As promised, here is a new vegan recipe that dedicated meat eaters will enjoy too. Since I have a very well established southern heritage, this caught my eye. Only I’m using Polenta…the “new” grits.
Adytum is full of great, like minded guests this weekend as always and one which happens to adhere to a pretty tight dietary plan: no sugar, no gluten, no animals- even casein in some vegan cheeses… (welcome Daiya; lactose and casein free) So in anticipation of feeding Kat…yes- another Kat who is dating a Bastyr student who may very well be YOUR naturopath one day I decided to check with the experts – Oly Vegan, a Facebook page recently shared with me by my hair stylist who does a vegan/GF diet plan herself. Like the lady who shared this recipe, her dad too was lost to cancer and the vegan diet has some pretty amazing stats if you’re looking to avoid that potential…
I did a test run with this recipe for our breakfast this morning and will make some modifications. I like a little more natural sweetness and will caramelize the plantains in a skillet with some coconut oil and pure maple syrup instead of roasting them. Additionally I toasted some unsweetened Bob’s Red Mill Coconut and topped the dish with the plantains and toasted coconut. Oh yes…now we’re talking…
I just bought 25 pounds of polenta from Bob’s Red Mill in Oregon and that is what I used in the recipe. It came off really creamy - reminiscent of Cream of Wheat. It is, in short, comfort food. You could add chopped dates, some nutmeg, maybe even some pineapple. Play with it and you’ll find, like I did, your own unique combination that works to start your day. Amazing, too how far ¾ cup of polenta goes. It really does serve 4-6…
We appreciate the collaborative effort that happens on Face Book when we ask for a fresh idea…a favorite recipe…and someone comes forward with theirs. Lesli really came through for Adytum’s guest, Kat, and may it all come back to you, Lesli! By the way, Lesli is issuing an open invitation to join their FB page: Oly Vegan for even more great recipes, even if you aren’t a dedicated Vegan. For those of you that haven’t been to the capitol city of Washington, Olympia is an eclectic blend of progressive people. Free thinkers, original…which is why we keep a second home there. Never know, we might become Vegan and move back (:
This recipe is from the book “Vegan Soul Food” by Bryant Terry
Upper Caribbean Creamy Grits with Roasted Plantain Pieces
Yield- 4 to 6 servings
1 large ripe yellow plantain, ends cut off, peeled
and cut in half lengthwise and cut into 1/2 inch pieces width-wise
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Coarse sea salt
1 1/2 cups coconut milk
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 cinnamon stick
4 cups water
3/4 cup stone-ground grits
5 tablespoons maple crystals or organic raw cane sugar
-preheat oven to 450
-in a small bowl, toss the plantains, olive oil, cinnamon, and 1/8 teaspoon salt.
Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet and cook, stirring a few times to ensure even browning, until crisp on the outside
and starting to turn golden brown, about 45 mins. Set aside.
- In a small sauce-pan over medium-low heat, combine the the coconut milk, the ginger, and the cinnamon stick. Simmer for 5 mins., stirring often
and ensuring that the coconut milk does not boil. Remove from heat and strain the coconut milk into a small bowl. Set aside.
- In a medium sauce pan, combine 3 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil. Whisk the grits into the liquid until no lumps remain,
return to a boil, then quickly reduce the heat to medium low- and simmer, stirring often to prevent the grits from sticking to the bottom of the pan,
until the grits have absorbed most of the liquid, and are thickening- 10 to 12 mins. Stir in the remaining cup of water, and cook for another 10 mins, stirring occasionally, until
most of the liquid has been absorbed. Stir in the reserved coconut milk and simmer, stirring frequently , until the grits are soft but not runny, 30 to 35 mins.
Stir in the maple sugar.
- Right before serving top each serving with some of the roasted plantains.
I hope your guests enjoy this as much as i do!
All the best,
Lesli Baker
Oly Vegan
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