Soft Polenta with white bean, squash and sage ragout

This is a little more time consuming than the other recipes, but not bad and WELL worth the effort. Enjoy with a nice crisp green salad

6 servings

For the ragout:

2T olive oil
1 large onion diced
3c winter squash peeled and roughly chopped-butternut, red kuri, etc.
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
1" piece of ginger peeled and minced
1 28oz can diced tomatoes
3 c cooked white beans
1T fresh sage minced or 1t dried
fresh black pepper

For the Polenta

6c water
1t salt
3/4c fine yellow grits
3/4c yellow cornmeal
parmesan cheese optional

Ragout: heat oil in heavy pot, add onion and pinch of salt and saute 5 mins, until soft. Add squash, garlic and ginger and saute 5 mins-don't brown. Stir in tomatoes with their juice and bring to a boil. Add beans and sage and reduce to low heat and simmer, covered, for 25-30mins. Add water if ragout gets too thick.

Polenta: In heavy saucepan over high heat bring water to a boil (can use veg broth), add salt. In a bowl combine grits and cornmeal and mix well. While stirring water slowly add the corn mix and whisk smooth. Reduce heat and cook uncovered for 25 mins, stirring from time to time until the polenta pulls away from the sides of the pan. I make mine in my rice cooker and walk away, works great. Contrary to poplular belief polenta does not need to be constantly stirred. Serve in shallow bowl with ragout on top.

385 cals/ 6g fat/71g carbs/15g protein