#GardenCuizine #Recipe: Cajun Country Cornbread with Chia Seeds and Garden Chile Peppers @American_Heart @nih_nhlbi

 Cajun Country Cornbread

with Chia Seeds and Chile Peppers

Garden fresh Jalapenos or any of your favorite hot peppers will spice up this wholesome country cornbread recipe. Mom does not like foods too hot or spicy, but she loves this recipe! 

This Cajun Cornbread recipe was inspired by Chef Paul Prudhomme's Louisiana Kitchen cookbook's Cornbread/Cornbread Muffin recipe. Chef Paul's cuisine is classic New Orleans style food at its best. We love NOLA foods, but as we do with any recipe, to optimize it for good heart health - always look at the sodium and fat content and reduce it if necessary. 

• Studies have shown that reduced sodium intake can lower blood pressure and prevent and control hypertension and prevent cardiovascular disease. 
• The current Dietary Guidelines recommend that individuals consume less than 2,300 mg of sodium per day. 
• The American Heart Association recommends even less, to no more than 1,500 mg of sodium per day. 
• Using salt in baked goods can jack-up your sodium intake. 
• Just one teaspoon of salt contains 2,300 mg of sodium! 
• Bottom line: use less salt in recipes, no added salt at the table, read food labels when buying foods, and beware of high sodium in restaurant meals and fast foods.

This recipe was adjusted to increase whole grains and keep the natural corn flavor and cornbread taste, while omitting excess sodium and fat. Fresh corn kernels can be added in addition to fresh herbs and/or fiber and omega-3-rich chia or flax seeds.

Putting it all together

Serves 8-10 
Ingredients

1 cup (125g) unbleached all purpose flour

2/3 cup (81g) cornmeal
1/2 cup (58g) corn flour
1/3 cup (40g) white whole wheat flour

1/3 cup (67g) sugar

1 Tablespoon (15g) baking powder

1 teaspoon chia seeds
1/4 teaspoon (1.5g) salt

1/3 cup corn kernels (optional)
1 1/3 cups 2% reduced fat milk
1 large egg
Dried or fresh minced hot peppers (Thai, Jalapeno, etc) 

2 Tablespoons (28g) butter, no salt

3 Tablespoons olive or canola oil

• In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients.
• In a small pot melt the butter with the oil. Stir in the hot peppers to infuse their flavor; simmer one minute. Stir in the milk. Set aside to cool.
• Whisk the egg into the cooled milk and oil mixture.
• Make a well in the dry mixture; add the liquid mixture to the dry and stir gently using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Be careful not to over mix.
• Spread into a lightly sprayed or buttered 8-10-inch baking dish or 10-inch cast iron skillet. Bake 350°F until done, about 30-50 minutes; time will vary depending on size of your baking dish.
• Serve with hot pepper jelly

Buon Appetito!

GardenCuizine Nutrition Analysis Corn Bread made with whole corn. Calculated from USDA nutrient values. 
Good Source: Whole Grains, Dietary Fiber, Protein, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Calcium, Selenium 
Serving size 1/10 of recipe (84g); Calories 228; total fat 9g (13%DV); saturated fat 2g (12%DV); Omega-3 582mg; cholesterol 30mg; sodium 226mg (9%DV); total carbohydrate 33g (11%DV, 2 CHO exchanges); dietary Fiber 2.5g (10%DV); sugars 8g; Protein 5g (10%DV); Thiamin 0.2mg (12%DV); Riboflavin 0.2mg (11%DV); Calcium 134mg (13%DV); Selenium 12mcg (17%DV)
Percent Daily Values (%DV) are based on a caloric intake of 2,000 calories for adults and children age 4 or older

Related Links:  
Check out Chia - A Super Salvia by Diana Wind
Chia - Super Seed Nutrition
Chia - An Indigenous Food 
Homemade Ground Pepper Spices Grow your own Hot Peppers!
Reduce Salt and Sodium in Your Diet