For all my fellow polenta-lovers.
Because Christmas Eve is such a big event, we usually do something smaller for Christmas. This year, I somehow convinced my entire family to eat a vegan Christmas dinner! Mom was instantly on board, as it meant she didn’t have to cook.
I cooked up a huge batch of Bread-Free Vegan Stuffing.
I’m kinda obsessed with this recipe, if you couldn’t tell. It’s especially simple to make when you have a sister chopping veggies for you and a dad who does the dishes.
With the stuffing, I made a simple salad (just greens and almonds, letting everyone choose their dressing). In a polenta mood from my Christmas Polenta Casserole the night before, I opted for more polenta as a side dish—a quick and easy, single-serving recipe (I cooked extra for the family).
Creamy Polenta for One
- 1/2 cup cornmeal (whole-grain or regular)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp creamer, such as Silk (Creamer-Free Version Here)
Measure your polenta, salt, and 1 cup water into a small pot. Cook on medium-high, with the lid on, for 4 minutes. Then uncover, stir, and lower to a simmer for 2 more minutes. Stir again, then keep simmering (still uncovered) 3 more minutes, or until desired consistency is reached. I make this ahead of time and add the creamer right before serving. Add the creamer, then re-heat until it’s warmed to your liking.
After dinner, we cuddled up on the couch with Molly and Henry and watched It’s a Wonderful Life, a.k.a. one of the cutest movies–Christmas or not–ever made.
Side note: I did really well teaching Henry, who sheds, not to go on the couch. But then I missed cuddling with him when I sat on the couch! Sometimes, you have to weigh the pros and cons: missing out on Henry cuddles is so not worth having fur-less furniture.
Nicole says
Oh, you mentioned pets, and that’s totally enough to get me out of my long-standing lurkdom! 🙂
I have two dogs. They’re horrendously spoiled. My littler one is a mini poodle with the biggest heart you could ever imagine, and she has my big, buff, mostly stoic father wrapped around that little paw of hers. She’s darling, though. Yours are too! 🙂
I think I miss my dogs the most when I’m off at school… Don’t tell my parents that, though. 😉
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
Haha aww I understand! When I was off at college, at least I could talk to my parents. But not the puppers :(… except the few times my mom put them on the phone and I got to hear Henry breathing!
Jess says
SO cool you got your fam to eat a vegan christmas dinner–that’s such a sweet memory!
Namaste Gurl says
What girl, you beat me to it! How do us amazing bloggers think of the same posts to write? I guess great minds think alike 🙂 Mines a bit different though, ‘cheezy’ herb, to be exact!
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
There can never be too many polenta recipes in the blogworld! 🙂
BroccoliHut says
Oh, wow! I wish my family would agree to eat an entirely vegan meal!
I think I just found a use for the Silk creamer that has been sitting in my fridge fo-evah…
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
Ooh you can also put it in your oatmeal. It SERIOUSLY takes plain oatmeal into rice-pudding territory. Just 2T stirred in is ahhmazing :).
Felicia ( a taste of health with balance) says
aren’t dads the best? had mine not been there to help and clean the dishes from all the cooking i did for the holidays, i’d probably still be doing dishes from thanksgiving 😉
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
Ugh me too! Love you, Daddy! Yay for daddies ;).
Claire says
Haha, we;ve got a cat (Stimpy – not a reference to Ren and Stimpy as the other cat was called Bud, we’re slightly confused too :P). Stimpy is not so much spoilt as her own boss, there’s a cat next door (Crumpet – such a cute name!) who’s the biggest flirt. I spend more time patting him than studying!
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
They should get a dog named Tea :).
Claire says
Hahaha! That would be brilliant!
Laura @ Meet Virginia says
I have actually never tried polenta! I will have to make this recipe. You’re the best, Katie! 😀
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
Aw Laura, YOU are the best for always being so sweet to me :).
Melinda says
That is really great that your family was on board for a vegan holiday meal. Polenta is always a good choice. I do have pets and they are spoiled. I think it is neat that they get to live overseas with us too. I think they have no idea that they live on a tiny Portuguese island.
Melomeals: Vegan for $3.33 a Day says
Oh yum! I had polenta yesterday … I just love it.
Alanna says
I don’t know why polenta always intimidated me, because there’s so little to it! I was a little confused, though… I had creamy polenta last night, but when I opened my tupperware at lunch today I had semi-solid polenta in a water moat! I was able to mix it back together after heating, but it really surprised me. I feel silly asking a question on such a simple recipe, but having never made it before, I’m not sure if that’s normal or I did something wrong, lol.
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
I usually leave my grains (polenta, oatmeal, etc) at least semi-uncovered (with at least a little pocket of air) for that reason. The water separates.
Alanna says
Good to know — thanks!!
PolentaReviewer says
Do you have tips of what you can do with polenta so that it isn’t bland?
Nicole says
Use homemade chicken stock as your liquid.