Southwest Polenta And Vegetables Recipes

SOUTHWESTERN SUNSET STEW WITH SOFT POLENTA (WW CORE)

Steps:

• In large saucepan, soup pot or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened and slightly colored, about 8 minutes.
• Stirring continuously, add in garlic, flour, cumin, chili powder and coriander and cook an additional minute.
• Stir in broth, tomatoes, squash, potato, corn, and salt. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover partially and simmer 15 minutes.
• Stir in tomato paste, basil, cinnamon and pepper; cover partially and simmer gently until flavors have blended, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
• About 35 minutes before you plan to eat, make soft polenta. Start by bringing 3 1/2 cups of water to boil, adding salt. Mix remaining cup of water to cornmeal to create a slurry. Whisking vigorously, stir the slurry into the water. Using your whisk, keep mixing and stirring until polenta is cooked, about 30 minutes. When it is almost done, rewarm stew, if needed, over low heat.
• Spoon portions of polenta into large, shallow soup bowls, making wide depression in center. Spoon some stew into each depression, garnish with chopped bell pepper and serve right away.
• * A note for WW Core followers: Though flour is not Core, the amount used here is less than a 1/2 point per serving.

SOUTHWEST POLENTA AND VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Chop onion, mushrooms (if using), zucchini and pepper. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Heat oil in large pan.
• Saute onion and garlic with 1/2 teaspoon salt for about 2 minutes, or until just soft. Add mushrooms, zucchini and red pepper; saute for ~3 minutes.
• Add corn, black beans, tomatoes, thyme, chile powder, cumin, pepper and remaining salt; simmer for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until fresh vegetables are crisp-cooked, not soft. While the vegetables cook, lightly oil the bottom of a casserole dish.
• Slice polenta into 1/2 -inch rounds and arrange across the bottom of the casserole dish. When vegetables are cooked but not soft, spoon across top of polenta.
• Top with grated cheese and bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
• Serve plain or on a bed of wilted spinach.