Healthy Cook-Up with Dr. Soski: Episode 8 - Creamy Polenta with Roasted Salmon and Sautéed Veggies!

(Previously recorded on Facebook Live) 

Today I will be cooking: Creamy Polenta with Roasted Salmon and Sautéed Veggies. I will be highlighting the the creamy polenta as it is oh so delicious and a great side dish to go with just about any meal!! Here are the ingredients if you want to cook along:

For polenta:

• Olive oil

• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped

• 4 gloves of garlic

• 2 cups milk (I will be using a non dairy milk)

• If starting from dry polenta: 2 cups polenta + 2 1/2 cups broth (water is ok too)

• If starting from tube polenta: 2 tubes of polenta

• 1 tbsp rosemary

• 1 tbsp thyme

• 1 tbsp oregano

• A few shakes of smoked paprika

• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast

• Salt and pepper to taste (this will change depending on if you are using dry or prepackaged polenta)
  

For salmon:

• 1 piece of salmon (size depends on how many people you want to feed or left overs you want)

• Olive oil

• Lemon juice

• Spices (any of the following, we’re going to play with the combinations): garlic, onion, thyme, mustard, parsley, dill, paprika, cumin, chili powder, or anything else!
  

For veggies:

• Olive oil

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• 2-3 other veggies, options include but are not limited to: kale, bell pepper, mushrooms, fennel, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, or anything else you want to use!
  

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

• Place salmon on a baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle desired spices evenly over the salmon. Squeeze lemon juice over the top evenly. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

• Cook in oven for 12-20 minutes (depending on the thickness of the salmon).

• While the salmon is in the oven prepare the creamy polenta and veggies.

• Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the diced onions and cook, stirring occasionally until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, oregano, rosemary, and thyme, cook another minute.

• If using dry polenta: Stir in broth/water and half of the milk and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and whisk in salt, nutritional yeast, then lastly the polenta, continually whisk until thick and creamy about 5 minutes. Be careful because polenta can splatter easily and burn you so turn the heat down if it's bubbling too much. Continue cooking until all liquid is absorbed. Add in the last cup of milk, lemon juice, and maple syrup and mix in.

• If using tube polenta: Break up polenta into the onion mixture. Add 1 cup of milk and mix in, ensuring the polenta it totally broken up. Stir in salt, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, and maple syrup. Add in the second cup of milk and stir thoroughly.

• For veggies: Heat olive oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Add onions and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add thinker/more dense vegetables and cook for 3-5 minutes. Add thinner/less dense veggies and garlic and cook another 3-5 minutes.

• Serve all three dishes together and enjoy!

This video was dedicated to Somos Familia Valle. Please consider donating at https://www.somosfamiliavalle.org/don... . Somos Familia Valle, founded on September 6 of 2014, is a San Fernando Valley community-based organization created and led by local, low-income, first-generation college students who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer or other sexual and gender minorities (LGBTQ+) people of color and/or immigrants. Check them out at https://www.somosfamiliavalle.org/