Easy Homemade Polenta

Fresh Homemade Polenta served with sautéed Kale, butternut squash, and a little THRIVE Chicken for protein. Leave out the chicken for a nice vegetarian dish!

This is one of the easiest recipes to make from your food storage and can be served so many ways. As a side dish with a sauce of some type - like a fresh marinara, with fried eggs for breakfast, or how about with some delicious fresh diced tomatoes and basil from your garden and crumbled feta drizzled with olive oil and balsamic? Yes, my imagination is running away with me . . .and I am also getting hungry again!


So, go! Make some fresh polenta and enjoy!


Easy Homemade Polenta

1 Cup Corn Meal
3 Cups water
1 tsp salt

Bring the water and salt to a boil, reduce heat to medium low and slowly pour in the corn meal. Stir well to combine, then reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for 20 minutes. Place the polenta in a dish or pan, press down firmly to shape it, and allow to cool. About 10 minutes. Slice and fry in hot pan that has just a small amount of olive oil. Serve.


I find that the key to this recipe is to stir regularly through the 20 minutes so that the polenta does not burn to the bottom of the pot AND to start with a tall sided pot with as small a bottom as possible. I have a 2-3 qt saucepan that has high sides and works perfectly. The reason why you want the tall sides is because the polenta spits and pops as it cooks the water into the cornmeal. You also need to make sure that you cook it for the full length of time. It will be thick. Then scoop into a greased pan or dish. I used two small non-stick loaf pans and parchment paper for easy removal so that I could slice it before frying. Once in the pan of choice, press down firmly so that it sticks together well. Allow to cool and slice then fry. Enjoy!

NOTE: I whipped ours up with onion powder, lots of garlic powder, and black pepper, too.  Maybe you like yours with a buttery flavor.  You could add a little olive oil or butter to the mix right after you add the cornmeal to the water.  Or other herbs and spices, depending on what you are serving it with!