WONDERFUL Healthiest Cornbread!

I just have to share this!!!  I began an experiment yesterday after finding a great homemade cornbread recipe yesterday.  There were three versions of this recipe.  The first version called for sugar and canola oil.  Since we don't use processed sugar in this house and canola oil is genetically modified, I chose to use the 2nd and the 3rd versions of this recipe.  Both the second and third versions called for honey and coconut oil in them so they were my choice.  So what was the difference in the last two recipes, you ask?  I am excited to report that it provided me with an experiment in side by side taste testing of "soaked" flours.  This method is similar to "sprouting the grain" before grinding it, which I have yet to do, as I still have traditional flours on hand.

I was also excited to realize that the cornmeal flour I bought a few weeks back was actually labeled as NON-GMO!!  So I felt very safe introducing that to my family's diet!  When I originally bought that cornmeal, I did not have much thought about GMO - this has been a new learning experience for me, like everything else I am doing.  When I first brought it home, I put as much as would fit into a coffee can with a tight lid but I left the remainder of the bag in the back of the cupboard.  Yesterday I found the source of the occasional moth I have seen in my kitchen.   The cornmeal in the coffee can was fine but in the bag I found a bunch of moths.  Lesson learned:  Store your flours in an airtight container or even the refrigerator or freezer!!

So on to the cornbread...  Here are the recipes I worked from and I will share the results with you at the end of the blog.


Cornbread: Healthy Upgrade:  Better Fats and Sweetener
Mix together:
1 c. cornmeal (make sure it’s not “degerminated”)
1 c. whole wheat flour
4 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
2 Tbs. honey
Make a well and add:
2 beaten eggs
1 c. milk (see below to use yogurt or buttermilk)
¼ c. melted coconut oil or butter
Stir until just smooth.  Pour into greased 9×9 pan and bake 25 minutes at 400 degrees.  Serve hot.

HealthiER upgrade:  Soaked
What does Soaking Grains mean?
Mix together cornmeal and flour (the one cup each from the original recipe) with a total of one cup buttermilk and/or yogurt (this is in place of the milk, and you can use whatever you have on hand, one or both options).  Soak at room temperature overnight, then add baking powder, baking soda, salt, eggs, honey and coconut oil or butter at baking time.  Change:  Reduce baking powder to 2 tsp. and add 1 tsp. baking soda. Be careful to stir the baking powder, soda and salt in evenly.  Dishes saver: You can melt the coconut oil or butter in the 8×8 pan in the oven as it preheats.  Cook as directed above.
Note:  I love to make this in a cast iron skillet for a little added rustic-ness!

Make sure and copy this recipe to a word document so you can save it in a file somewhere for use later!

Yesterday I started with 2 batches of this recipe.  The first was put together and baked yesterday without soaking.  When tasted from the oven last night I have to admit I was a bit disappointed with the finished product.  It tasted a bit grainy and dry, but with a little butter and honey on top, it was edible.  When I put together the first batch, I started the second batch...  Using one cup of whole what flour and one cup of cornmeal, I used the last cup of my homemade plain yogurt to mix into it and left it on the counter all night.  (don't worry, I covered it, as I did not want some moth to jump in!)

I was a little nervous about leaving that batter bowl out at room temperature all night but took a leap of faith for experimental purposes and did just as directed.  The flours soaked all night in the yogurt.. actually for about 15 hours.  This morning I pulled off the lid expecting to find or smell something gross, but did not find anything amiss in that bowl.  So I continued with recipe #2 above.

Making a well in the wet flour, I added the eggs and honey.  It was a very dry mixture so I added a little extra milk (about 1/4 cup) in order to stir it in well.  Then I added the dry ingredients, mixing well.  While that was happening I melted the coconut oil in the pan I was to bake it in, in a pre-heating oven.  That accomplished melting the oil and greasing the pan very effectively.  So last I added the coconut oil and mixed well before placing in the oven to bake at about 350 degrees.  When using a glass pan or using honey in a recipe it is important to keep the heat lower than the recommended heat to prevent burning.  When adding the coconut oil and honey to this mixture, I measured then added a bit more for good measure.

Pulling this out of the oven, I could actually see a difference.  It had cooked a little more uniformly and smelled great.  Then I did a side by side taste comparison and made Mike eat a piece of each.

The cornbread made with the soaked flour was WAY superior to the one made with raw flour.  It was moist, smooth, and tasted much better.  After eating a piece of that soaked cornbread almost an hour ago, I can tell you that my gut still feels good (no wheat-in-the-gut reaction from my innards). 

I am now a firm believer in soaking my flour mixtures!!  Or better yet, sprouting and grinding my own grains!  Here is a little more information on why to soak or sprout your grains:
http://lifeonpurposemama.blogspot.com/2011/01/soaking-flour-whys-and-hows.html