Whole Grain Blueberry-Flax Cornbread

Delicious with dinner, or breakfast.  This version doesn't use much sugar (you could add more).

Prep time: 10 Minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Serves: 4-6

INGREDIENTS

1 ½ cups cornmeal (I used medium grind)

1 ½ cups whole-wheat flour

2 tablespoons flax meal

2 tablespoons sugar or equivalent (I used stevia extract)

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 ½ cups milk

¼ cup canola oil

1 cup blueberries

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 425F. In a large bowl, mix the cornmeal, flour, flax meal, sweetener, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, then whisk in the milk and canola oil.

Pour the egg mixture over the corn meal mixture and stir to combine into a thick batter. Stir in blueberries until just mixed. 

Scrape batter into an oiled 9x9 baking dish and bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. (Frozen blueberries work fine, but the baking will more like 25-30 minutes).

Serve warm with butter.

Photo and Recipe by Tod Dimmick

Blueberry Chocolate Bran Muffins

Outrageously rich, hearty muffins. Serve with butter, and a steaming mug of coffee (hot chocolate for the kids). These are the perfect start for a cold day. Don't tell the kids they are healthy.

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Yield: 14-16 muffins

Wet ingredients:

1 cup water

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup nonfat vanilla yogurt

1 cup milk

½ cup honey

¼ cup canola oil

Dry ingredients:

3 cups wheat bran

2 cups whole wheat flour

¼ cup flax meal

¼ cup almond meal

2 tsp baking soda

1tsp salt

1 cup blueberries

¼ cup 60% cacao chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 400F.

Boil the water (I heat it in a glass cup measure in the microwave) and then add 1 cup of the bran. Set aside to soak.

In a bowl mix the eggs, yogurt, milk, honey and oil.

In another bowl mix the remaining 2 cups of bran and the flour, flax meal, almond meal, baking soda and salt.

Stir the liquids into the dry ingredients until just blended. Then stir in the blueberries and chocolate chips. Spoon muffin batter into a muffin pan (I use two small rubber spatulas, and line the muffin pan with paper muffin cups for easy cleanup). Bake for 18 minutes, or until firm.

Variation: These can be made without sugar - to do this omit the honey, and use plain yogurt instead of vanilla, and use a little less flour (about 1/4 cup less, experiment for consistency). Add 1 tsp vanilla, and for sweetness use one of the growing number of accepted calorie free sugar substitutes. I use Stevia a lot these days.

Whole Grain Carrot Blueberry Muffins

 












The problem with fresh baked muffins like these is that it is hard to stop eating them. On the bright side, they are loaded with healthy ingredients.

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes

1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup wheat bran
1/3 cup sugar or equivalent
2 tsp. baking soda
2 eggs
1 very ripe banana
1 cup milk
1/3 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup (about 2 carrots), shredded
1 cup blueberries

Preheat the oven to 400.

Whisk the flour, bran, sugar, and baking soda in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl whisk the eggs . Add the banana and mash with a fork against the side of the bowl. Add the milk, yogurt, oil, and vanilla, and whisk thoroughly. Pour the liquid mixture, along with the carrots and the blueberries, into the bowl with the flour mixture and stir to create a thick batter.

Distribute batter equally to lined muffin cups, and bake for 20 minutes or until muffins are firm and a toothpick inserted into the biggest one comes out clean.

Note: If using frozen blueberries, add 5-10 minutes to the cooking time.

Note II: Whole grain recipes like this result in a satisfying, chewy crumb, very different (and -be prepared - more dense) than versions made with refined white flour. Once folks try whole grain treats like this, many never go back. Well, except maybe for those rare trips to places that serve a real baguette.

Photo and recipe by Tod Dimmick