delicious and healthy-ish cornbread?

[noya]

Planning to make cornbread for the first time, and want it to be delicious, but also, not SO unhealthy. Does anyone have a good recipe? Thanks!!

[Antilope]

Here's what I always use for corn muffins.

Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix Clone

Makes 8.5 ounces (equal to 1-box of Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix)
Makes 1-1/2 cups of mix
Makes 6 corn muffins

2/3 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup yellow corn meal
3 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp vegetable oil

Combine flour, corn meal, sugar, baking powder
and salt. Mix well with whisk.
Whisk in vegetable oil and mix until dry mixture
is smooth and lumps are gone.

To make corn muffins:
Preheat oven to 400F.
Combine above mixture with:

1-egg
1/3 cup milk

Fill muffin tins 1/2 full.
Bake 15-20 minutes
Makes 6 muffins.

[paulj]

What are your expectations (beside delicious and healthy)? There are several distinct types.

yeast breads - Italy, Portugal, New England make regular wheat bread with the addition of cornmeal. There was just a thread about Anadama bread (a NE version with molasses).

northern cornbread - a quick bread (baking powder) with roughly equal parts flour and cornmeal. May be sweetened, and may have lots of add ins (corn kernels, peppers, cheese, etc). If you haven't grown up with the southern style, you may find this most delicious. Think corn muffins.

southern cornbread - those who claim this is the only kind, focus on the lack of sugar, though I think the use of 100% cornmeal (no wheat flour) is more distinctive. If you did not grow up with it, it might seem dry and boring. Use of buttermilk, bacon fat, and a hot skillet that produces a crisp crust, help with flavor and texture.

spoon bread - an egg rich dish, almost more of a souffle than a bread. May be a good option if you want to serve it as a Thanksgiving side.

jonnycake etc - various dense corn cakes, made without a leavening agent. Often more of a baked corn mush. This is the most traditional kind.

These breads don't vary that much in 'healthy-ness'. The bulk of the bread is cornmeal and flour. Stone ground cornmeal will have more corn bran and germ. But if the supply is old it can be rancid. Ones without much fat can be boring and flavorless. And depending on your tastes, ones without sugar may not be delicious.

[wyogal]

I like to use a whole wheat flour, like Prairie Gold, Wheat Montana. You can cut back on the amount of sugar, too.
and remember, all things in moderation.

[noya]

Yes, planning to use WW flour, and reducing sugar.

[katecm]

My absolute favorite, if you like a sweeter (rather than bacony) cornbread. It's in the oven in about 3 minutes.

1 cup flour
1 cup cornmeal
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
3 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/3 cup veg oil

Mix all together. Bake in 9x9 pan at around 375 for 20-25 minutes.

[noya]

thx!

[noya]

ended up using this recipe, but cut the sugar in half and used white whole wheat flour. turned out fabulously! and actually, next time I'll cut the sugar by 60%, because it was still really sweet. thanks so much :-)

[paulj]

No harm in omitting the sugar entirely, or just use a couple of tablespoons.