Breads & Muffins

Small Batch Jalapeño Cornbread Muffins

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Whether you’re cooking for a small number of people or you’re just wanting to limit carb-centric indulgences in the kitchen, there are a few reasons why making small batches of baked goods might appeal to you. For me it’s a combination of these two things. I generally prepare food for 2-3 people and if there is a full batch of piping hot muffins on the counter we are going to polish off every last one. I love this recipe, not only for its small yield, but also for the fact that it’s a total cinch to prepare. Toss everything in a food processor, spoon into muffins tins, wait 20 minutes, done.  It’s hard not to love that sort of simplicity, right?

 

I made these muffins with reduced fat cream cheese, but not so much that it lends an intense cheesy flavor to the muffins. It’s more of a textural element that I used in place of butter to keep them fluffy and tender. You could modify the recipe by adding in some shredded sharp cheddar cheese if you’re feeling a jalapeño cheddar vibe. Alternatively, you could omit the jalapeño entirely and have a great, simple cornbread on your hands.  Toss in a little bit of sugar if you prefer a sweeter cornbread.

Small Batch Jalapeño Cornbread
Serves 6
The batter for these flavorful, tender muffins comes together in minutes.
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Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
20 min
Total Time
25 min
Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
20 min
Total Time
25 min
Ingredients
  1. 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  2. 1/4 cup corn meal
  3. 1/4 cup dry polenta (this provides a texture that we enjoy, but you can use all corn meal if you don’t have polenta on hand)
  4. 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  5. 1 tablespoon olive oil
  6. 2 ounces reduced fat cream cheese
  7. 2 jalapeño peppers (remove seeds for less heat)
  8. 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  9. 1/4 teaspoon salt
  10. 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  11. 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
  12. 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk (you could use regular or soy milk, but it will increase the calorie count slightly)
  13. 1 1/2 teaspoons Ener-G egg replacer dissolved in 2 tablespoons of unsweetened almond milk (or one egg)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350F.
  2. Put all dry ingredients + the peppers into a food processor and pulse until the jalapeños are roughly “chopped”. You will pulse the dough a few more times so don’t worry about making it too fine.
  3. Add butter, olive oil, and cream cheese then pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse meal.
  4. Pour in almond milk and egg replacer and pulse until the dough just comes together. Do not over mix or you may end up with tough muffins.
  5. Spoon the mixture into your muffin tin, making six muffins. It will be thick so you may want to pat it down just a little. I leave it rough for a rustic texture on top (and because I’m lazy).
  6. Bake for 20-24 minutes or until the muffins start to brown slightly at the edges.
Calories
  1. 149
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Beans, Pastas & Grains

Black Beans w/ Jalapeno Cheddar Polenta

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When I asked Jah what he wanted for dinner last night he immediately said, “Mexican food.” Now this entree may not be exactly what you think of when you conjure up images of Mexican food, but it definitely has enough Southwestern flair to get the job done. Jah’s bowl was served with the beans (and their liquid) over the polenta, which he then stirred into a tasty (yet unattractive) slurry. I preferred to use a slotted spoon to eat the two things side-by-side. This way I feel really gives the polenta the attention it deserves and doesn’t drown out the subtle jalapeno flavor with bean juice. In the end we both decided that draining the beans is the way to go, but if you’re a slurry person by all means and your bean liquid and stir away. :)

 

Jalapeno Cheddar Polenta
Serves 4
A rich polenta side with subtle jalapeno flavor.
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Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
40 min
Total Time
45 min
Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
40 min
Total Time
45 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 Cup Coarse Grind Cornmeal
  2. 3 Cups Water
  3. 1 Bouillon Cube (I use Not Chick’n)
  4. 1/4 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
  5. 1/2 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
  6. 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
  7. 1 Cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese, grated
  8. 1 Jalapeno Pepper, diced (remove seeds for less heat)
  9. 1/4 Cup Milk (I used almond milk)
  10. 1 Teaspoon Butter
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375F. Using a little bit of your butter, grease the inside of a small baking dish. My dish is approximately 3-4 cups.
  2. There are two ways you can do this. I make my polenta in the rice cooker, which means I dump the water, stock cube, spices, and polenta into my rice cooker and set it for 20 minutes. I come back to give it a good stir and it’s ready to eat. If you don’t have a rice cooker you can do pretty much the same thing on a stovetop by covering your pot. The more traditional way to make polenta is to bring your cooking liquid to a simmer, add your polenta, and stir regularly until it’s thick and yummy (20-30 minutes).
  3. This step is optional: In a small bowl microwave your diced pepper for about 20-30 seconds, just to take a little of the crunch out.
  4. Add your jalapeno, 3/4 of the cheese, and milk to the polenta and stir until combined. Transfer to your small buttered dish, smoothing down the top so it’s relatively flat.
  5. Melt your remaining butter. Sprinkle top of polenta with 1/4 cup of cheddar cheese and drizzle with butter.
  6. Bake for 15 minutes, uncovered. Pop the broiler on for a few seconds at the end if you want your cheese more brown and bubbly.
Calories
  1. 244
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Seasoned Black Beans
Serves 6
Make simple canned beans taste homemade with a few tasty additions.
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Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
15 min
Total Time
20 min
Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
15 min
Total Time
20 min
Ingredients
  1. 2 Cans Low Sodium Black Beans
  2. 1 Can Diced Tomatoes with Chiles, drained
  3. 1/2 Onion, diced
  4. 1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder (or mince a clove of garlic)
  5. 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
  6. 1/2 Teaspoon Dried Cilantro
  7. 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
  8. 1 Bay Leaf
  9. 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
  10. 12 Reduced Salt Green Olives, sliced
  11. 1/4 Cup Fresh Cilantro, chopped
Instructions
  1. Heat the olive oil in a sauce pan and cook your onions (and garlic if applicable) until slightly translucent.
  2. Add canned beans, tomatoes, olives, and all seasonings. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
  3. Stir in fresh cilantro. Add a squeeze of fresh lime if you like.
Calories
  1. 175
Gouda Monster http://www.goudamonster.com/