I am definitely making this for the Fourth of July:
Cornbread in a bowl.
Like traditional corn casserole, but without the cream, lard, and the day’s-worth of saturated fat.
Many years ago, at a 4th of July barbecue, a neighbor brought a dish called “Aunt Linda’s Corn Casserole,” and everyone went crazy for it. As it turned out, there was a reason we loved the recipe so much: How can a recipe not taste good when it basically consists of eggs, sugar, corn muffin mix, and a whole lot of butter? (The challenge is making a recipe taste good without these ingredients.)
A few weeks ago, while going through old papers, I came across a scribbled sheet with “Aunt Linda’s Corn Casserole” and decided it had been much too long since I’d eaten that deliciously deconstructed cornbread mess. To make the recipe healthier, I pretty much changed every single ingredient until it looked nothing like the original… but incredibly, it tastes just as good!
Lightened Up Corn Casserole
(gluten-free!)
- 1/2 cup fine-ground cornmeal (85g) (whole-grain or regular)
- 1/2 cup broth (I used No Chick’n broth)
- 1 cup milk of choice
- 1/4 tsp salt
- Sweetener of choice (Amount will depend on your tastes, as well as the types of milk and yogurt you’re using. Use your favorite sweetener: maple syrup, stevia, agave, sugar, etc.)
- 2 1/2 cups fresh, frozen, or canned corn (drained if canned) (300g)
- 2/3 cup silken-firm tofu (Mori-Nu brand) (160g) or yogurt of choice (such as Wholesoy)
- optional: 2 tbsp coconut oil or Earth Balance, for a buttery flavor
In a medium pot, combine first 4 ingredients (and corn, if using raw) and heat on low-medium. Whisk periodically to prevent lumps. When desired thickness is reached, add all other ingredients and stir to combine, then take off the heat immediately. (If using Mori-Nu silken-firm tofu, blend it with 3 tbsp water before adding to the other ingredients.) I didn’t bake, since this is a summer casserole. But if you don’t happen to live in an area with scorching summers, feel free to experiment with baking the dish.
Question of the Day:
Did you know that corn isn’t really a vegetable?
Technically, it’s a grain. But we eat corn like a vegetable, and it has ten times more Vitamin A than other grains, so we call it a vegetable. The USDA still considers sweet corn (not cornmeal) to count towards your 5-a-day fruits and veggie servings.
Link of the Day:
