Kale With Tomato and Polenta

This was inspired by a recipe in Jeanne Lemlin’s “Vegetarian Pleasures.” I changed it to be more in keeping with a Nutritarian eating style. You can reduce prep time by using pre-chopped or frozen kale, jarred garlic and frozen mushrooms. You can also use prepared polenta. It comes in a tube and you just cut off what you need and heat it. This also works well with broccoli rabe (a.k.a. rapini).

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 20  ounces kale, de-stemmed and chopped
• 8  garlic cloves, minced
• 4  mushrooms, halved and sliced
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  oil (to coat pan)
• 1  pinch crushed red pepper flakes
• 1⁄2 cup raisins
• 1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 3  cups  low sodium vegetable broth
• 1  cup cornmeal

Directions

1. Remove the center stem from the kale and discard. Wash and chop kale leaves and set aside. If you don't know how to remove the stems from kale, Google: remove kale stems.
2. Prepare garlic and mushrooms.
3. Coat large non-stick covered frying pan or dutch oven (at least 5 quarts) with oil. Add garlic, mushrooms and pepper flakes.
4. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, adding small amounts of water as needed to prevent sticking until mushrooms start to soften.
5. Add tomatoes and raisins and heat through.
6. Add as much kale as will fit in the pan and small amount of water if needed. Cover and cook until wilted and soft. Continue adding kale, stirring frequently, until it is all in the pan, adding small amounts of water if needed to prevent sticking.
7. Cover and turn heat very low to keep warm.
8. Mix corn meal with broth and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
9. Continue to stir until polenta thickens and begins to pull away from pot.
10. Serve kale mixture on top of polenta.