Panko Topped Veggies Over Polenta

Ingredients

Polenta

1 cup polenta (corn meal)

3 cups filtered water

1 Tbs Earth Balance butter

2 garlic cloves, pressed

2 Tbs chives, chopped

Veggie Topping

1/2 head of cauliflower (about 2 cups), cut into bite size pieces

1 cup broccoli, cut into bite size pieces

1 cup frozen peas

1 can chickpeas, drained & rinsed

1 cup raw cashews, chopped

Panko Topping

1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

2 Tbs Earth Balance butter

1 garlic clove, pressed

2 Tbs chives, chopped

Directions

1. Start by making the polenta first: boil the water, slowly stir in the polenta, reduce heat to simmer, continue to stir while it cooks for the next 5 minutes, add garlic the last minute of cooking, turn off heat, stir in butter and chives, cover for 5 minutes, spread in 8X8 pan, and allow to cool for 20 minutes until it becomes firm.

2. Meanwhile, prepare the veggie topping: steam the cauliflower and broccoli until tender, roast the cashews in a 400 degree oven for 10 minutes, mix remaining veggie ingredients together.

3. Next make the panko topping: melt the butter, add the garlic and chives, cook 30 seconds, then stir in panko breadcrumbs

4. Add the veggie mixture to a large cast iron pan and top with the panko breadcrumbs

5. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 10-15 minutes until the breadcrumbs become slightly golden

6. Meanwhile, cut the firm polenta into 4 squares and pan fry with a little ghee butter until crisp on each side

7. Place a polenta square on a dinner plate, top with the veggie topping, and garnish with chives

I made this entree up last night because I wanted to find a creative way to use up our cauliflower and broccoli. I was reading through my cookbooks and I was inspired by a recipe I saw with grilled polenta squares. I feel that polenta can be pretty bland by itself so I always like to add garlic, herbs, and butter to it. The panko topping is delicious and goes great on top of mac and cheese or any other pasta dish. It adds a comforting element to the dish. The cashews were a random addition, but they were actually one of my favorite ingredients. This recipe makes a ton, so we had plenty leftover. I actually just ate the veggie topping cold for lunch today and it was great!