Vegan Polenta With Balsamic Roasted Vegetables And Chickpeas Recipes

GRILLED POLENTA WITH BALSAMIC ROASTED TOMATOES

Steps:

• In a med-large pot, add the water, broth, polenta, and salt. Place on stove over high heat and whisk to combine. Bring to a boil and turn heat down to a low simmer. (*the polenta tends to spurt up so use long cooking utensils to prevent burns). Stir or whisk every 30 seconds to keep it smooth. It'll thicken up and finish cooking around the 4-5 minute mark. It should be very thick, but not have big clumps (whisk in more water/broth to smooth if needed).
• Remove from heat and stir in the vegan parmesan cheese and butter. Taste and add more seasoning if needed.
• Pour polenta into a 11X7 Baking Pan (or something similar) and smooth out evenly with a spatula. Let it cool for 10 minutes before transferring into freezer for another 10-15 minutes. You can also place in the fridge for 30-60 minutes.
• While the polenta is setting, you can roast the tomatoes. Preheat oven to 450° F (230° C). Place tomatoes in a small baking dish and nip each one with scissors (leave vine intact if preferred). Add garlic, drizzle with oil, balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with sugar, salt, and pepper. Place in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes until the tomatoes are blistered and tender.
• When the polenta is cooled and firm, flip over gently onto a cutting board. Cut into 8 rectangular slices.
• Heat a Grill Pan over medium-high heat for a few minutes. While the pan is heating, brush one side of the polenta to coat. When the pan is fully heated, add the polenta, leaving some room in between (don't crowd - work in batches if needed). Grill for 7-9 minutes until grill marks appear (push down gently to help it along). Don't move the polenta slices much or they won't grill properly. Use a metal spatula to gently remove. You can serve now or flip and grill the other side of the slices.
• Place a few slices on a plate and top with vegan cheese, a few tomatoes with a drizzle of the roasting sauce. If preferred, top with fresh-cut basil, crushed red pepper, capers and a drizzle of balsamic glaze. Enjoy!

VEGAN POLENTA WITH BALSAMIC ROASTED VEGETABLES AND CHICKPEAS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375F. Strain, rinse, and dry the chickpeas completely.
• Add the chopped vegetables and chickpeas to a baking pan.
• Then, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, oil, maple syrup, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
• Pour the balsamic marinade on top of the tray of veggies & chickpeas and mix together until evenly coated.
• Then, add the tray to the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until the chickpeas and beginning to crisp and the veggies are caramelized. Make sure to remove the tray and stir the veggies & chickpeas at the 15 minute mark so they bake evenly.
• While the veggies & chickpeas are roasting, make the vegan polenta.
• Add 3 cups broth (or water) and 1/2 tsp salt to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and gradually add in the polenta 1/4 cup at a time. For the best results, stream the polenta in gradually and stir continuously while adding it to the pot.
• Cook the polenta uncovered for 1-2 minutes, stirring consistently. Then, cover the saucepan and cook another 5-10 minutes(*or until cooked depending on the package instructions). If the polenta gets too thick before it is done cooking, add in a few Tbsp of veggie broth to help it thin out.
• Remove the cooked polenta from the heat and mix in the vegan butter, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, Italian spices, salt, & pepper.
• Add the cooked polenta to 3-4 bowls. Top with the roasted veggies & chickpeas and serve. If desired, add on an extra drizzle of balsamic vinegar to the finished dish. Enjoy!