Breadbaking Day #36: Linking Up with a Breadbaking Event

This event calls for making a bread that uses any type of corn product in the bread. It can be a yeast or non-yeast based bread. The link is on the side of my blog.

I found the Breadbaking Day Event because I follow the blog, Zesty South Indian Kitchen at http://kitchenswathi.blogspot.com/. I love Indian cooking; especially southern Indian. And, Swathi uses fresh, whole ingredients. She also meshes together "American," and Indian cuisine. Which means, she uses what she finds on the produce shelves in most grocery stores and incorporates it into Indian recipes.

The Breadbaking Day Event is hosted by Heather at Girlichief. You can get to her blog b;y clicking to the link to the event on the side of my blog or Girlichief's Blog Anyway, Heather hosts this month's Breadbaking Day Event and she chose Corn as the special ingredient for this month's bread. To participate, you email her some basic information (you will see it on the link) about your recipe and a link to your blog. She already has gotten back with me on a thing or two and has proven to be a most gracious host.

I don't usually use a recipe when I cook. In Florida, with the humidity levels ranging from 50 to 99% most moisture levels in recipes in real life vary from a recipe card. However, breads are probably the one of the food types that I do try to stick to a recipe and only vary with either wheat gluten (so I don't add additional yeasts) or liquids. I don't eat egg. The only dairy I usually eat is Greek Yogurt (usually Cabot, but it has to have LIVE ACTIVE cultures). So, it is the Greek yogurt that goes into the bread for moisture and the wheat gluten helps it to rise (along with the yeast) if the humidity is really high. But the recipe today doesn't call for yeast. It is a cornbread recipe.

I adapted the recipe from a Corn Bread recipe in Laurel's Kitchen. I, like I said, adapt all my recipes. And, not only because of not adding eggs, or butter, or milk, but because I also like to add whole wheat or other grains, seeds or nuts into the recipe.

Here are some of the products I used. The herbs/spices, and soda/powders, and arrowroot I buy in bulk.

Corn Bread Cous Cous Muffins

2 cups yellow plain cornmeal
1/2 cup whole wheat flour (ground)
1 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 Tbsp. arrowroot
1tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. curry
1/4 tsp. turmeric

1-3 Tbsp agave (or honey)
1 C. Greek Yogurt
1-2 Tbsp. softened Earth Balance (or olive oil spread)
2 C. Soy Milk

3/4 C. Cous Cous (Moroccan)
1/2 C. boiling water

1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds or previously spiced with cumin/curry (if you have them about)

***********************************
Preheat oven to 400 F.

Place the cous cous in a small bowl. Pour the 1/2 boiling water to cover and set aside.

In a large bowl stir the dry ingredients together, making sure there are no lumps of baking soda or powder.

Mix liquids together and add alternately the dry ingredients and the cous cous, stirring smooth. Scoop into oiled muffin stone or tins and bake for 20 minutes.

Sprinkle with raw (or curried) pumpkin seeds 10 minutes into baking. After taking the muffins from the oven sprinkle with a little organic raw sugar.

Makes about 10 large muffins.

Tom and I eat mostly raw, uncooked foods in the Spring and the Summer. But in the Fall and the Winter. I love to use the oven. To cook by the stove/the hearth. To bake breads. We eat squashes and stews. Slow foods; hot and steaming. These muffins, yes you know, great with a big pot of chili! It is on the stove right now.

Another cold-front came through this afternoon. The sky is gray. Tom will be home after his shift at the hospital, and even though it'll be late, we'll eat a big bowl of chili and hot buttery (Earth Balance, yep!) muffins. And go to bed on a full stomach. This is a winter blessing come true. Not much. Just simple. But means everything to me.


Peace.
Brianne

http://www.girlichef.com/2011/01/announcing-bread-baking-day-36-corn-y.html