Jeremy requested cornbread to go along with a pot of chili the other night, and I obliged with gluten-free blue cornmeal muffins studded with blueberries. These were possibly the best corn muffins I have ever tasted, with a slightly sweet flavor and moist texture that persisted for several days–unlike the standard variety, which goes stale and dry in the blink of an eye. I used organic blue cornmeal, which is not only gluten-free and non-GMO, but full of beneficial anthocyanins. I froze half the batch for later, but they stored so much better than the usual cornbread and we liked them so well that I am almost sorry I did! Ah well, they will make a nice treat on a busy day.

These were also Theo’s first taste of corn, and he adored them. Who needs more than two teeth when you are eating a tender cornmeal muffin?

Blue Corn Muffins

The original recipe, linked below, is gluten-free and vegan. I’m sure it would taste fine in that form as well, but I had two egg whites to use up and no almond milk on hand. Also, the original recipe was pretty much a carbohydrate bomb, and the addition of egg, milk, and olive oil helps boost the protein and fat content slightly. We thought they were delicious with blueberries, but the original calls for the addition of chiles, which would also be lovely.

2 C organic blue cornmeal
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder (this is a reduced amount for high altitude baking)
1/3 C raw honey or maple syrup
1/3 C applesauce
1 1/2 C whole milk (or dairy-free milk)
1 egg (or 2 egg whites)
1/4 C olive oil
1/3 C blueberries, chopped green chiles, or banana peppers (optional)

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Mix all dry ingredients: corn meal, salt, baking soda, baking powder. Mix honey, applesauce, egg, milk and olive oil in separate bowl. Pour wet ingredients into dry and mix well. Stir in blueberries or chiles.

Pour into 12-cup muffin pan, loaf pan, or 8″x8″ pyrex or a pie plate.  For muffins, bake 20-24 minutes (makes 20 1/4-cup muffins).  For pyrex or pie plate, bake 45-50 minutes.  For loaf pan, bake about 60 minutes.

Source: Adapted from The Palate Peacemaker.