jack cheese – Eat the Vegan Rainbow

Spicy and Cheesy Corn Muffins, via Eat the Vegan Rainbow

Corn bread and corn muffins are a great way to enjoy freshly baked bread but without the agony of waiting for dough to rise and wondering whether the yeast is still alive. Corn bread and corn muffins are also very customizable – you can make them into a sweet tasting treat or you can add savory ingredients and make them into a complex tasting appetizers or breakfast items.These corn muffins are spicy, thanks to a good amount of fire roasted green chili peppers and vegan pepper Jack cheese. They also include a secret ingredient- pickles! Pickles add a bit of acidity and crunch to the muffins, pushing them over the edge of plain and into the area of edgy and fabulous.

What can you serve these with? Well, they go really well with a chili or a soup like the Bean & Leek Soup with Soy Chorizo, or Balkan Cabbage and Bean Stew. The muffins are somewhat similar to Balkan Style Cornbread but they do use green chilis and pickles whit gives them a very specific and spicy flavor. This means that they work well as appetizers, especially when paired with some guacamole. They are great for breakfast or a quick snack, and would complete any salad. They are best fresh from the oven, but should keep well for couple of days.

Spicy, and oh, so cheesy, Corn Muffins, via Eat the Vegan Rainbow

Spicy and Cheesy Corn Muffins

What you’ll need:

1 1/2 cups yellow corn meal

1/2 cup corn starch

1 cup rice flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 pickles, finely chopped

4 oz (113 g) fire roasted diced green chiles

1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese, vegan

1 1/4 cup seltzer water

Cooking spray

What you’ll do:

Preheat the oven to 400 F (205 C).
In a large mixing bowl combine all the ingredients except seltzer water and mix well.
Add 1 cup of water and mix. Keep adding the last 1/4 cup gradually to make sure your batter is smooth but not runny. Let stand for 10 min.
Spray the muffin tin with cooking spray and divide the batter into 12 even amounts.
Place the muffins in the oven for 10 min, then lower the heat to 350 F (180 C) and bake for another 25 to 30 minutes.
These corn muffins come out bright yellow and are ready to eat after you let stand and cool for 10 to 15 minutes.