How to make homemade cornbread

How to make homemade cornbread in hot water using a pressure-cooker.

I always ask myself 4 questions before embarking on a new dish.

1. Is it nutritious? If not, go no further?
2. Is it relatively quick. If not question whether it's worth the time.
3. Is it tasty? Less important but nevertheless a big factor.
4. Does it add something? Why go to all this trouble?
   

How to make moist cornbread

Personally I'm not fond of oven-baked cornbread; there is nothing wrong with it, I just prefer it cooked in steam. It is moister.

The pressure-cooker really comes into its own when making homemade cornbread; it's quicker, has a better texture and uses less energy.

How to grow corn

The average family of 5 may eat 20 to 30 ears per week. Thus is makes sense to plant rows every fortnight so there will always be young corn on the cob for enjoyment and excellent nutrition. They are one of the few easy sources of so-desirable whole grains.

Just 8 cobs a week would for example reduce the prevalence of a malignant breast tumour by a massive 50%^[1]. The World Cancer Forum recommends a whole grain at every meal. Knowing how to grow corn could be a life saver.

In our experience however there are usually a few older cobs that no one relishes. Knowing how to make homemade cornbread is a wonderful way to use up these hard ears.

whole grains

Whilst almost every nutritional guideline is encouraging folk to eat more whole grains, it still accounts for only 16%.

To be honest whole grains are hard to come by; this homemade cornbread is one simple way to increase our consumption. Picking the mealies from our green garden, slicing the pips off the cobs and preparing the dough took less than an hour. 15 portions will feed our family for several days.

whole wheat flour

There is no need to add any wheat flour to your homemade cornbread. However the gluten does unable the dough to rise and make a lighter cake.

Gluten gets a lot of bad press; but much of the stomach pain and bloating is caused by chemicals that modern bakers use to speed up the process.

• Meaning of gluten?
  

Extra protein

Really one need not be concerned about the GI of homemade cornbread made from mealies and wholemeal flour; but the protein in the egg does lower it further still.

Nevertheless if you are struggling with your weight, portion size is important; keep the glycemic load down and take a short walk after the meal.

Cornbread recipe with sour cream

Butter, cream and dairy products in general continue to be controversial. No question of it, cattle use a lot of water and contribute generally to greenhouse gases. The emphasis on cholesterol is being down-sized though since it's been shown that animal fats barely affect the levels in the blood; it is the refined carbs that are the spoke in the wheel.

It's our standpoint that folk enjoying whole grain foods, legumes and plenty of greens need have little fear of butter and cream.

So we enjoy this cornbread recipe with sour cream without anxiety; a little guilt for the negative contribution to the environment. Perhaps we will try olive oil next time. Fats lower the glycemic index of starches; they reduce hunger pangs and give satiety.

How to make homemade cornbread

How to make homemade cornbread using minced green mealies; add some wholemeal flour, a beaten egg and some cream. Steam it for half an hour under pressure.

Remember it's the refined grains that raise our cholesterol and add layers in all the unwanted places.

Once you know how to make homemade cornbread, you could prepare it every week and not add on an ounce.

Nutritious, quick, tasty, add something?

1. This dish is 100% whole grain; mainly corn and some wheat flour. It ticks all the right boxes in terms of preventing malignant tumours, cardiovascular disease and type-2 diabetes.
2. By using a pressure cooker it is reasonably quick; one hour from start to finish.
3. It is extremely delicious.
4. By adding an egg and cream the GI of the whole mealies is lowered even further. This is a good way use up ears that are too hard for regular corn on the cob.
   

Time?

There is one more thought on the time taken to prepare the dish. How does it compare with just eating corn on the cob, plus an egg scrambled with milk and a little cream?

The truth is that it takes a good deal longer, but it does find a use for corn that has passed its sell-by date; it's become too hard to chew.

I know how to make homemade cornbread but I will only spend this extra time when the mealies are getting rather hard; it extends the season so to speak.

Soft green mealies I would choose to eat as corn on the cob every time.

Chewing

I will still chew my homemade cornbread thoroughly. There is strong evidence that masticating properly lowers the likelihood of getting Alzheimer's Disease.

• Chew your food thoroughly
  

Honey

Don't use a high-grade raw honey for cooking. Heating reduces all the benefits and raises the glycemic index; only one teaspoon.

It's a big step up in nutrition when we get beyond everything having to taste sweet; nearly half of folk on the modern "industrial diet," that's us, are insulin-resistant. That means we either have the disease or are on the doorstep of diabetes; no thank you.

Campbell's twenty-year diabetes rule scares me; keep sugar and refined grains to an absolute minimum.

Whole grains and legumes

It's a bridge too far for the majority, I suppose, but we are trying to comply with the Cancer Forum's dictate that we should be having a whole grain and a legume with every meal.

I have watched too many go through that absolute misery; in season one could easily enjoy a small portion of this homemade cornbread for breakfast, lunch and supper.

• Breakfast: Corn bread and Eggs Parkinson's disease^[2].
• Lunch: Cornbread and hummus^[3].
• Dinner: Cornbread in a stew with meat and beans.
  

Hot water cornbread

So this hot water cornbread is our favourite; it is a true whole grain with a low glycemic index. It has a wonderful texture and does not take hours to prepare.

The pressure-cooker saves time and money; it should be one of the most loved kitchen appliances.

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