Description
A tasty, healthy and budget friendly main meal
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 carrots, quartered length wise and then cut into 2-inch chunks
- 2 celery ribs, sliced diagonally 1/2-inch thick
- 1 onion, sliced 1/2-inch thick
- 1 (8-10 ounce) package whole mushrooms
- 8 garlic cloves, peeled (Yes, whole cloves! They are delicious and sweet when roasted)
- extra-virgin olive oil
- sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
For the Polenta
- 2–3 cups water or vegetable stock (water is cheaper, obviously, but the stock gives a better flavor)
- 1 cup cornmeal
Instructions
- Bring 2 1/2 cups water or stock to a boil in a medium-sized saucepan. Reduce the heat to low and slowly drizzle in the cornmeal, whisking the whole time to avoid lumps forming. Allow it to simmer, whisking frequently, until thick, about 10-15 more minutes.
- When you are done it will be about the consistency of thick oatmeal.
- If it is too thick, add additional stock or water. Transfer the mixture to a square pan and use a rubber spatula to make it even and smooth. Allow it to set, at least 15 minutes, but you can do this well ahead of time if needed.
- I did this step during Meghan’s nap to cut down on the dinner time prep work. With a toddler around, the less work at dinner time the better!
- Now get working on the veggies.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine your prepared vegetables with oil, salt, pepper, and thyme. Toss to coat the vegetables evenly.
- Spread your vegetables on a rimmed baking sheet so that they are not overlapping. It is best to use a shallow baking sheet because if you use a deep casserole dish your vegetables will steam themselves and be limp and soggy–not what you are going for here!
- Roast in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and brown. Use a spatula to mix the veggies once in the middle of the roasting time.
- When the vegetables are almost done, you are ready to grill your polenta. This was crunch time in the dinner preparation, so the camera was not around. The polenta should be firm now; cut it into four equal squares. Heat a little olive oil in a saute pan, and add your polenta squares (you may need to do this in batches if you have a small pan). Grill until the polenta is starting to brown, about 4 minutes per side. Serve the polenta with roasted vegetables on top.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: main meal
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 154
- Sugar: 3.75g
- Sodium: 92mg
- Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 34g
- Protein: 4.75g