We were in the habit of buying tubes of polenta (organic only, of course, otherwise it is almost certainly GMO), and until recently, didn’t realize how easy it is to make this delicious, protein-rich food at home, no tube needed!

Our recipe is fortified with nutritional yeast, which boasts a cheesy flavor. In addition to being super yummy, nutritional yeast is considered to be a superfood. It offers complete protein, since it contains all nine amino acids that people need to get from foods. Consumption of the yeast can help to lower your cholesterol. And it’s rich in B vitamins as well, especially B6 and B12. We use Bragg’s in our recipe — easy to find in any supermarket or health food store.

INGREDIENTS

4 cups vegetable broth
1 cup cornmeal (medium grind is best, and organic if you want to avoid GMO)
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
dash or two of fresh ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

Bring the vegetable broth to boil in a medium-sized pan. Slowly, a tablespoon or so at a time, add the cornmeal and nutritional yeast to the broth, stirring continuously to avoid lumps. Sprinkle in the sea salt.

Turn down the burner and continue cooking the polenta/nutritional yeast mixture for about twenty minutes, until it attains a creamy consistency. The cornmeal should be completely cooked and have a smooth, rich flavor (yes, you can taste it to check for yourself).

Remove the pan from your burner and add the olive oil, ground black pepper, and another sprinkle of sea salt. You can add a bit more water if your mixture is too thick. You’ll know when it looks perfect and feels right in your mouth.

Let your concoction cool for a couple of minutes (but make sure it’s still hot!), then ladle it into bowls and serve. You can eat polenta as a side dish, a snack, a hot breakfast, etc. Feel free to garnish it any way you like — with vegan butter or margarine, maple syrup, vegan cheese (parmesan is great, if you can find it), even almond butter! Or you can whip up a tomato sauce and pour it over the top. You’re limited only by your imagination.

Makes about four servings. You can store any leftovers in a secure container and place them in your refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat in your microwave or stovetop.

You just can’t go wrong with this simple but delicious dish on a chilly autumn day! It’s so warm and comforting! Plus, polenta is incredibly easy (and cheap!) to make, so you’ll want to eat it over and over.

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