Polenta with Vegetable stew

My hubby had the idea to try this new recipe from one of our unexpectedly most useful cookbooks - The Joslin Diabetes Healthy Carbohydrate Cookbook. Obviously an unusual book for us to own since no one we know has diabetes; this was a free book sent to my husband a few years ago to review at work. When we first started cooking together we tried a couple of simple pasta recipes from here and were amazed how good they were. Ever since, we've been very impressed by each recipe that we've tried from here.

We haven't ever cooked polenta together before. Many years ago I made it at home and know that it is pretty easy so long as you stir often and use a good cornmeal. This polenta uses just water, salt, and a small amount of parmesan cheese (unlike restaurants in which a lot of butter is added - totally unnecessary here). The polenta was delicious. The veggies were easy to make. Served with salmon and bread, we LOVED this dinner.

Polenta and vegetable stew with salmon

Vegetable Stew
Olive oil for sautee pan
1 medium onion, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 eggplant, peeled and cut into cubes
1 small zucchini, sliced into 1/4" rounds
2 tomatoes, cut into eighths
(mushrooms - we omitted this time)
2 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped
Salt
black pepper
Season with dried oregano, thyme, black pepper

Lightly coat wok with olive oil. Sauté onion and garlic for 2 minutes. Add eggplant, tomatoes, zucchini. Cover and simmer until eggplant softens, about 10 minutes.  (If using mushrooms, add them next).  Add the basil, salt & pepper, oregano and thyme.  Simmer until done.  Serve over the polenta.

Starting to cook the eggplant

Creamy Polenta
3 - 4 cups water
1 cup stone-ground cornmeal grits
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and stir in cornmeal.  Cook, stirring often for 25 - 30 mintues, adding remaining water if it becomes too thick (used 3.5 cups, but could have used 4 cups, since the polenta became firmer once off the heat).  Stir in salt and Parmesan cheese.  Ladle into bowls.

Creamy polenta

Polenta and vegetables

One food-loving cat was very excited to smell salmon