I find that some of the best recipes are those that are handed down through the generations, but in this day and age the internet has changed this a bit. You can find an entire spectrum of recipes (from delightfully perfect to completely awful) when you search for something like sprouted cornbread, so it's hard to know which to trust.
So I was especially thrilled when I discovered my friend's recipe for sprouted cornbread. She had modified it from one of her favorite southern cookbooks, and the recipe is full of healthy fats which make it both delicious and nutrient-dense. It tastes like a family secret!
I've made this recipe over and over and my family loves it every time.
Since I don't have a good, large cast iron pan (gasp!), I needed to modify this hand-me-down recipe for a regular baking dish.
My version is still brimming with cream, cheese, and yogurt, but I've added a bit more flour to make it more cakey and less custardy. And while I LOVE jalapeno corn bread, there's no way my spice-sensitive kids would go for it, so my version is sans peppers.
How to choose healthy corn products
If I were you, I'd use caution when buying and eating corn products, since corn is one of the top GMO crops on the market today. By buying organic corn only, you will avoid eating genetically modified versions. You can read why GMOs are bad in this post on GMO and infertility.
Beyond organic, I prefer to use corn flour that has first been sprouted and dried before it is ground. Personally, I like to save as much time in the kitchen as possible, so rather than sprouting or soaking my own corn, I buy it online. You can find it here.
Sprouting helps to break down the anti-nutrients (such as phytic acid) in corn and makes the niacin (vitamin B3) more bioavailable. Throughout history traditional people soaked corn in lime water for the same reasons. For societies who rely heavily on corn, proper preparation is essential to survival, since a niacin deficiency can result in a deadly disease known as Pellagra.
But enough about that… Let's make some cornbread!
Sprouted cornbread ingredients
- 1 1/2 c. sprouted cornmeal, plus 1 T. for pan – get it here
- 1/2 tsp. sea salt
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 2 large eggs preferably from chickens raised on pasture
- 2/3 cups yogurt
- 1/3 cup reserved bacon fat (or use grass-fed butter, ghee, or coconut oil)
- 3/4 cups organic corn, frozen
- 1/2 cup cream, from grass-fed cows
- 1 cup cheddar cheese from grass-fed cows, grated
- 1 8×12 pan (glass or non-reactive metal) – Got cast iron? Try this method instead.
Sprouted cornbread method
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- In a small saucepan, melt the fat and set aside to cool.
- Combine cornmeal, sea salt and baking soda in a small bowl.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs.
- Stir in yogurt and melted/cooled fat and mix well.
- Stir in dry ingredients.
- Fold in the corn, cream, and grated cheese.
- Using your fingers, grease the bottom and sides of a glass or non-reactive metal 8×12 pan and dust with cornmeal.
- Pour batter into the greased pan.
- Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until it’s golden brown all over the top and is starting to pull away from edges of pan. When done, remove from oven and let cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing.
Active time: 20 min.
Total time: 1 hr.
Love this recipe but couldn’t find the sprouted cornmeal in the ‘get it here’ link. Would love to order some.
Julie – here’s the link for the sprouted cornmeal: http://bit.ly/SproutedCornFlour
Is cornmeal the same as corn flour? I thought that the flour was more finely ground. Is that what was used in your recipe? Can’t wait to try this. Thanks!
Hi Maryanne, I use sprouted corn flour. It works great. I think the recipe will turn out delicious either way, just slightly different. Let us know how it turns out!