black bean polenta bowl

​The Nor'easter yesterday gave Tony and myself the push to get in the kitchen and cook up our own storm! Tony brought the camera in and put his amateur photography skills at work for me.

We cooked up a delicious Mexican themed bowl with a base of polenta (a gluten free cornmeal) topped with black beans, veggies, salsa, and vegan sour cream. Yum! We had left over polenta so the next morning we fried it up in coconut oil and topped with eggs. Double yum! (recipe to follow)

Polenta is a great gluten free option. It's quick and easy and very versatile. The black beans are the source of protein for this meal, and the veggies give us the fiber we need!

This recipe is gluten free and vegan, adapted from www.edibleperspective.com; she breaks down the recipe in a nice step by step guide. Enjoy!

for the onions + peppers

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1 1/2 sweet bell peppers, sliced
• sea salt

1. Heat the coconut oil in your largest pan over medium heat.
2. Add the onion and peppers and stir frequently until just softened. 5-7 minutes.
3. Generously sprinkle with salt, stir, then reduce heat to med-low for about 25-30 minutes until fully golden brown and caramelized.  Stir every few minutes.

for the black beans

• 2 teaspoons coconut oil
• 1 3/4 cup cooked black beans, rinsed + drained
• 1/4 cup vegetable broth
• 1/4 cup salsa, not chunky
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• sea salt

1. Heat the coconut oil in a pot over medium heat.
2. Add the garlic and stir for about 30 seconds – 1 minute until fragrant and lightly browned.
3. Stir in the black beans, veggie broth, salsa, cumin, and a few pinches of salt.
4. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer uncovered for 10 – 15 minutes until thickened and almost all of the liquid has cooked off, stirring occasionally.
5. Taste and add more salt if desired.

for the polenta

• 1 cup dry polenta grits
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (optional if vegan)
• few splashes of hot sauce
• sea salt + black pepper

Check your individual bag of polenta grits, exact instructions may vary.

1. Bring water + veggie broth to a boil.
2. Slowly stir in the polenta grits, add a few pinches of salt, and reduce heat to simmer.
3. Stir occasionally for 5 minutes.
4. Stir in the cheese [if using], hot sauce, and a few pinches of black pepper, then cover for 5 minutes before serving.  If it thickens too much add a bit more water and heat over med-low until smoothed out and creamy.
5. Taste and add more salt if needed.

for the quick guacamole

• 2 avocados
• 1 lime
• sea salt

1. Mash the avocado and add the juice from 1 lime.
2. Mix together with a few pinches of sea salt.
3. Taste and add more salt if desired. 

Layer the polenta with the black beans, veggies, salsa, vegan sour cream (found at Sobeys in the natural food refrigerator), a sprinkle of cheese, green onions, cilantro... what ever you choose!

---