Corn Cakes with Avacado relish (Gluten Free)

There is nothing like a really tender steak, a well grilled pork tenderloin or roasted chicken.  But sometimes you want to blow your family away with something other than a bag of frozen vegetables or a can of green beans; this is that dish!  I put some chicken in the oven to bake, diced up some sweet potatoes and apples to slowly cook on the stovetop and put my efforts into this dish while it all came together.

 

I don't usually fry things but I found this and thought, "let's give it a try",  I did

 and what a hit it was! 

 

Here is what you will need:
 

• 2 cups of corn cut off of the ears preferably (or canned & drained)
• 1 can of creamed corn (minus about 4 Tablespoons-it's just a little too much)
• 1 cup of Gluten Free all purpose flour (if you use regular flour you may need more)
• 1 teaspoon of salt and pepper
• 1 teaspoon of paprika
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups of cheddar
• Vegetable oil to cover the bottom of your skillet for frying the corn cakes 
• 2 avocados, seeded and diced 
• 1/2 lemon juiced
• 1/4 cup (or more to your taste) of red onion finely diced
• 1/4 cup of your favorite picante sauce (I use my home made which you can find on the blog)

 



 Mix your flour, salt, pepper, and baking powder together in a small bowl.  Then mix the corns, eggs, cheese together.  Combine the two and then slowly add your milk.  You do not want this to be too thick or too runny.  These little cakes just need to stick together when you drop them by the Tablespoon into your heated oil. 

 

If they start to stick a little, just take a fork and loosen them up

While they are frying add the remaining ingredients to a bowl and either combine to top as chunky, or put them in a food processor to make as a sauce.  We like chunky :) 

 They barely made it onto the paper towels to drain before the boys got after them!

 

I had to make this quick before they were eaten!  But it is so easy it wasn't a problem...

 

 

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as my family did.  I don't have a picture of the chicken because my eyes and my stomach were on these lovely little veggies.  My boys do not get to have fried food as often as they would like so there were very few corn cakes left.

 

NOTE:  This recipe will make about 16-18 corn cakes.  THAT IS A LOT!  You can 1/2 it easily but you will have a half a can of creamed corn for later...

Ahhh the Avocado....

There are 13 vitamins that the body absolutely needs: vitamins A, C, D, E, K and the B vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, biotin, vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12 and folate). Avocados naturally contain many of these vitamins.  Check this out:

 So, how do you choose an avocado? Although skin color can be a good indicator, your best bet is going to be the touch.  If an avocado "yields" to gentle pressure it is ripe and should be eaten within a day or two.  But when you are going to be using them within the week, purchase them firm and allow them to ripen at home at room temp. Now, how to cut them?  Some suggest you cut lengthwise and scoop out the seed with a spoon. But avocados don't have much "meat" so I don't use this method.

lengthwise cut

center cut

I prefer to cut around the center and tap a knife on top of the seed and twist out.  You don't lose any of the avocado itself this way.

 


After you remove the seed, take a spoon around the inside of the skin and you have wasted NO MEAT and a perfectly clean avocado to use however you chose. I usually add a few drops of lime juice on top to prevent browning.

note:  3 avocados were harmed in the making of this post

Tomato Avocado and Spinach Salad

Take one ripe avocado and dice.  Combine it with washed baby spinach from the market and add tomatoes

Toss in a few teaspoons of lemon juice.

Add corse salt and cracked pepper and serve.

 For variations, add cheese of choice ,i.e. fresh parmesan, walnuts or almonds