Recipe: Polenta Breakfast Triangles

I was really proud of myself this morning. I wanted to make something sweet and different from my usual steel cut oats or oatmeal pancakes, so I decided to get creative with polenta, which had been sitting in my pantry for quite some time.

Making polenta is similar to preparing any whole grain. It's often served savory, but it also works great as a sweet dish. When cooked it will appear like a porridge, but given a few minutes it will harden and form the shape of any baking pan or bowl. I chose to serve mine with toasted walnuts, ground flaxseed and maple syrup. It also would be great with strawberries and blueberries. Oh summer, can't you come a bit sooner?

Here is my recipe. Enjoy!

Serves 3

3 cups water
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tbsp of butter
1 cup dried polenta (finely ground cornmeal)
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted
3 tsp ground flaxseeds
maple syrup to taste

1. In a medium saucepan, bring 3 cups of water and salt to a boil. Add 1 tbsp of butter until melted.  Then slowly add polenta and reduce heat to medium low. Make sure to stir frequently for about 20 minutes, watching carefully. If left unattended, polenta will splatter! When it stops bubbling taste to ensure doneness.

2. Remove from heat and transfer to a small square 8x8 baking pan. Let sit here for 5-10 minutes until it hardens. Then cut into 8 triangles.

3. In a cast iron or frying pan use the remaining butter to slightly brown polenta triangles, 2-3 minutes on each side. Serve on plate with toasted walnuts, ground flaxseeds and maple syrup. Yum!

Recipe: Tomatillo Corn Salad

I am someone who is inspired by ingredients. And during my recent visit to the farmers market, I couldn't help but want to take home some tomatillos. These green tomato-like fruits with a paper-y husk are often featured in Southwestern and Mexican cuisine.

With cilantro and some chili peppers, tomatillos make a great salsa. Instead of the usual corn chips, I thought it would be fun to feature in a quinoa salad with corn and zucchini. I was surprised by how great this recipe turned out. And also how easy it was! If you have leftover quinoa, it can be made in under 15 minutes!

Serve by itself or over a bed of spinach or arugula. Pairs well with grilled fish.

Tomatillo Salsa
(recipe from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone)
8 ounces tomatillos, husks removed
5 sprigs cilantro
2 serrano or mild chili peppers
1/2 small white onion, sliced
Salt

Place tomatillos in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until they are dull green, about 10 minutes. Drain. Puree in a blender or food processor with the chiles, onion, cilantro, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Chill before serving.

Quinoa Salad with Corn and Zucchini
1.5 cups quinoa
3 cups water
1 corn, kernels removed
1 medium zucchini, quartered and sliced
1 tbsp olive oil

To make quinoa, place in heavy pot with water. Bring to boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for about 20 minutes, until quinoa is finished.

In a medium sized skillet, saute corn and zucchini in olive oil over medium heat. Cook for 5-7 minutes until done. Add to cooked quinoa.

Serve with tomatillo salsa. Enjoy!

$30 million reasons to love high fructose corn syrup

A Washington trade group, the Corn Refiners Association, has recently launched a $30M advertising campaign to win back the hearts and stomachs of consumers who have been turned off by their High Fructose Corn Syrup product (HFCS) product.

If I were to channel my inner food marketer, it would go something like this...

Top $10 Reasons why you should love HFCS

1. It makes your soda taste, you know, more cok-ey

2. It keeps high paying 'sugar tech' jobs in the USA

3. We are tired of selling you aspartame.

4. It is 100% American. Even Michael Pollan likes corn.

5. If you can't understand it, you should just eat it

6. If you don't eat it, we will have to sell it to someone else.

7. Are you really ready for stevia?

8. It makes this country safe from politically unstable sugar nations.

9. It tastes better than ethanol

10. No trans-fats. Zero!


Any other points I am missing?

Popcorn, revisited

I found these colorful kernels of popcorn quietly tucked away in the bulk foods aisle of the East 4th Street Co-op today. The kid in me lit up - imagining a bowl full of popped red, yellow and purple goodness. To my dismay this was not the case, yet freshly made popcorn is still a treat.

I didn't have much a thing for popcorn until the last year. That's when my lovely partner, Swati, introduced me to making it on the stovetop. I was amazed at how light and perfect this snack can be.

It is so naturally easy and convenient - makes you wonder why we settled for the microwavable kind. All you need is an a medium sized pot (with lid), olive oil and salt.

Instructions:

Take your pot. Place it over high heat with a little bit of olive oil and ONE popcorn kernel. Cover your pot. Now wait until you hear the kernel pop. This means the pot is hot enough.

Open lid and remove kernel carefully. Then immediately place as much as 1/2 cup popcorn kernels in the pot (no more or the pot will overflow). Cover pot and shake kernels vigorously every 5 seconds or so (to prevent burning). You'll then start to hear kernels popping. Continue shaking until popping sound dissipates. Remove from heat.

Transfer popped kernels to bowl. Add olive oil and salt to taste.

Now perhaps I should suggest a movie....

Recipe: Cornmeal Crusted Tempeh

I love tempeh. And I am sure you will too.

Tempeh is one the few protein-rich vegetarian foods. A staple food in Indonesia, this fermented soy food is becoming increasingly common in the states. It serves as a great replacement to meat, and unlike tofu, tempeh has a distinct nutty taste.

I've often thought the best place to eat tempeh in New York City is the Candle Cafe restaurant in the Upper East Side. So naturally, I thought to consult its cookbook to find a good tempeh recipe.

It takes an hour to bake, but is very easy to make. It is a great centerpiece to any vegetarian meal. I recommend serving it with sauteed greens, mashed potatoes and/or polenta. Enjoy!

Serves 4

2 8-ounce packages tempeh, each cut into four triangles
1/3 cup wheat-free tamari
3 tablespoons agave nectar
1 clove garlic, minced
3 slices of fresh ginger
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried cumin
pinch of sea salt
coconut oil (or olive oil)

Preheat oven to 350 F

Place tempeh triangles in baking dish. In small bowl, whisk together the tamari, 1/2 cup water, agave nectar, garlic, and ginger and pour over the tempeh. Cover and bake for 1 hour, turning tempeh halfway through. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

In a large shallow bowl, mix together the cornmeal, red pepper flakes, thyme, oregano, cumin, and sea salt. Dip the tempeh pieces into the cornmeal mixture to coat.

In large skillet, heat a couple tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat until hot. Cook the cooked tempeh until golden brown, about a minute on each side. Add additionally oil if necessary.

Remove from heat and serve at once. Enjoy!

Recipe: Zucchini polenta pizza

Looks like a pizza. Smells like a pizza. Tastes like a pizza. Yet, there is something different about this recipe. It is actually made from polenta!

As someone who is on the lookout for wheat alternatives and seasonal recipes, this recipe originally posted on Chocolate and Zucchini caught my eye. It is very simple to prepare and I am sure you will enjoy.

Serves 4

For polenta 'crust'
1 cup cornmeal or polenta (possibly 1/4 cup more)
2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups water or vegetable stock
1/4 cup butter or olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
fresh or dried herbs (thyme, rosemary)
salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. In a large pot, saute butter or olive oil with garlic, herbs, and a pinch of salt and pepper for 1 minute.
3. Add water and milk and bring to a boil.
4. Upon reaching boil, reduce to low heat and whisk in polenta. Should start to thicken. Add another 1/4 cup polenta if necessary.
5. To make crust, place cooked polenta in a round 10 inch springform cake pan (or pie plate) lined with parchment paper.
6. Bake for 15 minutes until top is golden
7. Remove from the oven. You will then attempt to flip the crust over onto a cookie sheet. This should be relatively easy if you are using parchment paper.
8. Insert back into oven for another 10 or 15 minutes, until other side is done.

For toppings
1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
olive oil
thyme, a few sprigs
salt and pepper to taste
goat cheese
freshly grated parmesan (optional)

1. While the crust is cooking, saute the zucchini, garlic and fresh herbs in olive oil over medium-low heat.
2. Cook for about 20 minutes, until cooked but not falling apart.
3. Add zucchini to baked polenta crust
4. Top with crumbled goat cheese
5. Return to oven for 10 minutes. Remove, adding parmesan if desired. Cut in slices and serve.

Recipe: Arepas with Avocado and White Cheese

An Arepa is a flat corn pancake that comes from the Andes (Columbia and Argentina), and as regulars to the Caracas Arepas Bar in the East Village, Swati and I were very excited to find this recipe.

Not only did these arepas come out amazing, we were so surprised by how easy they were to make. For some reason, I think international or exotic foods always seem more trouble than its worth. In reality, arepas were just as easy to prepare as pancakes. Especially if you're someone who keeps masa harina around the house. But unlike pancakes, Swati and I can enjoy these as they are both wheat and gluten-free!

Arepas are delicious by themselves or with simple toppings - ranging from butter to avocado to white cheese. Enjoy!

Serves 4

2 cups canned white or yellow hominy
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup masa harina
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions
coconut or canola oil for cooking

Place hominy in food processor with a metal blade and puree, adding the oil, water, and the salt. Run the processor for a few minutes until mixture is smooth and creamy.

Pour the pureed hominy into a medium bowl. Add the masa harina and scallions and mix until you have a nice pliable dough. Add more water if necessary. Form into 5 equal balls.

Flatten the balls into patties 1/2 think and about 3 to 4 inches in diameter. Don't make them too thick or they won't cook through.

Heat a griddle or a cast-iron pan over high heat until hot. Lightly oil the griddle, then turn the heat to medium and add the arepas. Cook them on the first side until golden, 5 to 10 minutes, then turn and cook the other side for 5 minutes longer.

Serve warm with your choice of toppings. Pictured with avocado and white cheddar cheese. Accompanied by sauteed sweet potatoes.

-Adapted (by Swati) from The Voluptuous Vegan by Myra Kornfield