The first month of the harvest means we need some beautiful grains to take center stage!
Did you know that once upon a time, pretty much all grains were called corn? You can see remnants of that in flour names like German Einkorn flour, which is a specific type of wheat, not corn. Previously, the golden thing we now call corn was, as you might guess, called maize based on the specifically indigenous Taíno word, mahis. But history lesson aside, corn as we now call it is, in fact, still considered a grain—and you can make some seriously delicious stuff from it, including the corn bread I made for my interview with Lithuanian sun goddess, Saule. Sure, corn isn't native to Lithuania, but knowing that this goddess can be approached with grains (there's wheat in here!) and golden things (corn is gold!) had me improvising—especially because I still had some cheese and peppers to use up in another batch of chili on what was a very rainy, kind of chilly (ha!) week here in New England.
It is really funny to me, though, to see the two obviously different schools of thought in using something like corn. Whereas many indigenous populations are making breads like tortillas (a flat bread that reminds me very much of Indian roti or Palestinian taboon or any other kind of pita bread), and also use it for things like tamales, corn soups, elote, or anything else, Europeans see flour made from something like corn and immediately assume loaf bread. Cornbread the way we understand it, that fluffy batter-baked stuff, is so hilariously a hallmark of white folk in the especially southern parts of the New World saying, "what the hell, we can't grow wheat here in this muggy weather, so what do we do?" (And here's a fun little overview of the history of that sweet cakey stuff we call cornbread now.)
All this musing aside, though, there's plenty of nutrition and magic to be had in a bit of cornbread—especially when you add a few extra things to it to perk up the flavor beyond just sweet. In here, specifically, we're taking a look at a cornbread that calls on the magic of, naturally, corn and wheat, as well as honey, cayenne, and cinnamon—all beautiful, sunny-bright things that scream Leo and are delicious as either a sweet treat or a side to something savory like chili.
(And if you really wanna get wild with how many Scoville units are going in this recipe... Carolina Reaper. Seriously. The smoky-sweet flavor of that pepper is perfect for something like this!)
But let's talk more about the magic now.
Magic in Spicy Honey Cornbread
Think about the suits of tarot for a moment. Cups, Swords, Wands, and Coins (or Pentacles). Which are your favorite? Because mine are Wands (fire) and Coins (earth), and that's exactly what we have in here, too: grains that are hallmarks of prosperity, wealth, and abundance (the wheat and corn), and spices and add-ons that have all the spice, vibrancy, and golden glory of fire (honey, cinnamon, and cayenne). I had the benefit of also doing this little cornbread shindig on what's known as the Lion's Gate: a time where a star called Sirius comes in alignment with the sun in Leo, making this absolutely perfect in terms of energy for not just chasing, but manifesting dreams.
The main elements and planets here are fire and earth, with the planetary influences of Mars, the Sun, and Venus. This means this cornbread is perfect not only for building wealth and stability, but also for getting the energy, protection, optimism, and power for doing so—and focusing on all the potential for goodness, beauty, and luxury. After all, Leo, ruled by the sun, is at its peak in August, and it is the time to decide that, in fact, you are worth your dreams, and your dreams are able to become reality. What an energetic blend!
Lemon Blueberry Protein Pancakes
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20-25 minutes
Makes 9-12 servings
Ingredients:
1 cup (120g) cornmeal
1 cup (120g) all purpose flour
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup (340g) Greek yogurt
1/4 (56g) olive oil
1/2 (170g) cup honey
OPTIONAL: 1/2 cup (100g) sugar*
3 tsp baking powder
2 tsp (8g) cinnamon
1-2 tsp (4-8g) cayenne pepper
Pinch of salt
*Depending on how sweet you want your cornbread, you may want to add some extra sugar. Too much honey will make your batter too runny, though, so that'[s why we're throwing the granulated goodness in there instead of just adding more honey!
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Mix together your dry ingredients until evenly blended.
Add wet ingredients, beating together until all is smooth.
Grease a 9x9 baking ban and pour batter into the pan.
Bake until edges are golden and a toothpick comes out clean, around 20-25 minutes.
Cut into 9-12 pieces and serve for breakfast, alongside chili, or anywhere else you love cornbread!
While normally we love a good tortilla chip alongside our chili, I gotta say, there is something warm, cozy, and comforting about having a nice piece of cornbread to have alongside it, too. You may even get away with pouring these into some muffin cups and having yourself a nice corn muffin for the mornings, too! Either way, this'll definitely get your mind right for all things courage, creativity, and prosperity, so try it out and enjoy! ♥
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Sara Raztresen is a Slovene-American writer, screenwriter, and Christian witch. Her fantasy works draw heavily on the wisdom she gathers from her own personal and spiritual experience, and her spiritual practice borrows much of the whimsy and wonder that modern society has relegated to fairy-and-folktale. Her goal is to help people regain their spiritual footing and discover God through a new (yet old) lens of mysticism.
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