Happy Fall, Y’all! It’s officially “comfort food season” and we are so here for it! Today we are making a super-easy Jalapeño Cornbread that goes perfectly with our Signature Chili recipe, which we shared in our last post. I’m going to let you in on a little not-so-secret secret about Dillon: he is NOT a baker. If Dillon can whip this cornbread up, you definitely can too!
Cornbread and a whole food plant-based diet don’t sound like they’d go well together, do they? After all, cornbread is usually made with heaps of salt, oil, sugar, and white flour. I’d like to take this moment to emphasize the fact that just like there’s a vegan version of just about every traditionally non-vegan food, there’s also a healthy vegan way to make just about anything.
The secret to making a truly whole food cornbread is to use a combination of masa harina and cornmeal and there’s a big difference between the two. Masa Harina literally translates to “dough flour.” This naturally gluten-free flour is used to make tortillas and tamales. It’s different from corn flour or cornmeal because the corn is soaked in lye or lime water. Soaking the corn infuses it with calcium and niacin, making it easier for the body to digest and giving it a distinctive flavor. Once it’s soaked, the corn is rinsed several times to remove any residue. Then, it’s dried and ground into “instant” flour. Just add water and you’re ready to go!
For the cornbread, we’ll start by making a dry mix and a wet mix. The dry mix will contain our masa harina, cornmeal, and some sodium-free baking powder. We use the Ener-G baking powder because it’s the only one we’ve found that’s truly sodium-free, aluminum-free, and potassium-free. This is the same baking powder we use in our Banana Pancake Mix.
The wet mix contains all the liquid ingredients, including soy milk, apple sauce, diced jalapeno, and corn kernels. Technically, the jalpeño and corn aren’t liquid but they have a high water content, so we mixed them in with the other wet ingredients. The apple sauce imparts a bit of sweetness but we use it in this recipe as an oil substitute. If you’re converting a traditional baked recipe to a healthy vegan version, just use applesauce anytime the recipe calls for oil! If you prefer sweeter cornbread, we recommend adding up to half a cup of Well Your World Date Powder(you will need to add more liquid to compensate). If you don’t enjoy spicy food, you can either leave the jalapeño out or use a milder chili pepper, such as pasilla instead.
Before mixing the wet ingredients into the dry, make sure your oven is preheated to 400º and your baking dish is ready to go. If you’re not using a non-stick pan, you may wish to line your dish in parchment paper to prevent sticking. It’s important that you do this before mixing the batter because as soon as the liquid goes in it will activate the baking powder. You want to work quickly so that you get the most rise from the baking powder. If you leave the batter sitting too long, it won’t rise as much (if at all).
When you pour the wet ingredients into the dry, start mixing it together with a whisk. Then, once it gets too thick to whisk, get in there with your favorite spoon or spatula to make sure all the dry and liquid ingredients are thoroughly combined. We don’t want little pockets of dry masa hitting our palates like sawdust do we? Nope!
Once everything is well-mixed, pour the batter into the baking dish and get it in the pre-heated oven. We found that 25 minutes in the oven was just about perfect. The edges were golden brown and starting to pull away from the sides of the pan and that’s the telltale sign we were looking for.
We made the mistake of digging into the cornbread straightaway. Please don’t do that. Let it cool for a solid 10-15 minutes before cutting it or it’ll fall apart and burn your mouth like it did Dillon’s. Are you surprised, though? Dillon always burns his mouth on hot food haha! So do as we say and not as we do on this one, mkay?
Aren’t you happy you can have cornbread again? We certainly are. This cornbread is sheer perfection with our Signature Chili recipe and will help keep you warm and cozy on chilly autumn nights. We hope you enjoy it!
Til Next Time, Xoxo Reebs
wellyourworld.com
The perfect accompaniment to your favorite vegan chili.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 1 cup masa flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ¼ cup soy milk
- 1/2 cup apple sauce
- 1 jalapeño, seeded & diced
- 1 cup corn kernels
Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 400°.
Add the cornmeal, masa flour, and baking powder to a mixing bowl and whisk together.
To another mixing bowl, add the soy milk, apple sauce, jalapeños (or a mild fresh pepper), and corn kernels and stir to combine.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mix and stir until well-combined.
Pour your finished mixture into a glass baking dish and bake for about half an hour. Your baking time will vary depending on the size of your dish. A loaf pan will take longer than a larger glass dish, which will take longer than a muffin tin. Experiment to find your favorite size.
FAQs
Melted, unsalted butter is the perfect substitute for oil, and can even add a richer flavor to baked recipes. Swap in butter for oil in a 1:1 ratio, melting butter in the microwave or on the stovetop. Vegan butter or ghee can also work in this instance.
How healthy is homemade cornbread? ›
Cornbread is a quick bread usually made using cornmeal, flour, vegetable oil, baking powder, and eggs. Although it's relatively high in carbs and sodium, it contains several important nutrients, including phosphorus, selenium, and B vitamins.
Why is Jiffy not vegan? ›
Jiffy cornbread mix is not vegan because it contains lard, a clarified fat derived from the belly of a pig.
Why do you put oil in cornbread? ›
Butter and oil: We use two fats in our cornmeal recipe. Butter adds flavor and color, while oil keeps the crumb tender and moist.
What is a healthy substitute for oil in baking? ›
Unsweetened applesauce, mashed fruit, or pureed fruit such as bananas, pears, and prunes may be substituted for vegetable oil in baked goods. You can substitute cup for cup. The texture of your foods may be altered slightly. For example, applesauce makes cookies moister and more cake-like.
What is the healthiest oil for cornbread? ›
This cornbread is made with coconut oil because it is healthier than vegetable oil and is said to help raise your good cholesterol. It does not change the taste of the cornbread.
What does cornbread do to your body? ›
Regularly eating whole-grain corn has been linked to a lower risk of certain chronic diseases, such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes, and may help support digestive health. Cornmeal also delivers vitamins and minerals including phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, selenium, and thiamin.
Which is healthier cornmeal or flour? ›
Cornmeal has fewer calories, sodium and carbs but more fibre than white flour. Cornmeal is also gluten-free. People who have an allergy to gluten can consume cornmeal. White flour is refined flour which doesn't have much nutrition and has very low fibre.
Does cornbread spike blood sugar? ›
Cornbread is made from cornmeal, which is a carbohydrate, and carbohydrates can raise blood sugar levels. However, choosing whole grain cornmeal and controlling portion sizes may help mitigate the impact on blood sugar.
Why can't vegans eat peanut butter? ›
The bottom line. Most types of peanut butter are free of animal products and can be enjoyed as part of a vegan diet. However, some varieties are made in facilities that also process animal products or contain refined sugar that was produced using bone char or non-vegan ingredients like honey or fish oil.
Beer and Wine
Isinglass, a gelatin-based substance derived from fish, is used as a clarifying agent in some beer and wine. Other non-vegan ingredients sometimes used are casein (from milk) and egg whites.
Which cornbread mix is vegan? ›
The Cotton Creations Vegan Honey Pecan Cornbread mix has the perfect balance of sweet and buttery. It's so moist you won't know if you're eating cornbread or cake. The mix includes a package of candied pecans and vegan honey (inside the bag of mix).
Is it better to use butter or oil in cornbread? ›
Oil changes cornbread's texture
Using oil will make your cornbread tender and moist while butter will give you heavier bread. Why do you get such different qualities from these fats? This is largely due to the fact that at room temperature, oil is a liquid while butter is a solid.
Can I use butter instead of oil in cornbread? ›
It couldn't be easier to substitute butter for oil using a 1:1 ratio. This should work with olive, canola, vegetable, and coconut oils. Simply melt and cool the butter to room temperature, then continue with your recipe. (If the recipe calls for ½ cup oil, use ½ cup melted and cooled butter.)
What can I substitute for butter in cornbread? ›
Rich, tasty and nutrient-dense, nut butters like almond, cashew, peanut and tahini make excellent butter substitutes for baking and cooking. They will help retain moisture in batter and dough and give your baked goods and other dishes a nutty flavor.
What can I use instead of vegetable oil in cornbread mix? ›
Vegetable oil can be replaced with a 1:1 swap of Greek yogurt or sour cream — just keep in mind that the tartness of these products might alter the flavor profile of the baked goods. If you want to try buttermilk, use ¾ cup buttermilk with ¼ cup of oil or melted butter to equal one cup of oil.
Can I replace oil with butter in cornbread? ›
It couldn't be easier to substitute butter for oil using a 1:1 ratio. This should work with olive, canola, vegetable, and coconut oils. Simply melt and cool the butter to room temperature, then continue with your recipe. (If the recipe calls for ½ cup oil, use ½ cup melted and cooled butter.)
Can you use butter instead of oil in cornbread? ›
While oil can make cakes and quick breads luxuriously tender, I find the cornbread lacks flavor if butter isn't present. Because butter doesn't make the bread as moist as oil does, I pair it with buttermilk. Buttermilk: Buttermilk makes cakes, muffins, and breads extra moist.
Can I substitute butter for oil in cornbread mix? ›
Can I substitute butter for vegetable oil in cornbread? Yes, you can. Use the same quantity specified in the directions. Melt the butter down, and then let it cool for a few minutes before adding it to the mix.
