The hubby and I have been eating a lot lately; big meals, heavy meals. He asked that whenever possible this week, we eat light. So I’m obliging him tonight with a spaghetti squash soup . It’s simple and light and that will hopefully help us feel a little less thick around the waist when we enter the next weekend that will, once again, entail lots of fatty (and delicious) food.
I wanted to make some cornbread to go with the soup, so we’d at least have SOME substance to go with the soup. But I was kind of wanting to try a gluten-free cornbread, and not only that, but I thought it should be possible to make one that would have the same base as these white bean blonde brownies (which are, I might add, really good). A couple of experimental substitutions later and out of the oven came this protein-packed, tasty green chile and cheddar cheese cornbread.
I tried to warn my husband when he snagged a taste that it’s not your traditional cornbread. If you’re used to Jiffy or the really light, fluffy sweet stuff, this might not be up your alley. The husband tried it, though, and declared that it was “surprisingly delicious.” Since most of my food is delicious, I was a little taken aback at the declaration that it was “surprisingly” so. However, he later realized that he liked it so much because it tasted to him like the outside of a tamale. So maybe next time I make this, it will be with a posole or enchilada soup, not a light squash soup.
For adding protein and substance to our light-and-healthy meal, though, it certainly does nicely.
Garbanzo Bean (Gluten Free) Cornbread with Cheese and Green Chiles
1 can chickpeas/garbanzo beans
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cumin
2 large eggs
1/2 c. cornmeal
1 can (4 oz) green chiles
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.
Drain and rinse the garbanzo beans. Combine them in a food processor with 2 eggs. Puree thoroughly until there are no chunks of beans left. Add the baking powder, salt, cumin and cornmeal and pulse until thoroughly combined. Stir in the green chiles and cheese.
Pour batter into a greased 6×9 pan. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until a wooden toothpick comes out clean. Cool thoroughly (at least 20 minute) before slicing into them.