Pumpkin Polenta
The polenta I grew up with was simmered in cream and generously showered with grated Parmesan cheese. Then, just before serving, my mom would add several pats of butter and beat the polenta vigorously with a big wooden spoon for what seemed like ages. It always came out extra creamy, and in my family, was usually served with a red sauce and grilled Italian sausages, my dad’s favorite. I started tinkering with the family polenta recipe to lighten it up and make it fit into my brain-healthy way of eating. The actual polenta, aka corn grits, is a delicious whole grain that is inexpensive and versatile. I wanted my polenta to be lighter, yet still hit all those comfort food notes.
Creamy polenta gets a makeover
Because the brain-healthy diet favors mono- and polyunsaturated fats over saturated ones, my polenta makeover started by swapping in almond milk for the cream. As it turns out, polenta is even more delicious and just as creamy without the cream. Next I skipped the butter and the cheese. Feel free to give your Pumpkin Polenta a nice dusting of Parmesan cheese or add small cubes of feta at the end of cooking. But honestly, the dish is so good without it that I rarely do.
Corn grits are a whole grain
You may be thinking that eating corn couldn’t possibly be a healthful idea. Corn grits are bits of dried corn that are ground into a coarse meal. They become creamy and porridge-like when slowly simmered in liquid. Very good polenta can be made with just broth, or even water, instead of cream. As it turns out, corn that is non-GMO, organic, and from heirloom varieties is a nutrient-dense food packed with fiber. In fact, whole grain polenta has more fiber than oatmeal. And colorful heirloom varieties of corn, like the hundreds of types grown in Mexico for millennia, contain phytonutrients that come from the plant pigments. Not all polenta is equally healthful. Avoid instant polenta and the kind that comes premixed with other ingredients. I’m partial to Bob’s Red Mill and Anson Mills brands.
Pumpkin adds creaminess, fiber, and beta-carotene
Adding pumpkin puree to the polenta was one of those happy accidents. Early days in the polenta dish’s makeover, I was looking for a way to make the coarse grits more creamy. A cupful of roasted and pureed pumpkin in my fridge turned out to be that missing ingredient. By folding cooked and pureed pumpkin into the pot, the polenta gained not just creaminess, depth of flavor, and a hint of sweet; it got an infusion of beta-carotene, the precursor to vitamin A. Not to mention a good dose of fiber, which means you can feel full even though you eat less. Now I mostly use butternut squash, which is more readily available year-round than those sweet baking pumpkins that only appear in the fall. You can also use pumpkin puree straight from the can.
Chickpea flour adds a savory note
In my family recipe for polenta, we whisk semolina flour into polenta once it sets up to add an even more creamy texture. Semolina flour is a type of finely milled wheat often used for making pizza and pasta. When I swapped in chickpea flour, which is also powdery in texture, it gave my polenta the creaminess I wanted. But it added something even better — a savory note to balance the sweetness of the pureed squash. And chickpea flour is a nutrient dense ingredient made from ground chickpeas. You can read more about chickpea flour here.
The secret technique that’s better than butter
Most traditional polenta recipes instruct you to vigorously stir in a generous pat of butter at the end of the cooking, like my mom did, to achieve a creamy result. I found that I could give it an energetic stir but skip the butter and it turned out just as creamy.
My brain-healthy version of creamy polenta turned out to be a satisfying puddle in which to ladle sauce or stew. I especially love it with my Shrimp, Tomato, and Chickpea Stew and my Mushroom Bolognese. It would also be good for breakfast — think warm breakfast porridge with berries and maple syrup. Or savory breakfast porridge with tomatoes and a fried egg.
Prep Time | 5 minutes |
Cook Time | 25 minutes |
Servings |
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- 3 cups almond milk
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper or black pepper
- 5 tablespoons polenta (such as Bob's Red Mill corn grits not instant)
- 5 tablespoons chickpea flour
- 1 cup pumpkin puree from a can
Ingredients
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- Pour the almond milk into a large saucepan and bring to a simmer.
- Add the nutmeg, salt and pepper.
- Slowly add the 5 tablespoons of polenta over the simmering milk, whisking continuously. Keep whisking and add the chickpea flour. Cook over very low heat so that the polenta is gently bubbling up, whisking every few minutes, until the grains are soft, about 10 minutes.
- Add the pumpkin and whisk until the polenta is smooth and bubbling gently again, about 5 minutes.
- Using a wooden spoon, vigorously stir the polenta for about 1 minute.
- Remove the pan from the heat. Taste; adjust for salt and pepper.
Use butternut squash puree instead of pumpkin.
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