Fit Fare

Cornbread can be a great Southern breakfast dish, side dish or even main dish. In South Louisiana breakfast might include leftover cornbread and milk. In Louisiana they call this Cush Cush. For lunch a piece of cornbread goes well alongside beans and rice, and for dinner a bowl of crawfish and cornbread casserole will warm your soul.

This recipe, adapted from Holly Clegg, a Louisiana cookbook author, is a household favorite. It is lower in fat than most cornbread recipes. The addition of corn kernels (canned or frozen), bell peppers, garlic or onion would increase the fiber content and add some color and extra flavor.

Cornbread
makes 16 servings

1 c yellow cornmeal
1 c all purpose flour
1 T baking soda
1 T sugar
1/2 tsp salt
4 large egg whites
1/4 cup canola, olive or peanut oil
1 1/4 c plain yogurt
1/4 c low fat milk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a 9-inch square baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. In a medium size bowl, blend the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar and salt together. In a separate bowl, beat together the egg whites, oil, yogurt and milk. Mix the liquids into the flour mixture until just blended. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 25 minutes.