VeganMoFo: Day 23 – Iron Chef Coconut & Cranberry Johnny Cakes

I was feeling quite ambitious this morning and I really wanted to get involved in the VeganMoFo Iron Chef challenges, so I hopped into the kitchen before work and came up with these tasty Johnny Cakes.

My family is from the South, and Johnny Cakes – or cornmeal based breads of any type – are a popular food for breakfast or as a side dish to a main dinner course or bowl of chili. These Johnny cakes use the Iron Chef secret ingredient – coconut – in two ways, which gives them tons of flavor – something that can be lacking in a more basic version of the cakes. The cranberries give the cakes a more interesting texture, but you could sub in any type of dried fruit if cranberries aren’t your thing.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Cornmeal
• 1 cup Plain Coconut Milk
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 2 tsp Agave Nectar
• 1/4 cup Dried Cranberries
• 1/4 cup Toasted Coconut
• Non-Stick Cooking Spray

Directions:

1. Pre-heat a well-seasoned cast iron skillet or non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
2. In a large bowl mix together the cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the coconut milk and agave and stir well.
3. Add in the dried cranberries and toasted coconut. Mix well.
4. Once the skillet is hot enough (you can test by flicking a bit of water onto the skillet – if it sizzles then the pan is ready) spray the skillet with the non-stick cooking spray.
5. Ladle about 1/3 cup of batter onto the skillet and cook for approximately 1 – 1 1/2 minutes. The edges should start to get a little brown and dry looking and the top should be bubbling a bit. Flip the cake over and cook for about 1 minute more.
6. It’s best to spray the pan with the cooking spray after each cake to prevent sticking, however, you may find that you can do two before having to re-spray. Continue this process until the batter is gone.
7. Serve warm with maple syrup for breakfast or with a hearty bowl of chili for dinner.