|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
||
|
|
||
One-Skillet Polenta with Black Beans, Greens and Cheese
Yes, this is a rustic, peasant-style dish which provides lots of energy! Yes, it’s a snap to make when you use ready-made polenta. And it’s lovely that there’s only one pot to wash! There are variations on this theme too. In my first cooking class with kids, we put portabella mushroom caps in the skillet instead of polenta and sliced zucchini instead of leafy greens.
This dish makes it easy to get more beans in your diet. Beans have been an important part of the human diet for thousands of years because they are satisfying, healthy and good for the planet! Black turtle beans are a great source of protein and cholesterol-lowering fiber, which also prevents blood sugar levels from rising too rapidly after a meal, making these beans an especially good choice for individuals with diabetes, insulin resistance, hypoglycemia or anyone trying to loose weight. And the USDA states that black beans are one of the top ten antioxidants right up there with blueberries!
Serves 4-6
| 4 tb extra virgin olive oil | 1 jar Eden, Mom's, or other no sugar organic pasta sauce |
| 1 package Food Merchant organic Polenta | 1 package (8 ounces) Applegate Farms sliced Havarti cheese |
| 1 can (15 ounces) Eden organic black beans | sprinkle oregano, basil, thyme |
| few tablespoons Pecorino Romano, optional | |
| 1 pound organic greens like kale, spinach, chard, broccoli |
Drizzle olive oil in a large skillet. Open roll of polenta and cut in 1/2” slices. Cover bottom of skillet with slices. Open can of Eden beans with all that terrific taste and fiber – Eden cooks it’s beans with a piece of kombu (kelp, which is seaweed) so they’re easy to digest. Spoon beans evenly over polenta. Sprinkle with Romano. Rinse and shake greens. Chop coarsely into bite-sized pieces and spread in skillet. Cover with pasta sauce, then slices of havarti. Sprinkle with dried herbs (they make the dish look prettier when you go to serve). Put lid on skillet and simmer 5 minutes. Serve to cries of delight, with a tossed salad or sliced cucumbers and cut-up tomatoes. You’ve served up protein, fiber, great carbs. This dish is truly energy food!
If you can’t do dairy, do non-dairy cheese or serve without anything “melty” on top. You could also use shrimp, if you like that kind of combination!
