For the Cajun seasoning
Mix the spices and herbs well and store in an airtight container.
This Cajun seasoning recipe can be found in the cookbook “Everyday Happy Herbivore” by Lindsay S. Nixon on page 277. However, you can also simply add the individual ingredients directly to the vegetables in Step 5 below. And instead of the onion and garlic powder called for, you can also use fresh onion and garlic. As a general guideline, 1 teaspoon of onion powder is equivalent to 1½ tablespoons of fresh onion and ¼ teaspoon of dried garlic to 1 clove of onion.
For additional ingredient substitutions, see section 13, Condiments and Spice Blends, of the cookbook.
For the Cajun cornbread casserole
Preheat oven to 200 °C (400 °F). Grease an 8- or 9-inch baking pan or casserole dish.
Drain tomato juices into a skillet and chop tomatoes into smaller pieces. Set chopped tomatoes aside. If necessary, add water until a thin layer of liquid covers the skillet.
Peel and dice the onion. Clean and mince the celery stalks. Peel and mince the garlic. Wash and remove the seeds and membranes from the bell pepper and then dice. Add the vegetables to the skillet and sauté over high heat until onion is translucent, bell pepper slices are tender, and all of the water has evaporated, about 4 minutes.
This recipe for four servings calls for one small onion.
Turn off heat and mix in 1–2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning, chopped tomatoes, and kidney beans, stirring to combine. Set aside.
1–2 tablespoons of Cajun seasoning is suggested for four servings. You can adjust the amount to your taste.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk cornmeal, baking powder, salt and, if desired, additional Cajun seasoning (several dashes, so the mix looks speckled when stirred). Then stir in nondairy milk and applesauce. It should be thick but spreadable, like hummus, and not dry.
The original recipe calls for cornmeal. We use whole grain cornmeal in this recipe; you can use a different type if you wish.
You can also add 1 to 2 tablespoons of raw sugar if you would like to have a sweet cornbread topping.
The author lists rice milk for this recipe. You can replace the rice milk with any other type of plant-based milk.
Pour bean mixture into your baking dish and pat down firmly with a spatula. Spread cornbread mixture on top and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the cornbread is deep golden, cracked, and firm to the touch. Allow to set for 15 minutes before serving.
Detailed Nutritional Information per Person for this Recipe
The majority of the nutritional information comes from the USDA (US Department of Agriculture). This means that the information for natural products is often incomplete or only given within broader categories, whereas in most cases products made from these have more complete information displayed.
If we take flaxseed, for example, the important essential amino acid ALA (omega-3) is only included in an overarching category whereas for flaxseed oil ALA is listed specifically. In time, we will be able to change this, but it will require a lot of work. An “i” appears behind ingredients that have been adjusted and an explanation appears when you hover over this symbol.
For Erb Muesli, the original calculations resulted in 48 % of the daily requirement of ALA — but with the correction, we see that the muesli actually covers >100 % of the necessary recommendation for the omega-3 fatty acid ALA. Our goal is to eventually be able to compare the nutritional value of our recipes with those that are used in conventional western lifestyles.
This delicious and spicy cornbread-topped casserole combines the best of grains, beans, and vegetables into a mouthwatering meal.
Cornmeal: Cornmeal is made by grinding dried corn. It is ground to fine, medium, and coarse consistencies, none of which are as fine as wheat flour. There are various types of cornmeal — blue, yellow, and white. In Europe, corn flour and polenta are usually made from yellow corn, but white corn is also used as the basis for bread, polenta, tortillas, and many other specialties. Whole grain cornmeal, as with other whole grain flours, is made from grinding both the husk and germ, which results in a higher nutrient content than flours that have don’t contain the husk and germ. Whole grain cornmeal is gluten-free and has a low protein content. Where corn is a staple food, protein should be added from other sources.
Kidney beans: The kidney bean is a variety of the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) bean. The beans owe their name to their red color and kidney-like shape. Kidney beans have a very high protein content and are rich in vitamins and minerals. They are most famous as a main ingredient in Chili con Carne, for which there are many delicious meatless alternatives. Dried kidney beans can be stored for a long period of time when kept in a dry, airtight container. Canned kidney beans have an almost unlimited storage life. When using canned kidney beans, try to use salt-free and additive-free varieties whenever possible. Cooked kidney beans keep their shape without splitting and are great at taking up flavors and seasonings.
Celery: Pascal celery is a common variety of celery in the Apiaceae family (celery, carrot, or parsley family). Fresh celery stalks have a mild flavor and are pale white to yellow or light green. Fresh stalks are very crisp and juicy. With its high water content, celery is lower in calories than most vegetables. Essential oils, present in all parts of this plant, give celery its typical aroma. Celery stalks contain a relatively high number of antioxidants such as vitamin C and beta-carotene, along with polyphenols (phytonutrients), which inhibit or completely stop oxidation processes.
Green bell peppers: There are a large variety of peppers (Capsicum annuum) that are very different from one another and can be divided into a number of species and varieties. The most widely used variety of peppers in Europe and the United States are bell peppers. Most varieties change color as they mature, from green to red, yellow, or orange, depending on the carotenoids present. Green peppers have a more pronounced flavor than the sweet ripe red and yellow peppers. When this member of the nightshade family begins to ripen, chlorophyll levels decrease, and the colorful carotenoid pigments begin to appear.
Tips
Fresh ingredients: To maximize the health benefits, we encourage you to use as many fresh, unprocessed ingredients as possible. This recipe lends itself well to the use of fresh ingredients, but it will take a bit more preparation time. We provide directions for using fresh ingredients in the “Alternate preparation” section.
Alternate preparation
Sweet cornbread: You can also add 1 to 2 tablespoons of raw sugar if you would like to have a sweet cornbread topping.
Herbs: You can replace the marjoram in the Cajun seasoning with oregano.
Plant-based milk: You can replace the rice milk with any other type of plant-based milk.
Green bell pepper: You can replace the green bell pepper with a red or yellow bell pepper.
Examples of using fresh ingredients:
Instead of canned tomatoes and beans, you can use fresh tomatoes and dried beans that have been soaked and cooked. You can also make your own applesauce — peel and chop an apple, cook until soft, and then puree.
Garlic and onion powder can also be replaced with fresh ingredients. As a general guideline, 1 teaspoon of onion powder is equivalent to 1½ tablespoons of fresh onion and ¼ teaspoon of dried garlic to 1 clove of onion. See section 13, Condiments and Spice Blends, of the cookbook for additional ingredient substitutions.
