What to Make & Eat This Week

Welcome spring with the simplest of simple recipes — 5 ingredients!

A friend texted me recently to announce that she suddenly rediscovered my 2019 book, 5-Ingredient Vegan, on her kitchen shelf. It was a timely find for her because admitted that she no longer enjoys cooking (but still likes to eat).

We got on the phone after our fingers tired of texting (remember phone calls?). She asked if she could substitute one ingredient for another in a couple of recipes, and whether a certain dish would be good to take to a potluck. I’ve always maintained that simple recipes are the best to mess with and always encourage people to add their own touches.

When I’m asked which of my books would be the best for the vegan beginner or the I-don’t-like-to-cook kind of person, 5-Ingredient Vegan would be the one.

Since spring has sprung, and with it a desire to spend more time doing activities and less in the kitchen, I thought it would be fun to present the simplest of simple recipes using 5 ingredients or less.

Note! The only ingredients that don’t “count” as part of the 5 are water, oil (which you can always swap out for water), and salt & pepper.

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This week, we’ll be making …

• Pan-Grilled Polenta with Spinach & Black Beans

• Vegan Hungarian Cabbage Noodles

• Ridiculously Easy “Tofuna” (Tofu Salad or Sandwich Spread)

• Easy Quinoa Pilaf with Salsa Verde

And of course, a ridiculously easy dessert is called for, so I’ll reprise Vegan Chocolate Banana Pizza (4 ingredients!) for those of you who missed it, as this week’s bonus.

Pan-Grilled Polenta with Spinach & Black Beans

One of my longtime favorites, pan-grilled polenta is topped with a colorful combination of black beans, roasted red pepper, and spinach (or other baby greens). Look for prepared polenta in 18-ounce tubes in supermarket produce sections as well as natural foods stores.

Using prepared polenta is a nifty way to add variety to the dinner repertoire. As a main dish, this simple preparation is light and satisfying, and can also be served as a hearty warm appetizer.

Complete the meal: Serve with a simple green salad using whatever you’ve got on hand. For a bigger meal, add some baked or microwaved potatoes or sweet potatoes.
Use this kind of polenta:

Ingredients

• 18-ounce tube polenta

• 2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed

• 1 roasted red bell pepper (from a jar or the grocery olive bar),
  drained and cut into short strips (or, you can roast fresh
  red bell pepper strips in an air fryer)

• 5 ounces baby spinach (or baby power greens), rinsed

• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Cut the polenta into 12 even slices, each about 1/2 inch thick.

2. Use a little cooking oil spray or olive oil to lightly coat a wide nonstick skillet or griddle. Arrange the polenta slices on the surface. Cook over medium-high heat until golden and crisp, about 8 minutes per side.

3. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a medium skillet or stir-fry pan. Add the garlic and sauté over low heat for a minute or so, just until golden.

4. Add the beans and roasted pepper. Stir together and cook over medium heat until well heated through.

5. Add the spinach, cover, and cook until just wilts, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir the mixture together, season with salt and pepper, and remove from the heat.

6. To serve, arrange 3 or 4 polenta slices on each plate and spoon the bean mixture evenly over each serving.