Crazy for Cornmeal!

When I'm baking, one of my favourite ingredients to use has to be cornmeal. Not only does it give a sweet, delicious crunch, but it is also a great source of fibre, antioxidants, and other nutrients. It's extremely versatile and can even be eaten by those with gluten allergies.

Corn is a North American staple, but it's also something to be a little bit careful with. Corn on the cob, corn chowder, corn tortillas, even popcorn are all fantastic and so tasty; however, this vegetable is now one of the main genetically modified crops grown in giant fields all over North America (and, sadly, throughout the world). The growth of this GM "corn" is subsidized by the government, leading to unfortunate items such as cheap corn syrup which can be found in many many many processed/packaged/fast foods. So on top of the debate re: genetically modified patented seeds which threaten life on earth, there's the whole cheap, low quality corn products issue. This GM corn is fed to farm animals to fatten them up, used for biofuel (along with GM soybeans, other sugar and starch crops grown in giant fields that wipe out life), and used to cheaply sweeten everything in sight.

Getting back on topic, corn and cornmeal are fantastic foods to integrate into your diet, and they are so versatile that it's very easy to do so. The key is to opt for organic, non GM choices. Not only will this benefit your health, but it will also send the message that you do not support the use of GM crops.

And now it's time for a scrumptious corn muffin, baked with plenty of wholesome whole grain cornmeal and muffin-y passion :)