2.03.2010

Healing Sunshine

After a long week of illness, I'm finally perking up. Hooray! Just in time for sunshine too. :-) Thanks to a chiropractor appointment and some good pain pills I was able to sit outside yesterday with juice, quilt and a good book, soaking up healing rays and fresh air.



I'm reading "The Rose Cafe" reveling in vivid descriptions of the sun-drenched, intrigue-laden Corsica of the 1960's.

Today I go back to work and my lunches are light and healthy. The first came about when, in my groggy state, I thought I was making a pot of millet porridge and ended up with quinoa. :-) Thankfully I had some perfect additions on hand to make a delicious salad. I tossed the quinoa with pesto then added quartered artichoke hearts and thinly sliced red and yellow bell pepper.



































The second dish was beautifully simple. I had chilled polenta in the fridge, so I sliced it, fried it in a bit of olive oil with a sprinkling of kosher salt, spooned on a savory blend of mascarpone, chevre and green onion and topped it with marinated roasted bell peppers.



































Now I must juice oranges and grapefruit, mix plain yogurt with apple sauce, vanilla and mandarin oranges, brew my tea and head to work. Hope you have a beautiful Wednesday! :-)

Fried Polenta with Savory Cheese and Roasted Peppers

Ingredients:

10 slices chilled polenta
olive oil
kosher salt
1/4 cup (2 ounces) mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup (2 ounces) goat cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh chives
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 jar roasted marinated red or yellow peppers

Directions:
  1. Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Place polenta slices in pan, sprinkle with kosher salt, and fry until golden on each side. 
  2. Mix cheeses with chives, pepper and salt.
  3. Dice peppers.
  4. Place slices of polenta on platter, spoon 1-2 tsp cheese mixture on each piece and top with bell pepper.

26 comments:

  1. Oh this polenta looks amazing! I adore polenta and don't often eat it because my husband hates it - annoying that his food quirks are cramping my gastronomic style! I'm going to have to make this since you seem to have sparked a polenta craving.

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  2. These dishes look amazing. So simple, light and nourishing.

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  3. Glad you're feeling better. So sorry you've been sick. Hugs.

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  4. Dear Cozy - I'm glad you like it! :-) Yeah, the menfolk in my family aren't fond of it either, but mmm, I love it! :-)

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  5. Thanks muchly for the hugs, Trish. :-) My health has been a bit of a gong show, but I'm plugging along in hope. :-)

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  6. Do hope ur real fine and fit soon but so glad to hear there's sunshine streaming in now....

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  7. Thank you, dear Vanilla. :-) Each day I'm a bit better and the sunshine sure cheers me up. :-)

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  8. You've got two of my favorite grains there with the quinoa and polenta. What a perfect pair! They, along with the sunshine, would definitely make my day better.

    I'm glad to hear the chiropractor helped and that you are feeling better!

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  9. Everything sounds delicious!! I love that blue-ish bowl your quinoa is in. I love finding unique bowls and plates like this one.

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  10. Sorry you've not been well. Those polenta bites look lovely, I don't do polenta often enough.

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  11. glad you're feeling better! i'm such a fan of polenta and your flavor combos in this dish. just lovely.

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  12. They are indeed, Joanne! :-) I even got a little bit more sunshine today before the rains came. :-)

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  13. Me too, Ungourment! I was so excited to find that pretty bowl in a thrift store. :-)

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  14. Thank you, Sarah. It's been a long haul, but things are looking up! :-)

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  15. Thank you, spatula! :-) I'm so happy to start feeling a bit normal again. :-)

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  16. Polenta is sooo yum and your preparation looks amazing! Send some of that sun our way; it was terribly dreary today!

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  17. I hope you are feeling much better by the time you read my comment.
    I smiled about making quinoa instead of millet porridge.....You used your quinoa very creatively. Nice.
    The polenta looks fabulous too!

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  18. Thank you, Meghan! I totally would share the sunshine with you, but it clean disappeared today and left rain in its wake.

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  19. Thank you, dear Velva. I'm tucked up with tea and a heating pad and feeling a bit better. :-)

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  20. That fried polenta looks like the most mouthwatering finger food I've seen in a long time! :D Yellow peppers are so deliciously sweet and I always buy them if I can. Greta idea using the chilled polenta too!

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  21. Both of these look absolutely lovely! I make light lunches for myself to take to work and I find myself to be more energetic after them. I like the quinoa salad!

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  22. It was SO good, Lorraine! Even cold. Mmm. :-)

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  23. Me too, Irene! :-) Sitting at the computer all day I need every bit of extra energy I can get. :-)

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  24. LOVE the appetizer with polenta---sounds like a keeper!

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  25. Thank you, Janelle! :-) It sure is a keeper. Easy as a lick and so comfort-foodish. :-)

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