Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Healthy Obsessions

Polenta.



Whole grain with what seems like a made up name. Actually, a lot of the whole grains and their derivatives have odd names. Polenta, funky name and all, is made from corn and corn is...a whole grain!


(Remember the whole popcorn thing).

Corn's high sugar content and low supply of vitamins and minerals (low when compared to other grains) lets it get second billing. It's like that underrated opening act for a headliner. Sometimes, we just want the main event, and it's years later before e see the talent in the other acts. Polenta is just like that. Been around for some time, but during the whole "peasant food is chic" phase, it gained some hype.

I'm here to hype it further.

Polenta can also be sold as cornmeal, or as I call it, yellow grits. (Whenever I have to explain what it I'm eating to a co-worker, as soon as I call it yellow grits I see a light bulb appear over their head.) This makes it very affordable, and easily available. I tend to get the tube of organic polenta from Trader Joe's, but the cornmeal also can be cooked, and then cooled to use the same way.

Lately, my fav thing to do with polenta is to flavor build pizza to it. So, basil & tomato veggie burgers and chicken sausages have been my background. Then I've added baby spinach, low-fat cheese, fire-roasted tomatoes, and heat the sucker up. Sooooooooooooooooo good. No cooking required either. Home made can also be made at home, if you ask me, and sometimes it's just as good.