Blueberry Cornbread (with Soaked Grains)

Cornbread is an all-time favorite in our household. We have tried many different recipes from a simple, sugar-free recipe that we would drizzle with maple syrup to a good 'ol Southern version with plenty of sugar and fat. After some tweaking here and there with a recipe a friend of ours gave us (definitely a Southern version), I think we have hit upon what we call "Mom's Magnificent Cornbread."

Soak (8hrs to Overnight):

1 c. milk or whey

3/4 c. whole grain flour

2 1/2 c. cornmeal

1 T. lime juice

Combine the above ingredients. The batter will not be runny but barely moist. There should not be any extra liquid that is not absorbed. If you need to add a tad more liquid to hydrate all of the flour feel free to do so.

Add to the Soaked Ingredients:

1/2 c. honey or agave syrup

2/3 c. coconut oil or melted butter

3 eggs at room temperature and slightly beaten

1 t. salt

3 t. baking powder

1/2 t. baking soda

1/3 c. frozen or fresh blueberries

Mix in the sweetener and the oil. Add the eggs (bringing them to room temperature with keep the coconut oil from hardening). Add the rest of the ingredients. Grease a 9 x 13 pan and sprinkle about half of the blueberries in the bottom. Pour in the batter. Sprinkle the rest of the berries on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes, until firm.

Of course at our house, nothing goes better with cornbread than a warm bowl of chili!

Whey Drop Biscuit (with Soaked Grains)

We have begun again to soak our grains before using them in breads, muffins, etc. Soaking grains in a liquid (lemon juice, yogurt, buttermilk, whey) breaks down the flour so the vitamins and minerals are easier to digest. The Nourishing Gourmet by Kimberly Harris is a great blog full of information on how to soak grains, recipes, you name it: http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/.

Breads made with soaked grains are denser than "just mixed" batter. I was pleased with my biscuits. They were dense and had a creamy flavor. Here is the recipe:

Soak (8hrs to overnight):

2 c. whole grain flour (I used spelt)

1 c. whey or buttermilk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees; Add to the soaked grains:

3 T. coconut oil

1 T. vanilla

1/2 t. salt

1 T. baking powder

1/2 t. baking soda

Mix in the oil, vanilla, and salt well; add the baking powder and baking soda. The baking powder and the baking soda will react, puffing up the batter. You can add more flour if you so desire to make a thicker batter. Using a large spoon, drop the batter on a greased baking sheet, about 9 to a pan. Bake the biscuits for 10-12 minutes. Take off the pan and cool on a rack. Can be eaten with just butter or butter and honey or agave syrup.

Note: The batter will be jelly like/congealed in texture when you soak it. You may have to use your hands or a fork to mix in the oil/vanilla.