CanadaDinner
Vegan Polenta With Balsamic Roasted Vegetables & Chickpeas
Active Time: 20 minutes • Total Time: 50 minutes
Yields: 4 serving
Ingredients
- Balsamic Roasted Veggies & Chickpeas
- 2 packages Earthbound Farm Organic Vegetable Medley
- 1 15 ounce can chickpeas (about 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas)
- 1/3 cup (78ml) balsamic vinegar
- 3 tablespoon (44ml) oil (I prefer avocado oil for roasting)
- 2 teaspoon (40 grams) maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon (4 grams) garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon (3 grams) salt
- 1/4 teaspoon (.5 grams) ground pepper
- Vegan polenta
- 3 cups (709 ml) vegetable broth (or water)
- 1/2 teaspoon (3 grams) salt
- 3/4 cup (120 grams) polenta (cornmeal)
- 1/4 cup (57 grams) vegan butter
- 2 tablespoon (12 grams) nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon (4 grams) garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon (1 gram) Italian spices (can sub with dried parsley or basil)
- Salt & pepper to taste (if needed)
- Balsamic Vinegar (optional, to drizzle on top)
Polenta is such a wonderful comfort food — a savory, sophisticated porridge that is elevated further still by these balsamic roasted vegetables. Does this seem fancy? Don’t be intimidated. This wonderful recipe from Short Girl Tall Order is uncomplicated and rewarding.
Preheat the oven to 375° F. Strain, rinse, and dry the chickpeas completely.
Add the vegetables and chickpeas to a baking pan.
Whisk together the balsamic vinegar, oil, maple syrup, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
Pour the balsamic marinade on the veggies & chickpeas and mix together until evenly coated.
Then, add the tray to the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, until the chickpeas are beginning to crisp and the veggies are caramelized. Make sure to remove the tray and stir the veggies & chickpeas at the 15 minute mark so they bake evenly.
While the veggies & chickpeas are roasting, make the vegan polenta.
Add 3 cups broth (or water) and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and gradually add in the polenta 1/4 cup at a time. For the best results, stream the polenta in gradually and stir continuously while adding it to the pot.
Cook the polenta uncovered for 1-2 minutes, stirring consistently. Then, cover the saucepan and cook another 5-10 minutes(*or until cooked depending on the package instructions). If the polenta gets too thick before it is done cooking, add in a few tablespoons of veggie broth to help it thin out.
Remove the lid and add in the vegan butter, nutritional yeast, and spices. Finish by stirring together until nice and creamy.
Remove the cooked polenta from the heat and add it to 3-4 bowls. Top with the roasted veggies & chickpeas and serve. If desired, add on an extra drizzle of balsamic vinegar to the finished dish. Enjoy!
Notes:
- Leftovers can be stored in the fridge in a closed container for 3-5 days. This dish does not freeze well due to the polenta.
- Polenta can be subbed with rice, pasta, or any grain for a delicious roasted veggie bowl
What about the other ingredients?
So the polenta gets absorbed in the broth and cooks. Where is the next paragraph? You know, the one where flavors are added to the polenta basic. The ingredient list mentions gee and nutritional yeast and herbs? Are these items stirred in cooked polenta? Or sprinkled on the completed assembly? Or optional? What? I can admit but why list it if you aren’t going to mention it? 🤔 what?
Thank you for pointing this out!! We were missing a line from the original recipe (just added it back in). This line was missing: Remove the lid and add in the vegan butter, nutritional yeast, and spices. Finish by stirring together until nice and creamy. Thanks again!