Instead of being flavored with pork fat, let your modern day creamed corn sing the praises of coconut milk.

Back in 1951, Del Monte had a lot to say about its Creamy Style Golden Corn. It promised “plump” and “thin-skinned” kernels “crammed” into each can, and if that weren’t seducing enough, the ad’s complementary recipe involved the addition of pork chops, eggs, bread crumbs, and evaporated milk. Swoon!

The sliced pepper arrangement and strange presentation aside, the flavors in this recipe have really got it going on. Pork fat and creamy corn? Nothing you necessarily want to say no to, but if there were one health-conscious cell in our body, it would be meeting its demise right about now.

Come 2012, and we no longer just eat with our gut in mind, but rather with a more discerning eye towards nutrition. Luckily, a lighter, more modern version of this dish is actually much easier to prepare. The decadence remains intact, but the result is an entirely plant-based meal that puts flavor and health on the same pedestal. Enjoy!

Coconut Cream Corn

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 2 cups frozen corn kernels
• 1 can (15 ounces) coconut milk
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon chopped scallions
• Handful of parsley, chopped

Directions:

In a saucepan over medium heat, bring the corn, which does not need to be thawed, and the coconut milk to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook until the coconut milk has largely evaporated. This will take about 15 minutes.

Once the mixture has reached desired consistency, mix in the parsley, red pepper flakes, and scallions.

Enjoy as a side-dish or snack. It can be eaten hot or cold.

Bon Appetit!

There is nothing quite like flipping through the pages of grandmother’s faded cookbooks in all their imperfect glory – the worn edges, the rampant sauce stains and the cluttered pencil marks. With their casseroles, ham dishes and affinity for elaborate presentation, the Betty Crocker and the Joy of Cooking cookbooks provide a glimpse of food before it all became so much more complicated.  At EcoSalon, we love good vintage inspiration, even when it comes to food. Welcome to Vintage Revamp, where we take old and classic recipes and refresh them with a modern-day twist.

Photo Credit: Hey, My Mom Used to Make That, Aylin Erman

Aylin Erman currently resides in Istanbul and is creator of plant-based recipe website GlowKitchen.

The post Vintage Recipe Revamp: Creamed Corn appeared first on EcoSalon.

When thinking of a healthy french fry, think zucchini. When thinking of eating this at a McDonalds, wait for pigs to fly.

French fries seem easy enough – just a matter of potatoes and frying oil, right? Wrong. The kind of fast-food fries we’re used to aren’t as straightforward as they seem. McDonald’s French Fries contain the likes of natural beef flavor (wheat and milk derivatives), citric acid, dextrose, sodium acid pyrophosphate, hydrogenated oils, stabilizer tertiary butylhydroquinone, and anti-foaming agent dimethylopolysiloxane. Many of these artificial ingredients are dangerous in large quantities and overall toxic in your body.

One medium serving (117 grams) of McDonald’s French Fries packs 380 calories, 19 grams of fat, 270 milligrams of sodium, and 48 grams of carbohydrates. With one serving accounting for nearly 30 percent of your daily value of fat, the 5 grams of dietary fiber and vitamin C calcium, and iron quantities, albeit scant to begin with, are vastly overshadowed. The carbohydrate count isn’t doing any favors to your waistline either.

With these stats, there is room for a serious makeover. To lower the fat, this recipe requires baking the fries, which are lightly coated with olive oil. I also used zucchini as the base to slash the carbohydrate load. Zucchini won’t crisp quite like a potato when baked, but it will firm slightly and taste absolutely crave-worthy. The corn flour helps to achieve a crispy brown coating, but if you want a firmer fry, replace the zucchini with a sweet potato or white potato. Regardless of how you alter the base vegetable or ratio of spices, you are bound to end up with a healthier alternative to the Micky D’s classic.

Spicy Zucchini Fries

Serves 1-2

Ingredients:

• 1 large zucchini
• 1/4 cup corn flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/8 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cut off both ends of the zucchini and slice it along its length into 1/2-inch pieces.

Set aside one of the rounded edge slices and turn zucchini onto its side so it is lying flat. Again, slice lengthwise into 1/2-inch thick pieces to create French fries shapes.

In a medium bowl, toss zucchini strips with corn flour, salt, pepper, turmeric, oregano, red pepper flakes, and olive oil until each fry is evenly coated with the spices and oil.

Lay fries out on a baking sheet so each has its own place.

Bake for 45 minutes or until browned and slightly crisped. Serve with herbs and ketchup!

Bon Appetit!

Aylin Erman currently resides in Istanbul and is creator of plant-based recipe website GlowKitchen.

The post Nutritional Breakdown: Revamping the McDonald’s French Fry appeared first on EcoSalon.