Tonight’s dinner was easy, fairly quick and extremely delicious.  It was perfect for warmer weather too, because it tasted light and fresh and the flavors were clean and bright. It would make Rachel Ray and her 30 minute meals proud. We give you… Polenta Primavera!

Polenta:

Place 3 cups water into a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Add 1 cup polenta (aka corn grits) to the water and stir.  Reduce heat to medium low and let simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.  If desired, add salt and garlic powder.  When polenta is like a thick porridge, turn off heat.  Let rest while cooking veggies.

Primavera Vegetables:

Coarsely chop 1 fist of garlic, 1/2 red bell pepper (with seeds) and 1 green onion and place in deep non-stick pan along with 1 medium can of tomato sauce and some vegetable stock.  Let simmer on medium high heat until they start to soften.

Add 1 and 1/2 or 2 chopped zucchinis and 2 small heads chopped broccoli to the pan as well as the following dried seasonings: oregano, basil, thyme, salt, garlic powder and black pepper (don’t be shy with amounts!) as well as a few splashes of red wine vinegar.  Let cook until zucchini begins to look translucent.

Add sliced white mushrooms and let cook another couple of minutes.  Finally, add halved cherry tomatoes (not regular tomatoes! the cherry tomatoes add tremendous flavor to the dish) and cook a few more minutes on medium high heat until all veggies are cooked but not overly soft.  Add some fresh basil leaves if you have them and let them wilt before serving.

Plate with polenta in the center (should be nice and thick after sitting) and primavera veggies all around.  Garnish with fresh basil and enjoy!

(These amounts serve 2)