Rustic Meal: Sausages, Veggies and Polenta

Rustic Meal

I'm not going to tell you how to make this entire meal, nor the nutritional data for everything. The sausage nutrition will change with every choice, and your choices will change from region to region, from city to city.

Choice is a common topic on my podcast Make Your Someday Today. We are all confronted with challenges, and most are in the form of choices. Planning in advance makes choosing easier.

Your grilled veggies can be altered to your preference. I used baby zucchini, white button mushrooms, an onion, and two red bell peppers. I cut them into similar sizes, tossed them with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and herbs, then grilled them over high direct heat until caramelized.

But the polenta requires a recipe and instructions. I've made mistakes with polenta; there is a secret.

Jalapeno-Cheddar Polenta
Serves 10+

4 cups liquid (I used 2 bottles beer--24 ounces, or three cups + 1 cup water)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup regular polenta (not quick cooking)
1/2 cup diced onion
1 (or more) diced jalapeno
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese.

1. Bring liquid to a rolling boil. 
2. Add onion and jalapeno. Let simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Turn the heat up and bring back to a rolling boil.
4. SLOWLY and STEADILY add the polenta, stirring constantly. (This is where I made earlier mistakes. I just dumped it in. Don't do that!) When you are finished adding the polenta, reduce heat to medium.
5. Let boil for 3-5 minutes, stirring once a minute, or until desire consistency.
6. Lay out a 3 foot sheet of waxed paper. Spray with cooking spray.
7. Pour polenta over wax paper. Spread to approximately 1/2 inch thickness. Let cool 30-60 minutes.
8. Using a round biscuit cutter or other device, cut into circles. (Or cut into squares.)
9. At this point, they are ready to fry for immediate service, or refrigerate for later use.
10. If you are going to immediately serve them, preheat a non-stick skillet over med-high heat.
11. Spray with cooking spray. Lay cut polenta cakes into the skillet (or griddle) and cook until beginning to brown, 1-3 minutes. 
12. Flip and cook the other side.
13. Serve immediately with butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, applesauce or sour cream.

Nutritional data:

Calories:         99

Fat:               1.9g

Sat fat:          1.2g

Chol:          5.9mg

Sodium:    96.3mg

Carbs:         12.5g

Fiber:            0.5g

Protein:         2.6g

Make Your Someday Today is a twice-weekly podcast, where we talk to successful people in all walks of life and around the world on Monday, and then on Thursday, I take a specific message from the previous guest and give my "Trevitorial", where I help you apply that message to your life. The entire purpose of the show is to help all of us overcome our challenges and fears and become the person we want to be, the person we deserve to be.