Spring Veggies with Polenta

A recipe to make this weekend

Hello, and welcome to Platypus’ first recipe: Spring Veggies with Polenta.

Despite the heat, it’s still technically spring for the next few weeks. So why not try this multi-veggie medley swimming in a creamy miso tahini sauce spooned over comforting polenta? My fam rates it 10/10, and not just because they love me. 

One of my favourite things is when healthy food doesn’t taste as healthy as it is. But this recipe IS super healthy because it’s made with whole plant-based foods that are rich in a variety of nutrients, including fibre.

When we think of fibre, we usually think of digestion, but fibre is responsible for so much more than that. Increased fibre intake is associated with lower body weight, feeling fuller between meals and blood sugar management, better heart health, gut health and microbiome diversity. Plus, increased intake has been associated with a lower risk of several diseases.

Fibre is so important that the American Heart Association has now upped its recommendation for daily intake to 25 to 30 grams per day. But sadly, most estimates show that most North Americans are probably getting only half of this amount*. 

Not you! If you make this recipe, you will boost your intake by up to 20 grams from a variety of different types of fibre from the different veggies, white beans and polenta.

This is a great dish to serve for a cozy dinner. Store any leftover polenta separate from the veggies and reheat with a little more water in a pot, stirring frequently to keep it smooth. Ramps are getting close to the end of their season, so if they aren’t available, feel free to substitute with green or spring onions.

Spring Veggies with Polenta

• 1 shallot, diced

• 6 cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1” pieces

• 1 bunch of ramps (or green onions if not available), greens separated from white bulbs

• 1 zucchini, cut into half moons

• 1 can of cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

• 4 cups spinach

• 2 cups cornmeal

• 6 cups water

• 2 tbsp tahini

• 1 tbsp miso

• 1 tbsp rice vinegar

• 1 cup water

• Fresh mint

Cook the polenta: bring 6 cups of water to a boil and whisk in the polenta. Continue whisking until smooth. Cover and reduce heat to low, for 30 minutes. Whisk every 5 minutes or so, adding more water if needed.

Cook the veggies: sauté the shallot in a few tablespoons of water until softened. Add mushrooms with a little more water and cook until they release their water. Add the white ramp bulbs, garlic, asparagus and zucchini and cook for a few minutes.

Make the sauce: In a bowl, whisk the tahini and miso with water until smooth. Add to the veggie pan with the spinach and cook gently until the spinach wilts.

Spoon the polenta into big bowls and top with the veggie mixture (be sure to spoon some sauce overtop as well!). Sprinkle mint leaves overtop and serve right away.

Thank you for reading! I’ll be back in a week with another recipe for you to try.

If you like this post, please subscribe to see more, and feel free to share Platypus with anyone who you may think would like it. Have a great weekend!

*https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4942856/

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