Try Polenta Tonight!

I subscribe to many different websites, so it seems that daily a recipe appears in my email in box.  At the rate they come in, I don’t get an opportunity to try them all, but I am going to be making this one tonight.  It’s from SELF.com.

With the holidays over, and the new year, it’s usually a common time of year to start cutting back on the calories, starting new diets, and eating more greens.  This is a great recipe for those of you who are trying to be more health conscious in 2009.

Polenta and Vegetables With Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
Polenta is a great addition to any vegetarian fare. A delicious alternative to tofu, this dish will not only leave you satisfied but will also fulfill nearly a quarter of your daily fiber needs. Try this meatless meal today.

Serves 4

Ingredients
* 1 cup uncooked instant polenta
* 2/3 cup grated Parmesan, divided
* 1/8–1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
* Vegetable oil cooking spray
* 2 cloves garlic, chopped
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme (or oregano) or 1 tbsp dried
* 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 8 asparagus stalks, ends trimmed
* 8 scallions, trimmed
* 2 small Japanese or Italian eggplants, trimmed and halved
* 1 medium-large yellow squash (about 1/2 lb), cut into 1/3-inch-thick slices
* 1 cup cherry tomatoes

Sauce
* 1 jar (12 oz) prepared roasted red peppers, drained
* 1/3 cup vegetable (or chicken) broth
* 1 large clove garlic, chopped
* 3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, basil or parsley (plus extra for garnish)
* 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Preparation
Bring 3 cups water to a boil in a medium-sized heavy saucepan. Add polenta in a stream, whisking to combine. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring frequently, until thick, 3 to 5 minutes. Whisk in 1/3 cup Parmesan and season with cayenne and salt. Coat a 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray. Transfer polenta to pie plate, smooth into an even layer and let cool 15 minutes. Heat broiler. Whisk garlic, thyme, lemon juice and oil in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Toss vegetables with dressing. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray and arrange vegetables in 1 layer (or in 1 layer in a grill basket). Broil vegetables about 4 inches from heat until tender and slightly charred, 3 to 5 minutes on each side. Transfer to a platter. Combine all sauce ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Sprinkle polenta with remaining 1/3 cup Parmesan. Broil polenta in pie plate until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes, then cut polenta into 8 triangles. Divide polenta among 4 plates. Top with vegetables, drizzle with sauce and sprinkle with chives. Serve any remaining sauce on the side.

Nutrition Facts:
* 280 calories per serving
* 7.2 g fat (2.3 g saturated)
* 45.4 g carbs
* 6.1 g fiber
* 9.8 g protein