Baked Polenta with Spicy Vegan Ragu

Holy cow, it's been a busy week!  Between packing my classroom into boxes, finalizing end-of-the-year paperwork, lesson plans, report cards, oh, and teaching all day- I'm ready for a looong nap!  I had to forego my weekly trip to the market this past weekend because I needed some extra time to pack up my classroom.  I was lucky enough that my husband feels bad for me and came to help.  He got a free Starbucks out of it so that makes it all better!


These past few days, I've been finding myself coming home (exhausted to the max) changing straight into my pajamas and getting straight to the couch.  I have been making some time to read the Fifty Shades of Grey series!  Oh-my-wow!!!  Have any of you been reading these books???!?!??  


Anywho, I'm not in a uber talkative mood, so I will just leave you with tonight's recipe...

Baked Polenta with Spicy Vegan Ragu

Serve as an appetizer, side dish, or even the centerpiece of your meal!

Ingredients


-1 tube prepared organic polenta, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
-1 can organic fire roasted tomatoes with diced green chiles
-1/4-1/2 of a red onion think sliced then chopped
-3 cloves garlic, minced
-1 vegan italian sausage, chopped into small pieces
-1T cooking wine
-Spices such as: oregano, thyme, parsley, basil
-1T EVOO
-S&P

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil & spray with cooking spray.

Place the sliced polenta on the baking sheet & sprinkle lightly with S&P.

Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes.

While the polenta is baking, prepare the sauce.

Heat a pan over medium-high heat & line with 1T evoo.

Sautee onion & garlic until fragrant,

Add diced vegan sausage & cook until lightly browned.  

Deglaze the pan with cooking wine, being sure to scrape up the bits from the bottom of the pan.

Add the can of tomatoes & season with spices as you choose.

Let simmer for 10 minutes.

Remove the polenta from the oven and place on a plate.

Spoon sauce over the warm polenta and serve.

I made this one up as I went.  I have only used polenta a handful of times, but I really enjoy baking it.  It will be lightly crispy on the outside and creamy in the middle.  Yum, yum, yum!

8 more days of school... I THINK I CAN, I THINK I CAN...

Peace, Love, & Veggies