Super Bowl Sunday Cheddar Cornbread Jalepeno Poppers

I totally lifted this from a Clean Eating Magazine e-mail I received but with the Super Bowl coming Sunday I thought it was too good not to share. I love poppers so these are a must try for me. All good, weight loss surgery friendly, ingredients and minimal time to make. A winner! Do you have any special recipes you’ll be making this Sunday?

Cheddar Cornbread Jalapeño Poppers

Serves: 20. Makes: 40 poppers. Hands-on time: 45 minutes. Total time: 1 hour, 5 minutes.

This crowd-pleaser will be a hit at your next party. Jalapeño poppers are generally laden with cheese, breaded and deep-fried – not exactly a CE-approved snack! So, we lightened up the cheese, mixed it into a cornbread batter for a hearty filler and baked the poppers in the oven. Serve them with your favorite salsa and a bit of low-fat sour cream and you’ve got a great clean appetizer.

INGREDIENTS:

• 20 medium jalapeño peppers
• 1 cup spelt flour or whole-wheat flour
• 1 cup cornmeal, finely ground
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp chile powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin, ground
• 3/4 cup low-fat plain yogurt
• 1/4 cup egg whites
• 3 tbsp raw honey
• 1/3 cup cilantro sprigs, chopped
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced (about 1/3 cup)
• 1 1/4 cup shredded low-fat cheddar cheese, divided
• 1/3 cup low-fat sour cream (optional)
• 1/3 cup all-natural jarred salsa (optional)

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
Plastic gloves

INSTRUCTIONS:
ONE: Preheat oven to 400°F.

TWO: Wearing gloves, cut stem end off each jalapeño and discard. Cut peppers in half lengthwise and, using a small paring knife or a teaspoon, carefully cut or scoop out seeds and discard. Place peppers cut-side-up on a parchment-lined baking sheet; set aside.

NOTE: Most of the heat in a jalapeño pepper is in the seeds. By removing the seeds, we’re left with a flavorful pepper with a great little kick. Always wear gloves when handling hot peppers.

THREE: In a medium-size bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, chile powder and cumin; set aside.

FOUR: In a separate bowl, whisk together yogurt, egg whites and honey. Add yogurt mixture, plus cilantro, green onions and 1 cup cheese to dry ingredients and mix well until just combined.

FIVE: With gloves, spoon about 2 tsp mixture into the center of each jalapeño half. Smooth tops of mixture and place jalapeños back onto baking sheet, filling-side-up.

SIX: Place tray into oven and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle stuffed jalapeños with remaining 1/4 cup cheese and continue to bake for 2 more minutes or until top is golden brown and cheese is melted. Let cool at room temperature for 5 minutes before serving. Arrange on a platter and serve immediately with sour cream and salsa for dipping, if desired.

TIP: Make a few adjustments to the filling mixture for a great, simple cornbread recipe. Add all of the cheese into the cornmeal-yogurt mixture. Chop 2 to 3 seeded jalapeño peppers and add them to the mixture as well before pouring it into a nonstick baking pan (9 x 11 x 2). Bake for 15 to 20 minutes at 350°F or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Nutrients per 2 poppers (2 stuffed jalapeño halves):
Calories: 82, Total Fat: 1.5 g, Sat. Fat: 0.5 g, Carbs: 13 g, Fiber: 2 g, Sugars: 4 g, Protein: 4 g, Sodium: 171 mg, Cholesterol: 3.5 mg

Recipe by Joanne Lusted