Jalapeno Cheddar Polenta (244 Cal) & Black Beans (175 Cal)

I made this dish last night and really loved it. It was a hit all around. The recipe is posted here on my blog as well:

http://www.goudamonster.com/2012/09/black-beans-w-jalapeno-cheddar-polenta/

If you want it extra spicy you can double up on the jalapeno without affecting the calorie budget much. I ate these together (nice alternative to rice and beans) with some homemade pico de gallo.



Jalapeno Cheddar Polenta

Ingredients

1 Cup Coarse Grind Cornmeal
3 Cups Water
1 Bouillon Cube (I use Not Chick’n)
1/4 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1/2 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1 Cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese, grated
1 Jalapeno Pepper, diced (remove seeds for less heat)
1/4 Cup Milk (I used almond milk)
1 Teaspoon Butter

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Using a little bit of your butter, grease the inside of a small baking dish. My dish is approximately 3-4 cups.

2. There are two ways you can do this. I make my polenta in the rice cooker, which means I dump the water, stock cube, spices, and polenta into my rice cooker and set it for 20 minutes. I come back to give it a good stir and it’s ready to eat. If you don’t have a rice cooker you can do pretty much the same thing on a stovetop by covering your pot. The more traditional way to make polenta is to bring your cooking liquid to a simmer, add your polenta, and stir regularly until it’s thick and yummy (20-30 minutes).

3. This step is optional: In a small bowl microwave your diced pepper for about 20-30 seconds, just to take a little of the crunch out.

4. Add your jalapeno, 3/4 of the cheese, and milk to the polenta and stir until combined. Transfer to your small buttered dish, smoothing down the top so it’s relatively flat.

5. Melt your remaining butter. Sprinkle top of polenta with 1/4 cup of cheddar cheese and drizzle with butter.

6. Bake for 15 minutes, uncovered. Pop the broiler on for a few seconds at the end if you want your cheese more brown and bubbly.




Seasoned Black Beans


Ingredients

2 Cans Low Sodium Black Beans
1 Can Diced Tomatoes with Chiles, drained
1/2 Onion, diced
1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder (or mince a clove of garlic)
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Dried Cilantro
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
1 Bay Leaf
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
12 Reduced Salt Green Olives, sliced
1/4 Cup Fresh Cilantro, chopped

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a sauce pan and cook your onions (and garlic if applicable) until slightly translucent.
2. Add canned beans, tomatoes, olives, and all seasonings. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Stir in fresh cilantro. Add a squeeze of fresh lime if you like.