Polenta with Roasted Broccoli & Coconut Bacon

 

Have you tried coconut bacon? Cause you should. No, I won't try to convince you that it's exactly like bacon, but whether you eat meat or not, I think you'll love it. We've been putting it on lots of things, but I think this is my new favorite way to use it (aside from eating it by itself!). My second favorite thing to put it on is potato soup.

 

 

Tuesday was National Wine Day. Did you know? So of course we had to celebrate. :-)

 

This meal came together in about 40 minutes, most of which was time spent letting the polenta cook & the broccoli roast. A perfect weeknight meal for a winter night, it was warming & comforting. We paired it with a green salad to add some extra veggies.

 

I hope you try it! We'll definitely be having it again soon.

 

 

 

Polenta with Roasted Broccoli & Coconut Bacon

Serves 4-6

 

6 c water

1½ c polenta

1½ tsp sea salt (divided)

3 small heads of broccoli

2 c large unsweetened flaked coconut (I used this: Bob's Red Mill Flaked Coconut Unsweetened)

1½ T Braggs liquid aminos (or soy sauce, coconut aminos, or tamari)

1 T honey (or maple syrup to make this vegan)

½ T liquid smoke

½ tsp smoked paprika

 

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray 2 baking sheets with cooking spray and set aside.

 

Bring 6 cups of water and 1 teaspoon sea salt to a boil in a large pot on the stovetop. Make sure the pot is deep enough that when you cook the polenta, it doesn't bubble over.

 

While the water is coming to a boil, chop the broccoli stems & florets into small pieces. Spread pieces onto one of the prepared baking sheets, sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt, and   place in hot oven to roast.

 

Once the water comes to a boil, add the polenta slowly, stirring to combine it with the water. It should get thick pretty quickly, at which point you can let it cook, just stirring it periodically to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Keep the heat at about medium to allow it to simmer for 30 minutes.

 

In a medium bowl, combine the Braggs liquid aminos, honey, liquid smoke, and smoked paprika. Add the coconut flakes to the mixture and stir to coat. Spread coconut evenly on the remaining prepared baking sheet. Place in oven with the broccoli and bake for 5 minutes. Stir, return to oven, and bake another 5 minutes before stirring again. (Don't forget to stir the polenta once in awhile!)

 

The second time you take out the coconut to stir it, also stir the broccoli to promote even roasting. Return both the coconut and broccoli to the oven. Set a timer for the broccoli for 10 minutes, at which point it should be done. Watch the coconut closely, checking it every 2-3 minutes, until it is browned & feels slightly crispy. Once the coconut is done, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool, at which time it will continue to crisp to a nice crunchy texture.

 

Once the polenta and broccoli are also done, put a few spoonfuls of polenta on a plate. Top with roasted broccoli and a handful of coconut bacon. Enjoy!

 

NOTE: Coconut bacon can be made in advance. Store it in a sealed container so that it stays crunchy.

 

 

 

Coconut bacon recipe adapted from Eating Bird Food

 

Spicy Rubbed Grilled Tofu

Due to the overwhelming amount of produce in our house, we had a feast on Monday night! The Bup grilled tofu, an enormous onion, cherry tomatoes on skewers, & corn on the cob. I think one of the best things about veggies is that they're bulky, so you feel like you're really eating a lot but it's all healthy!

As a protein to pair with the veggies, we had tofu. Our favorite way to eat tofu is to cut it nice & thin, cover it with a rub, & grill it. It's faster by far than waiting for it to marinate, plus the rubs give it a lot of flavor. We often dip the tofu into a bbq sauce, ketchup, or peanut sauce as we eat it.

I've tried using several rubs, some homemade & some not. One of our favorites is the cajun rub that I've used on grilled corn in the past. The version we had on Monday was a Homemade Spicy Cool-Ranch Dorito Rub. It wasn't nearly as flavorful or spicy as the recipe looked like it would be, but it was still good.

I'm including a brief how-to & a recipe for another rub we love. Feel free to use your favorite rub!

Cajun Rubbed Grilled Tofu

Serves 2

1 14 oz. package extra firm tofu, pressed & sliced into 8 thin pieces

              (See here for tips on pressing & slicing.)

Don't Wipe Your Eyes Rub

adapted from here

1/2 c paprika (regular will work, we also like smoked paprika for some extra flavor!)
1/4 c black pepper
1/3 c sugar (we use evaporated cane juice)
3 T sea salt
3 T chili powder
2 T garlic powder
2 T onion powder
1 T cayenne pepper

Mix together ingredients for the rub. Spoon enough rub onto each slice to cover both sides, rubbing it in until the slice is coated well. There will be leftover rub, which can be stored in an airtight container for at least a month.

Preheat grill to 500F & coat grill rack with oil to prevent sticking. Lay tofu in a single layer on hot grill and close lid. Allow to cook for 5 minutes, then open lid and flip the tofu. If it sticks, let it cook a few minutes longer before turning. Once flipped, close lid and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from grill and serve hot!

Coconut Cornbread

A few weeks ago we went to the cabin with my parents & friends that are practically family. Laura, Andrew, Walter & I were in charge of lunch one day, so we planned chili & cornbread. I've been searching for a cornbread that's plain & simple, but still healthy, & I think I found it! It's a lot lighter than my Corny Cornbread, & similar in taste to the kind out of the Jiffy box, but with a hint of coconut.

Coconut Cornbread

Adapted from SummerHarms

Serves 16

1 c. white whole wheat flour

1/3 c. unbleached white flour
1 c. corn meal
2 T. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
6 T. honey
1/4 c. coconut oil, melted
1/4 c. coconut milk or almond milk

1/2 c. sour cream
2 organic eggs

Preheat oven to 400*F. Lightly grease a 9"x9" pan with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, stir together the dry ingredients. Measure wet ingredients & add to dry mixture. Stir until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pan & bake for 20-25 minutes. 

Laura made her not-even-a-little-bit spicy vegetarian chili & we got to see her onion goggles in action! It was like watching Inspector Gadget chop onions.

The temps got pretty low, so we were thankful to come back from our hike & enjoy such a warming lunch.

After lunch, we enjoyed a cozy afternoon in the cabin. I put on my slippers & stayed by the fire!

Mom tried to tempt me with a puzzle, but I was reading a good book. :-)

This chili & cornbread would be perfect to enjoy during the Super Bowl on Sunday! We'll be having baked beans & beer, like we did last year. I'm making it a tradition!

Grilled Corn on the Cob

First, let me just say that this was WAY too much food for 2 people.

Second, when you decide to make 6 ears of corn for 2 people, be ready for a lengthy dinner with a lot of chewing.

Third, bring toothpicks. Corn on the cob is a commitment. Once you take that first bite, there's no turning back. You will need to remove kernels from between your teeth. It will be awkward.

Clean your corn. Try your best to get all the silk strings out. It will help lessen the aforementioned awkwardness.

Brush it lightly with butter, just enough so the seasonings will stick but it won't stick to the grill.

Give it to your husband/boyfriend/neighbor to grill. It's too hot to stand over a hot grill in 95+ degree weather. Let him do it.

Good thing we have a huge grill! I really prepped enough food for 4, possibly 6, people.

It was quite a feast. We ate all the corn, but not much else. I saved the grilled zucchini to make sandwiches for lunches. I'm wishing I had kept 2 ears of corn for tonight!

Grilled Corn on the Cob

Serves 2-6

6 ears of corn, shucked

2 tsp melted butter or olive oil

Cajun Seasoning Mix (see recipe below)

Brush cobs with melted butter or olive oil. Sprinkle with Cajun Seasoning Mix. Grill on medium to medium high heat for about 12 minutes, rotating so that all sides cook evenly. The kernels will enlarge slightly and deepen in color when the corn is done.

Cajun Seasoning Mix

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp paprika

3/4 tsp garlic powder

3/4 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp dried thyme

1/4 tsp pepper

1/8 tsp ground red pepper

Mix ingredients and then crush to a powder with a mortar and pestle. Mixture can be stored in an airtight container for several months.

Note: This mixture has a kick to it. I usually have enough to coat 12-18 ears of corn before making another batch of mix. If you like things extra spicy, you may use it faster.

Grilled Corn on the Cob with Cajun Seasoning