Jalapeno Corn Chips and Tortillas

Here are the promised pictures of the corn chips and tortillas I made. I am showing pictures of the pre-dehydrated scored chips and tortillas as well as the finished result. Earlier I said dehydrating isn't an exact science. These took about eight hours to dehydrate. I took the tortillas out a little earlier so they would be more pliable. The chips are nice and crunchy. The same recipe is used for both. How you shape them is up to you. You don't even have to shape them. Just rip them into pieces if that suits you.

Corn Chips:

3 c. fresh or frozen organic non-GMO corn
1/2 c. ground flax powder
1/4 c. lemon juice
1/2 large jalapeno or 1 whole small jalapeno
1/2 t. cumin
Himalayan sea salt to taste

Mix all ingredients in a food processor. Spread mixture on Teflex lined  dehydrator sheet(s). If you don't have Teflex sheets you can use parchment paper. Spread to about a 1/4" thickness because the chips will get thinner as they dehydrate. Score into triangles if desired. You can also cut them into triangles after they are crisp, but sometimes they break more easily at this stage.  Or shape them into approximately 7" circles and use as you would any tortilla. Fill them with guacamole, salsa, spicy lentil taco mix, or be creative. The possibilities are pretty broad. Tomorrow I plan to eat them with the hummus I made today, some salsa, and some guacamole.

A few words about corn. Corn is not easy for anyone to digest.  As my favorite Corn Sisters (Neko Case's first and maybe only duo) song says, "I always do request it even though I can't digest it." Sad but true, but it doesn't stop me from eating a fresh corn chip. Once I started making my own corn chips I didn't crave your store bought ones. The two do not compare. The freshness of these and the brightness of their color pleases me to no end. I also can no longer tolerate the taste of store bought salsa. It tastes like a can to me now, even when it comes in a glass jar. Fresh, pure food cannot be improved upon. It doesn't take a lot of effort to make a great guacamole, either. Just a few avocados, some lime juice, cilantro, and salt is delicious. Of course you can add whatever else you like, but these basic ingredients are fantastic as their own combination.

Sorry, I digress. I was talking about corn. It's digestibility is a legitimate concern for many people, and they generally know who they are. The other big issue with corn is that it is hard to find non-genetically modified corn. It's possible in natural food co-ops where bags of chips or frozen corn will identify on the label whether it is GMO-free, but even this isn't a trustworthy. Some co-op brands, like Cascadian Farms, a major producer of frozen organic fruits and vegetables,  is owned by General Mills. This corporation has given tons of money to fight the movement to label genetically modified ingredients.  This movement isn't even about prohibiting GMO's. It's just demanding that consumers be allowed to know when GMO ingredients are used so we can make an informed choice.

Now,  I trust Cascadian Farms was started by well-meaning folks who then sold their business to a corporation which later tried to get in on the profits to be had once sustainability became a major environmental issue. I know people like Wendell Barry saw it coming forty years ago, but most people are still relatively new to the impact of industrial farming. General Mills is counting on their ignorance.

Other sellers of corn products you might think wouldn't have ethics around food production have surprised me.  Trader Joe's signs contracts with their vendors to ensure that their private brand is GMO-free. They don't go so far as to test whether these ingredients are truly non-GMO, but they have taken a step in the right direction. Vendors know  the consequence of not being truthful;  they will lose Trader Joe's business. Whole Foods is also taking steps in this direction. Local food co-operatives have built their reputations on knowing their farmers' growing practices, but that these two big corporations are taking action is good news that the sustainable food movement is growing. More needs to be done, to be sure, but everyone's education starts at the same place. This kind of stand taken by big companies should be applauded. Baby steps are still steps.

We, as consumers, have to respond in kind.  It's like I've always said, we really only have power in two areas: where we vote and where we put our money. Act like Trader Joe's and all the long-standing food co-operatives who have been paving this road so elegantly for so many decades. Demand to know where and how your food is grown. Spend your money where it matters.

For more information on corporations who are fighting the GMO labeling (Prop 37 in CA) movement, please go to the Organics Consumers' Association website  at www.organicconsumers.org. On their website you can print a boycott list of corporations trying to double cross you by selling you organic ingredients while simultaneously fighting your right to know the purity of your food. ( http://organicconsumers.org/label/gmo-boycott.pdf) You can also find companies state by state who use only non-GMO ingredients.  Even if you're not politically motivated to act, I encourage you to educate yourself as to where your food is grown and how. The planet really does depend on it.