Creamy Polenta with Mushrooms & Chickpeas

Creamy polenta or yellow corn grits according to Southern friends of mine. This is my vegan meal version after visiting South Carolina last year and fell in love with their popular yellow corn grits, cooked in broth and loaded with cheddar cheese. It was my first time to try it and they got me hooked!

I hope you will enjoy this recipe and no offense to my Southern friends for creating a vegan version of your dish. This meal is an easy 30 minute meal packed with whole grain, protein and vegetables.

Polenta is from whole grain variety of corn and more coarse. It is a staple in Italian cuisine. Corn grits is a staple from Southern USA and their grits are more finer. It is a dish of boiled cornmeal, that may be served as a hot porridge or it maybe allowed to cool and solidify into a loaf that can be baked, fried or grilled.

CREAMY POLENTA WITH MUSHROOMS & CHICKPEAS

1 cup Yellow Cornmeal or Yellow Corn Grits

3 cups Water or broth

1/2 cup Unsweetened Almond Milk

1/2 cup Nutritional Yeast

1 1/2 TB Olive Oil

1/4 tsp Ground Turmeric

Salt to Taste

1 medium Onion, peel and chopped

3 cloves Garlic, peel and minced

1 cup Baby Portobello Mushrooms, sliced

1 TB Fresh Lemon Juice

1 TB Bragg Liquid Aminos

1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder

1 tsp. Onion Powder

1 cup Cooked Garbanzo Beans or Chickpeas, drained

Salt to taste

Fresh Chives for garnish

INSTRUCTION:

1. In a medium saucepan, add cornmeal and 3 cups of water or broth. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stir it often or cook according to the package direction.

2. Add the almond milk, nutritional yeast, olive oil, turmeric and salt.

3. Put skillet into a medium heat. Add mushrooms, onions and garlic and cook for about 10 minutes, until they are tender. Add lemon, Bragg aminos, garlic and onion powder. Cook for about 4-5 minutes.

4. Add the chickpeas and cook for another 3-5 minutes.

5. Serve the mushrooms and chickpea mixture over polenta. Garnish with fresh chopped chives.

Variation:

You may use any kind of beans in place of chickpeas or may want to add some greens like arugula or spinach etc. or chopped red and green bell peppers.