I am grateful for my friends who like to cook healthy meals. Especially Bonniejean, who is the best baker I know.

Below is a recipe for the Deep Dish Polenta. (Even the picky eaters will like this one 😉

The Chipotle Black Bean soup was really just all the vegetables I had in my fridge (1 onion, 5 carrots, 1 potato, half a bag of frozen corn) sauteed with 1 TBSP olive oil and two marinated chipotle peppers (they came marinated in a jar). Then, I added veggie broth, stewed tomatoes, water and black beans. I cooked it for about 3 hours on low/simmer because the beans were dried, not canned. It turned out more like stew than soup. I had to add water several times while it was cooking. The spice is tricky – you don’t taste it until nearly 5 seconds after you eat it. Then it really hits you!

Deep Dish Polenta

Ingredients

• 4 oz fresh mushrooms
• 2 cup water, hot
• 20 oz frozen chopped broccoli, two 10 oz packages, thawed
• 2 cups soy milk
• 1 tsp table salt
• 1 cup uncooked cornmeal, stone-ground yellow
• 4 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese (optional for vegans)
• 1 Tbsp soy margarine
• 1 small tomato(es), plum, seeded and chopped

Instructions

• Lightly coat bottom and sides of a 10-inch deep-dish pie pan with cooking spray.
• Place broccoli in colander and squeeze out excess water; set aside. Heat oven to 400°F.
• In a large heavy-bottomed pot, combine remaining 1 1/2 cups hot water, milk and salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and slowly drizzle in cornmeal, whisking constantly. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until polenta is as thick as mashed potatoes, about 6 to 8 minutes.
• Stir in broccoli, mushrooms and their liquid, 3 tablespoons Parmesan and butter.
• Spread polenta mixture evenly in prepared pan. Sprinkle on tomato and remaining Parmesan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Cool at least 30 minutes, or serve at room temperature.