Low Fat - Polenta With Sun-dried Tomatoes and Black Beans

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* Exported from MasterCook *

 

Polenta With Sun-dried Tomatoes and Black Beans

 

Recipe By :Dr. Dean Ornish

Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:00

Categories : Entree Low-fat

Vegan

 

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

-------- ------------ --------------------------------

4 cups water or veggie stock

1 cup polenta or finely ground cornmeal

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon salt (optional)

1 teaspoon ground basil or oregano

3 tablespoons chopped scallions

SUN-DRIED TOMATO PESTO:

1/2 cup softened sun-dried tomatoes

2 garlic cloves minced

1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar Plus

1 Teaspoon Balsamic Vinegar

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

1/4 cup chopped fresh italian parsley

1 teaspoon capers

1 large fresh tomato -- seeded

BLACK BEANS:

2 cups cooked black beans (or one can drained)

4 garlic cloves -- minced

1 jalapeno pepper -- seeded and minced (o

1/2 red onion -- minced

1 tablespoon black pepper (or to taste)

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 cup dry sherry

 

Bring the water or stock to a boil; slowly add the polenta, stirring constantly

to avoid lumps. Add the cumin and pepper. Reduce to a simmer and cook,

stirring often, for 20 minutes, until the polenta is thick and begins to pull

away from the sides of the pot. Add the basil and scallions. Set aside. (At

this point I put it in a glass pan and refrigerate.)

 

Add all the ingredients for the Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto to the blender and

process at high speed until well blended and smooth. Pour into a bowl and set

aside. (Can be made ahead and refrigerated.)

 

In a large saucepan or skillet, cook the garlic, jalapeno, onion, pepper and

cumin in the sherry for 3 minutes until soft. Add the cooked black beans and

continue to heat until hot. Add vegetable stock if moister beans are desired.

(Can be made ahead and refrigerated.)

 

Serve the polenta with the black beans spooned over. Garnish with the tomato

pesto.

 

I make this ahead of time and put it into a glass pie pan, refrigerate, and

then just before serving, I cut into pie wedges and heat/browned in non-stick

pan with a little veg spray, or you can broil to heat and brown. This saves

time and makes it easy to have leftovers. Makes great leftovers!

 

Please do not be intimidated by this recipe. It looks like a lot of work, but

it is deceptively easy and in fact, the parts can be made ahead of time and

assembled quickly. The bottom line: the combination of cumin and fresh basil

is surprisingly excellent.

 

Cuisine:

" Italian "

Source:

" Eat More - Weigh Less, P. 278 "

S(Posted by):

" Tracy Pickart Ritter "

Yield:

" 1 1/2 cups "

 

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Per serving: 44 Calories (kcal); trace Total Fat; (15% calories from fat); 1g

Protein; 4g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 12mg Sodium

Food Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 0 Fat; 0

Other Carbohydrates

 

NOTES : To ensure a lump-free polenta, stir in an equal volume of COLD water

into the dry corn meal, and subtract this amount of water from the water to be

boiled. Add this corn/water 'soup' to the boiling water while stirring. -

Nancy B.

Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0