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 corn bread 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 corn bread 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 lime water 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 sing 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!
- 1½ cup masa harina flour - You Can Buy It Here
- ½ 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
- ¼ cup raw honey - You Can Buy It Here
- 1 tbsp sucanat - You Can Buy It Here
- 1¼ cup whole milk or coconut milk
- ¼ cup grass fed butter or ghee, softened-You Can Buy It Here
- 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 8x8 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.
Resources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masa
Halle,
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.
[email protected] 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.
[email protected] is a link Eric http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0019L8I2G?tag=wholelifesn0f-20
I got mine at ALDI’S
My husband loves cornbread… will have to try this !!!
I was wondering what a better meal to use to make cornbread Thanks it’s that time of season of soup and chili.
I’ve never seen organic masa harina, but I’d sure like to.
[email protected] it is 🙂 http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0019L8I2G?tag=wholelifesn0f-20
I can’t wait to try this! I love cornbread, but don’t make it often…now I can! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Your 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
I 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.
That 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
I 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!
I don’t have spelt flour, can I just add an extra 1/2 cup of corn flour instead?
arroyovanessa sure can! You can also add another flour if you would like of your choice.
I feel good that I have just heard of it!
Do you think coconut oil or olive oil could sub in for the butter?
Thanks 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!
Will this recipe work in a cast iron skillet?
Sure would!
why doesn’t coconut flour work in this recipe?
I don’t like sweet cornbread. Will omitting the honey and sucanat create any problems?
I am not sure, I haven’t tried it without.
Last 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
So happy you like it Julene! 🙂
Hi – 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
I 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.
We use a gluten free flour mix we mill ourselves with this recipe, delicious. We had it with chili and it worked great!
check 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!
Tortilla recipe….
Mass Harina
Water
Fry in pan
Sounds great!