We’re corny and we know it

Let’s be honest. Nothing makes you need to floss more than having just eaten corn on the cob. But we still love it, especially in October, which is National Corn Month.

Corn started as a small, semi-tropical grass, but cultivation by humans for more than 9,000 years has transformed it into one of the most prevalent grain crops in the world. Corn tends to be thought of as one of those starches to avoid, but corn consumption has been associated with lowering the risk of several chronic diseases including cardiovascular, type 2 diabetes, and obesity.

It’s true that corn is starchy and therefore higher in calories than non-starchy vegetables such as green beans; however, corn is a whole grain, and a good source of dietary fiber, B vitamins, lutein, zeaxanthin and beta-carotene. In addition, corn is versatile, tasty, and colorful!

Add corn to salads, salsas, soups, or chili, and corn popped with little added fat or salt is a better choice than chips to quench that desire to crunch!

Here’s another stellar recipe from our UTSW nutritionist Susan Rodder.

Quinoa, Corn and Black Bean Salad

Ingredients:

  • 1 TBS olive oil
  • 1 medium purple onion, chopped
  • 6 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 cup red quinoa
  • 1 ½ to 2 cups of low sodium vegetable or chicken broth
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 cup corn kernels (frozen or fresh)
  • 1 cup black beans, cooked (drain and rinse if using lower sodium canned)
  • ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 2 TBS Louisiana Gold pepper sauce (or your favorite hot sauce)

Directions:

  1. Heat oil in skillet or other wide, shallow pan that has a lid
  2. Sauté onion until it translucent
  3. Add garlic and cook, stirring for ~ one minute
  4. Add quinoa and mix
  5. Cover with broth, about 1 1/2 cups
  6. Season with cumin, cayenne, and pepper
  7. Bring to boil, cover, and simmer about 20-25 minutes until quinoa is tender
  8. Mix in corn, black beans, and cilantro
  9. Simmer for a few minutes until heated through
  10. Top with Louisiana Gold pepper sauce
  11. Serve hot or refrigerate and serve chilled

Nutrition Facts per serving: Yield 8, ½ cup servings

Calories 131, total fat 3 g, (sat fat 0 g), sodium 80 mg, potassium 257 mg, carbohydrate 22 g, fiber 4 g, protein 5 g