Ah, Chicken and corn bread...comfort food. BUT if the Jiffy Corn Bread Mix is a box that you keep in your pantry, let's check the ingredients...
INGREDIENTS: WHEAT FLOUR, DEGERM-INATED YELLOW CORN MEAL, SUGAR, ANIMAL SHORTENING (CONTAINS ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING: LARD, HYDROGENATED LARD, PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED LARD), contains less than 2% of each of the following: BAKING SODA, SODIUM ACID PYROPHOSPHATE, SALT, MONOCALCIUM PHOSPHATE, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMINE MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID.
Diets rich in trans fat (hydrogenated oils) cause a redistribution of fat tissue into the abdomen and lead to a higher body weight even when the total calories are in a "weight loss" range. This is why I HATE some common weight loss programs out there that push their own "pre-packaged" foods. The "apple" body shape that is accelerated by eating trans fat increases the risk of diabetes and heart disease.
Scientists have proven that every 1% increase in the portion of calories from trans fats translated to a 2-pound weight gain over 8 years. In other words, a woman who was consuming 6% of calories from trans fat would be 12 pounds heavier after eight years than a person eating no trans fat. Harvard School of Public Health looked at data on 16,587 men followed for 9 years and found that each 1% of increase in calories from trans fats was associated with an additional half-inch gain in waist circumference. So, let's make our own cornbread instead!
CREAMY CHICKEN:
3 TBS butter or coconut oil
1/4 large sweet onion, chopped
2 poblano chile peppers, seeded and diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
8 skinned and boned chicken breast halves, cut into bite-size pieces
1 tsp Celtic sea salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 serving HOMEMADE cream of mushroom soup
1 (8-ounce) container sour cream
1 (8-ounce) block sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
Cornbread Pancakes (recipe Below)
Melt butter in a Dutch oven. Add onion, chile pepper, and garlic; sauté 5 minutes. Add chicken, salt, and pepper; cook, stirring often, 8 to 10 minutes or until chicken is done. Stir in the rest of the ingredients (except cheese) and stir until smooth. Add cheese, and cook 7 to 8 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve over Cornbread Pancakes.
"CORNBREAD" PANCAKES:
4 eggs
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
Mix the ingredients and let them sit for five minutes (or overnight). Oil or grease a pan and heat over medium heat. Pour about a 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake, brown on each side before flipping it. Makes 8 servings.
NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON(per serving):
Traditional Dish = 853 calories, 35g fat, 60g protein, 65 carbs, 4.9g fiber
"Healthified" Dish = 597 calories, 29g fat, 61g protein, 10.5 carbs, 5g fiber
Serve with Nature's Hollow Honey.
