Soul Food · Authentic-ish Soul Food
Cracklin Bread
158 kcal a serving, against 227 for the traditional version. That is 69 kcal off, or 30%, with 12.2g of protein. Serves 8. 1 hour (including cooling time).
What the traditional version is
Usually, this cornbread is baked in a heavy frying pan (cast iron, ideally) with pork scratchings folded into the batter. The fat from the scratchings melts into the bread as it bakes, leaving crisp, salty pockets and a savoury fragrance that's unmistakable.
What changed, and what each change costs
Pork scratchings for lean turkey bacon bits
Pork cracklings are the whole point, but they're mostly fat, with precious little protein. Swapping them for well-crisped turkey bacon bits gets you some salty chew and adds more actual meat, not just fat.
What it costs you. Let's not pretend: you lose that deep, savoury porkiness, and it goes a bit dry. The bread doesn't perfume the kitchen in the same way. If you want the real piggy hit, make the classic and don't apologise.
Butter for a mix of olive oil and fat-free Greek yoghurt
Butter brings flavour and richness, but it also brings a pile of calories for very little protein. I trade half for fat-free yoghurt and the rest for olive oil. The crumb's still moist enough, but you won't get that buttery aroma.
What it costs you. You lose a bit of luxury and the bread tastes less rich. For most purposes - especially as a side - it passes, but no one will write poetry about it.
Buttermilk for fat-free Greek yoghurt loosened with water
Buttermilk's low in fat but you can do more with thick, fat-free Greek yoghurt. A splash of water gets it to the right consistency, and the extra protein is a bonus.
What it costs you. Tang stays, just in a different key. Texture's a little denser, but nothing worth calling the papers over.
Add a handful of whey protein powder to the batter
Cornmeal and flour are basically all starch. Stirring in some unflavoured whey protein gives you a big jump in protein per slice - just take care not to overdo it, or you'll end up with a weird chewy bread.
What it costs you. If you go mad, it gets rubbery. Stick to the amount here and it's nearly invisible, but you know what you've done.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 227 | 158 |
| Protein | 8.5g | 12.2g |
| Fat | 13.7g | 5.5g |
| Saturated fat | 6.4g | 1.2g |
| Carbohydrate | 18.8g | 16.2g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 3.8g | 7.7g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Soul Food prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. gluten, eggs, milk.
The method is in the book
You'll notice the absence of pork before you even take a bite - the aroma alone gives away that there's been meddling. Still, this version offers about double the protein and a fraction of the fat, with a passable salty chew from the turkey mince. The main cost is dryness, especially once cool, and the lack of proper piggy depth. Is it as good as the original? Hardly. The first bite isn't offensive, but you won't be telling your nan you've cracked the cracklin code. Still, with enough beans or a splash of hot sauce, it'll see you through.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Soul Food, along with 52 more. It is not out yet. The swap kit is free in the meantime.