A great dinner or brunch recipe that features kale greens and red pepper over marbled yellow corn polenta accented with garlic and turmeric mixed with teff polenta, accented with tamari and balsamic vinegar, mixed with lentils and sun-dried tomatoes, then garnished with smokey tamari almonds and sliced heirloom tomatoes.

Ingredients

For the lentils and sun-dried tomatoes
1 cup water
1/3 cup French lentils (black, red or brown will also work)
1 sprig dried kombu (about 1″)
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
(dehydrated, not the kind packed in oil)

For the yellow corn polenta
1 1/3 cup water
1/3 cup yellow corn meal grits
1/4t coarse sea salt
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
2T unsweetened soy milk
1T olive oil
1T fresh garlic, minced
1/4t dried ground turmeric
1T nutritional yeast
1T arrowroot flour dissolved in 2T cold water
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

For the teff polenta
1 cup water
1/3 cup teff
1/4t coarse sea salt
1T tamari
1T olive oil
1/2T balsamic vinegar
1/2t dried ground cumin
1/4t dried ground coriander
1T nutritional yeast
1T arrowroot flour dissolved in 2T cold water
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

For the kale and red pepper
1 cup loosely packed kale greens, stemmed and finely
chopped
1/2 cup red pepper in 1/2″ dice
1/4t coarse sea salt
1/2T olive oil

For the garnish
2T sliced almonds
1 dash liquid smoke
1t tamari
A pinch of sea salt
1/2t coconut sugar
2-3 heirloom grape tomatoes of various colors, thinly sliced

Directions

In three sauces pans with lids, bring the water for the lentils, the corn meal and the teff to a boil with their respective amounts of seal salt and kombu.
Add the lentils to their sauce pan, cover, reduce heat to the lowest setting and simmer for 35 – 45 minutes or until the lentils are soft and most of the water has been
absorbed.
Add the corn meal and the teff to their respective pans, slowly, stirring continuously.
Cover each, reduce heat to the lowest setting and simmer.
Simmer the corn meal for approximately 20 – 30 minutes or until most of the water has been absorbed and the polenta is pulling away from the sides of the pan.
Simmer the teff for approximately 20 minutes or until most of the water has been absorbed and it’s pulling away from the sides of the pan.
A lot depends on the coarseness of the polenta, the depth of the pan and other factors — so, stir frequently
and use the consistency as a guide for whether it’s complete.
When the teff and corn meal are done, remove from heat.
For the corn meal, add the soy milk, olive oil, garlic, turmeric, and nutritional yeast.
Stir to combine and simmer another 5 minutes.
Add the arrowroot mixture slowly stirring continuously until the tapioca thickens.
Remove from heat and set aside to cool while you finish the teff.
For the teff, add the tamari, balsamic vinegar, spices, and nutritional yeast.
Stir to combine and simmer another 5 minutes.
Add the arrowroot mixture slowly, stirring continuously until it thickens.
Remove from heat and set aside to cool for 2-3 minutes.
Once the lentils are done, drain and rinse, remove the kombu and set aside 2 minutes to cool.
Add half the sun-dried tomatoes and lentils to each.
Stir to combine and season each to taste.
Then, mix the teff and the corn meal coarsely with one another to create a marbled effect.
Add the mixture to lightly oiled 9″ pie plate and let stand 20 minutes uncovered to setup.
Preheat the oven to 375F.
Toss the kale and red peppers in the oil and sea salt.
Sprinkle the kale mixture over the top in a thin, even layer.
Toss the almonds in the tamari, sea salt, coconut sugar and liquid smoke until well combined.
Spread evenly on a small oven proof dish.
Bake the polenta and kale on the middle rack for 45 minutes to one hour until the kale is looking dark green and the polenta is starting to get crispy on top.
Bake the almonds on the middle rack for about 10 – 15 minutes, stirring frequently to ensure even browning
and remove when browned.
Ovens vary — so, always use the colour and texture of the dish as your guide.
When the polenta is done, remove from the oven and set aside for 30 minutes to cool and setup.
Sprinkle with almonds, add the sliced tomato, sprinkle with additional nutritional yeast or other seasonings
and serve.