flour instead?
hallecottis says
March 28, 2013 at 7:39 pmarroyovanessa sure can! You can also add another flour if you would like of your choice.
Sharon Baker Burress says
September 23, 2013 at 6:56 pmI feel good that I have just heard of it!
Emilie says
November 26, 2014 at 10:33 amDo you think coconut oil or olive oil could sub in for the butter?
Judith says
January 6, 2015 at 11:42 amThanks for the recipe! I have known about Masa Harina for years. I have issues with gmo wheat. It makes all my joints hurt. So, I looked for alternatives and remembered masa harina! This may not be the correct place for this suggestion, but I will tell you this. I wanted to make a peach cobbler and decided to try the masa instead of the traditional biscuit dough recipe used. It tasted wonderful! The sweetness of the masa complimented the peaches to perfection!
kristian says
March 31, 2015 at 5:13 pmWill this recipe work in a cast iron skillet?
Halle Cottis says
March 31, 2015 at 5:39 pmSure would!
mike says
April 5, 2016 at 11:21 amwhy doesn’t coconut flour work in this recipe?
Cindy says
April 20, 2016 at 3:00 pmI don’t like sweet cornbread. Will omitting the honey and sucanat create any problems?
Halle Cottis says
April 22, 2016 at 1:07 pmI am not sure, I haven’t tried it without.
Julene says
November 17, 2016 at 9:44 amLast time I made this, I forgot to put in the honey, lol… It turned out delicious!
Great recipe, I have made this a couple of times! Thanks
★★★★★
Halle Cottis says
November 17, 2016 at 10:15 amSo happy you like it Julene! 🙂
Nicole Sullivan says
June 5, 2016 at 8:35 pmHi – Can this be made without the sugar and honey? I want my 8 month old to be able to eat it. Will it mess up the consistency? Thanks, Nicole
Halle Cottis says
June 6, 2016 at 5:58 pmI haven’t tried it without the honey, but you certainly can try. If it seems dry, add a little more liquid to give it the right consistency.
Nathan says
June 20, 2016 at 1:51 pmWe use a gluten free flour mix we mill ourselves with this recipe, delicious. We had it with chili and it worked great!
★★★★
JoAnne says
January 21, 2017 at 4:31 pmcheck out Azure Standard for organic Mesa harina (and other products) very inexpensive to buy and eat organic! Thanks for the recipe! i’m making it without sweetener!
Douglas says
February 17, 2017 at 12:00 amTortilla recipe….
Mass Harina
Water
Fry in pan
Halle Cottis says
February 17, 2017 at 8:02 amSounds great!
Sharon says
April 7, 2018 at 11:23 amFor your healthier cornbread recipe can I use tapioca flour? Thank you.
FoodBrain says
February 21, 2019 at 4:16 pmI made this recipe in the form of muffins, and they’re fantastic. I used 1/4 cup maple syrup instead of honey + sucanat and am pleased with the results. Thank you!