Easy Creamy, “Cheesy” Polenta

Polenta is grits’ fancy, uptown cousin. This cheesy rendition of a childhood classic is dairy free, gluten free, rich in B vitamins, and kid friendly. When done correctly, the coarsely ground corn meal transforms into a creamy, budget friendly love boat, sure to delight even the most discerning palettes. Serve with stir fried vegetables, leafy greens, scrambled eggs, black beans, salmon, mushrooms the list goes on!

Serves 4
Time: 20 minutes

Polenta with Beet, Broccoli and Onions

Ingredients

2 cups ground corn meal
6 cups water
Cooking oil
Nutritional Yeast
Garlic powder
Lemon herb
Black pepper
Salt

Directions

1. Bring 6 cups of water to a roaring boil in a medium sized pot. Salt lightly.
2. Add a few drops cooking oil. Recommend: sesame seed, avocado, corn oil. Olive oil and coconut oil are too pungent for this recipe.
3. Stir in cornmeal. Immediately bring to a low medium heat.
4. As cornmeal coagulates, season with a generous amount of nutritional yeast. Layer garlic powder and black pepper. Salt as needed to intensify cheesy flavor. Be patient. Build flavors and taste as you go.
5. Stir. Be sure cornmeal is not sticking to bottom of pot. Mash any clumps with serving spoon.
6. Cover and bring to low heat. After 15 minutes, evaluate consistency and taste. There should not be any clumps and the gritty texture should be replaced by smooth, fine consistency.
7. Allow polenta to cool. Season with lemon herb, more nutritional yeast and salt.
8. Serve with ripe avocado, leafy greens and protein of choice. Or enjoy standalone.