Flavorful and satisfying savory whole food plant-based cornbread studded with fresh jalapeños and corn kernels. Pair it with a soup or salad for a well rounded light meal.
WHY I LOVE IT
Cornbread is an American culinary classic, so I’m thrilled to have created a version that is whole food plant-based (WFPB) adherent. The world of American cornbread is geographically split in the middle. Northern cornbread tends to be sweet and cake-like, while Southern cornbread is usually savory and crumbly. Though I love both types, this oil-free whole grain recipe has a distinctively Southern DNA (in a whole food vegan and crazy healthy kinda way). I love how this recipe comes together quickly and bakes up fast. Corn kernels accentuate the flavor of the yellow cornmeal while fresh chopped jalapeño make it pretty enough for special occasions while adding a layer of enticing Southwest flavor. This cornbread is a delightfully satisfying chewy, flavorful, addition to any meal.
CHOOSING YOUR CORNMEAL
I used Bob’s Red Mill’s gluten free stone ground corn flour for this recipe because it was the best alternative I could find that was a little finer than the medium grind cornmeal I usually use. This recipe is already very rustic and crumbly, so I like it better with a finer cornmeal. A medium grind cornmeal will still work and some may prefer it. Coarse grind is just too gritty for this recipe.
BENEFITS OF WHOLE SPELT FLOUR
Using whole spelt flour in baking is an easy and delicious way to add variety to our diet. As an ingredient in a recipe, whole spelt flour is interchangeable with whole wheat flour in almost all recipes. But interchangeable doesn’t mean identical. The nutritional profile is a little bit different with whole spelt flour having a bit more protein, zinc and copper than whole wheat. Also, whole spelt flour makes things a little denser and bouncier.
For me, it’s mostly about maximizing the health benefits of what I choose to cook. Whole grains are an essential component of a whole food plant-based practice. The greater the variety of whole grains we can get into our bodies, the greater the health benefits.
ALMOND FLOUR AND ALTERNATIVE
Almond flour adds flavor, nutrients and moisture to this recipe. The moisture comes from the natural fat content in whole almonds. If nut allergies are an issue, a good substitute for almond flour is sunflower seed flour which you can make by pulsing sunflower seeds in a food processor or high speed blender until smooth and flour-like.
CORN KERNELS
When fresh corn is in season I prefer to use kernels from freshly cooked corn on the cob for this recipe. My favorite way to cook corn on the cob is oven baking the corn without removing the husk. You can also use uncooked corn kernels if you prefer, and frozen corn kernels are also fine. You don’t need to thaw frozen corn kernels, but you may want to increase the cooking time for the cornbread by two or three minutes if using unthawed frozen corn. Canned corn kernels would probably also work but I haven’t tried using them. If you want to use canned corn kernels, strain them and pat them dry before using.
OIL-FREE STICK PROOFING
Traditional Southern cornbread is often made in a preheated greased skillet giving it a deliciously browned under-crust. If you don’t mind getting some of oil in your cornbread, you could use that method for this cornbread recipe too.
Because I try to be whole food plant-based (WFPB) adherent, I avoid using added fats in my recipes including using oil as a way of stick proofing baked items. For molded cakes, breads, muffins and the like, my favorite way to stick proof pans is to use preformed parchment paper liners. You can get parchment paper and paper baking cups just about anywhere and that’s all you need for baking sheets and muffin pans. Pre-formed liners for loaf and cake pans are not available at most US grocery stores, but they are available online. They’re worth getting if you do a lot of baking. I love using DecoPac siliconized paper cake pan liners instead of greasing and flouring my cake pans. These liners not only help me avoid using added fats, they also save time. Another option is to shape your own liner by crumpling up a sheet of parchment paper before fitting it into a pan.
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Vegan Jalapeño Cornbread Whole Grain Oil-Free
Equipment
- One 8 inch cake pan
- parchment paper liner
- medium to large mixing bowl½
- Cake Spatula
Ingredients
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal (fine or medium grind)
- 1 cup whole spelt flour (whole wheat flour is also ok)
- ½ cup almond flour
- 1 Tbsp ground flaxseed
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup plain unsweetened plant-based yogurt
- ⅓ cup apple sauce
- ¼ cup unsweetened plant milk
- kernels from 1 ear of corn, cooked* or raw (about 3/4 cup of kernels) (frozen corn is also ok)
- 1 jalapeño pepper, chopped (about 1/4 to 1/3 cup)
Instructions
- Line cake pan with parchment paper liner and preheat oven to 375℉
- In a medium to large mixing bowl, combine cornmeal, whole spelt flour, almond flour, ground flaxseed, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- To the mix of dry ingredients in the bowl, add yogurt, apple sauce and plant milk. Mix with cake spatula until all ingredients are evenly distributed and dry ingredients have been completely moistened. The batter will be quite stiff.
- Fold in corn kernels and chopped jalapeños.
- Pour batter into parchment lined cake pan and bake for 20 minutes in preheated 375 ℉ oven. When cornbread is done it will be full set and golden on top.
- Cool and serve**
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