Vegan Cornbread

Cornbread

4 Servings

One of the most popular American quick breads, cornbread is traditionally made with milk or buttermilk and eggs. This vegan alternative can be spiced up with chopped jalapenos or green chile for a delicious Southwestern twist.

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups yellow cornmeal (organic and stone ground, if possible)
1 1/4 cups unbleached white flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/2 cups boiling water mixed with 2 tablespoons expeller-pressed canola oil, plus a little extra for oiling the skillet

Instructions:

1. Heat oven to 425° F. Lightly oil a cast-iron skillet with a little canola oil. Heat it in the oven while you mix the cornbread batter.

2. In a large bowl stir together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, brown sugar and salt.

3. Add the boiling water mixed with 2 tablespoons canola oil and stir to mix, but do not overbeat. Add additional hot water if necessary to make a light batter.

4. Spoon batter into the hot cast-iron skillet. Batter should sizzle when it contacts the skillet. Bake 30 minutes or until the cornbread is light brown on top and springs back to the touch.

5. Cut into wedges and serve.

Nutritional Information Per serving:

198.5 calories; 5 g total fat (0.4 g sat); 34.2 g carbohydrate; 3.8 g protein; 1.6 g fiber

Banana Bread

5 ripe bananas
3/4 cup agave nectar or 3/4 c. sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups spelt flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

Whole Wheat Bread

3 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1 1/4 t. salt
1 c. warm water
2 1/4 t. yeast
1/4 c. agave nectar
1/4 c. vegetable oil
1/3 c. soy milk

Combine dry ingredients.
Mix yeast into water and let rise for 10 minutes.
Combine all liquid ingredients, including risen yeast and water.
Mix flour into wet mixture.

Knead dough until it becomes elastic - about 6 minutes.

Grease a large bowl, plop dough in it, and flip it upside down so the top of the dough is greased.
Turn oven to 200F for ONE MINUTE.
Once oven is off, cover bowl with a thin towel (I use a cloth napkin) and place in oven for 1 hour OR until dough doubles in size (it's important to watch it because if it rises too much the bread will fall).

Take dough out, knead for about 2 minutes, and place in greased bread pan. Cover with plastic wrap.
Turn oven to 200F for one minute.
Place pan in oven for 1 hour OR until dough rises about 1 inch above the pan.

Remove plastic wrap and turn oven temp to 350 and bake for 25-30 minutes.

Pan-grilled Naan

I thought about titling this "Heaven in a Pan". For serious.

Since my fridge up and murdered all my perishable food, tonight's dinner had to be (canned) minestrone soup and toasted naan. Normally, I toast it in my toaster, then spread an eensy bit of butter on it. No butter tonight, though, due to the lamer fridge. Then, I remembered my mom making grilled naan one night when I was visiting Bellingham, so...

1. Heat a large-ish frying pan on medium.

2. Brush naan with a bit of olive oil.

3. Put oiled naan in pan for about 1-2 minutes per side. (Obviously, make sure to oil the other side of the naan once it's in the pan).

4. If desired, sprinkle one or both sides of the naan with a little somethin' somethin'. I sprinkled garlic powder on one of mine, and a wee bit of kosher salt on the other.

5. Eat. Make moaning noises 'cause of how good it is, but not so loud that your neighbors think you're doing something naughty.