Sage Polenta Bowl with Parmesan, Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Wild Mushrooms

December 8, 2015Leave a comment

This time last year: Fall Harvest Vegetarian Stuffing (2013)

Man, time flies, doesn’t it?

It feels like just yesterday I was at home, filling my plate full of sweet potatoes, roasted brussels sprouts, and homemade rolls. Oh my goodness gracious, it was SO good!

I’m telling you all, veggie Thanksgiving is where it’s at. No turkey to make you sleepy, and all of the carbs and homemade goodness you could ever dream up. I can feel myself drooling now.

When the weather gets cold and the work load keeps getting harder, I dream of home. I dream about those moments around the table with my family, maybe some jazz music floating therough the speakers, always some kind of sweet potato dish being served (duh!).

When going home is not an option, which is unfortunately, almost always the case, I find myself eating soup instead. (Yes, some of us eat our feelings, and no, soup can not replace the comfort that comes with a family home cooked meal).

I think the warmth of a bowl of soup can push back the coldness of winter just a little bit, which can make the warmth of home feel a whole lot closer.

However, since leaving home 6 years ago, I’ve had a lot of soup, and sometimes you need something else warm.

CUE the Sage Polenta Bowls with Parmesan, Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Wild Mushrooms.

This bowl is seasonal, warm, simple, and delicious. It is filling, while still healthy, and it meets all vegetarian and gluten free diets (two points for the picky eaters!).

Buy the ingredients and make this recipe this week. I promise, you will be so glad you did!

Ingredients:

1 pound Brussels sprouts- rinsed, trimmed, and quartered
1- 8 ounce package assorted wild mushrooms (fresh)
2 Tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
4 cups water
1 cup instant polenta
3/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese, divided
1/4 cup chopped fresh sage

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400˚F.
2. Toss the Brussels Sprouts and mushrooms with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and then arrange into one layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, or until slightly browned.
3. Meanwhile, bring the water to a boil in a medium sized pot. Reduce the heat to low and slowly whisk the polenta into the water. Continue to whisk, without ceasing, for 3 minutes.
4. Remove the polenta from the heat, and stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, the sage, and salt and pepper to taste.
5. Divide the polenta into four bowls, and top each with 1/4 of the roasted vegetables + 1 Tablespoon of parmesan cheese.

Notes and Tips!:

Source: Oh My Veggies!
Like this recipe? Try these other delicious dishes from A Rented Kitchen! (Recipe links found below!):

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Toasted Walnuts and Lavender

Vegan Cuban Bowl

Baked Acorn Squash wit Walnuts and Cranberries

Garlic Parmesan Mushrooms

January 11, 2015September 5, 20154 Comments

One of the best parts of my week is the community potluck that takes place in the basement of my building. Every Tuesday night, about 20 of us Seminary students gather together to eat. It’s a glorious few hours filled with a lot of food and laughter.

I made these mushrooms for one of our community potlucks a few months ago. At first I was nervous, because a lot of people don’t like mushrooms. I cannot understand that because I love mushrooms, and find them to be incredibly delicious! Thus, because I thought I might be alone in that love, I did not photograph the mushrooms for this post. I was sorely mistaken.

These scrumptious mushrooms were devoured at that potluck! There were zero leftovers- nothing left for me to enjoy or photograph! I could not be upset about that, because I was very grateful the group enjoyed them, and it gave me an excuse to make them again!

One fun fact about mushrooms is that they contain twice the amount of protein as other vegetables, making this side dish a very healthy option at your vegetarian dinner table. Thus, in addition to your regular vegetable health benefits, you are also racking up on protein points- a win-win in this situation!

Bookmark this recipe! With a little bit of salt, garlic, and parmesan, these mushrooms will disappear before your eyes. You’ve been warned.

Come back soon!

With love,

A Rented Kitchen

Ingredients:

24 oz. mushrooms, stems removed and thinly sliced
6 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. garlic salt to taste
grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Prepare the mushrooms by rinsing, removing their stems, and slicing them into strips.
In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium high heat.
Once melted, add the mushrooms and garlic to the pan, and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the garlic salt (to taste), and stir.
Remove the mushrooms from the heat, place in a bowl, and toss with Parmesan cheese until the cheese is melted and dispersed.
Serve warm and enjoy!

Notes and Tips!:

Source: yourLDSblog
Like this recipe? Try these other delicious vegetable dishes by ‘A Rented Kitchen’ (recipe links found below photos):

Feta, “Sausage,” and Tomato Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

Honey Roasted Root Vegetables

White Bean, Brussels Sprouts, and Pomegranate Tart

Easy Eggplant Parmesan

September 17, 20141 Comment

My mom is a genius. I’m just going to put that out there.

Ever since I was a little kid, my mom would require my brother and I to plan and prepare our own dinner for the family several times over the course of the summer. Some summers the expectation for us to cook dinner fell weekly, however if the schedule was more irregular than that, it was always safe to assume my brother and I would be responsible for a meal over family vacation.

My mom would help us brainstorm whatever food we might want to prepare, would bless our desires to cook crazy and exotic meals, such as scallops or eggrolls, and always rolled up her sleeves to help us every step of the way.

I am sure that is where I learned some of my love for cooking, alongside my sweet and patient mother. I imagine those summer nights cooking also are responsible for helping me learn the rhythm of how to prepare a large meal, and where I got over a fear of trying new things in the kitchen.

This summer, my family vacationed for a week in the Smokey Mountains of Tennessee. It was beautiful. As was our tradition, each member of the family took a night to cook. For my night, I decided to whip up this scrumptious Eggplant Parmesan- yet another recipe I learned from my talented mother.

For some, eggplants may be on their way out of the farmer’s market, but if you can still get em’ fresh, I would highly suggest it. Nothing tastes as satisfying as a delicious bite of homemade Eggplant Parmesan at the end of summer.

Dig in, get cooking, give your mom a hug, and come back soon!

A Rented Kitchen

Ingredients:

2 large eggplants
Salt
1 egg
¼ cup skim milk
2+ Tablespoons olive oil
1 ¼ cups Italian bread crumbs
1 large can marinara sauce
1 package shredded Mozzarella cheese
Optional: Sprinkle with dried basil & oregano

Directions:

Rinse and cut the eggplant into large coins. Arrange on a flat surface and sprinkle each piece lightly with salt. Allow the eggplant to ‘sweat’ for 10 minutes, removing some of the bitter flavor (You should see water droplets form on top of each piece). Rinse the eggplant slices under cool water and pat dry.
In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and the milk. Dip each eggplant slice in the egg/milk, and coat with an even layer of bread crumbs.
Using two large frying pans, heat 1-2 Tablespoons of olive oil in each pan over medium heat. Arrange the breaded eggplant slices in the frying pans, and reduce the heat to medium low. Cook the eggplant slowly, around 30 minutes, flipping occasionally. If breadcrumbs look to dry when flipping, add a little extra olive oil to the pan!
Once the eggplant is soft and golden brown, divide the can of marinara over the two frying pans. Sprinkle generously with cheese, cover, and cook on low an additional 4 minutes- or until the marinara sauce is warm and the cheese melted.
Serve immediately and enjoy!

Notes and Tips!:

Source: A Rented Kitchen
For a lighter version, you could try dredging the eggplant slices, and baking the eggplant in a greased dish until soft and cooked through. This would remove some of the additional olive oil!
Like this recipe? Try these other delicious dishes from ‘A Rented Kitchen’! (Recipe links found below!)