Black Bean and Polenta Breakfast Plate

I love cereal in the morning, but my organic barley, flax and (insert trendy healthy berry here) rarely keeps me full past 10:30am. When I have a little extra time in the morning, ie, I haven’t hurled my alarm clock across the room; I enjoy a heartier meal of Polenta and Black Beans. Polenta, once classified as peasant food, is a healthy low carb, gluten free, mixture of corn meal and water. Ready made polenta can be found in most grocery stores in either the Latin American or Italian sections.

Here is a healthy meal that’ll keep you going well into the lunch hour.  Using canned black beans and heat-n-serve polenta cuts down prep time but not the flavor.

Here’s what you need:

• 2 medium tomatoes (diced)
• 2 tbsps. finely diced red onion
• 1 tsp. of lemon juice
• ½ tsp. of dry basil
• a generous pinch of Ground Cheyenne pepper
• Prepared polenta
• Olive oil
• 15 oz. can of black beans
• 1 tsp. cumin
• Salt

Here’s what you gotta do:

1)   Combine the tomatoes, onion, lemon juice, basil, and Cheyenne pepper in a bowl. Add a pinch of salt and set the salsa aside.

2)    Heat a lightly oiled pan to a medium heat.

3)    Slice the polenta into ¼ inch rounds. Cutting roughly 6 rounds per person you intend to serve (more for big eaters).

4)   Add the polenta rounds to the heated pan and cook for 4 minutes on each side or until golden brown.

5)    While the polenta rounds are browning, combine black beans and cumin in a medium sauce pan. Add salt to taste and cook on medium heat until hot.

6)   6) After the polenta has browned and the beans are thoroughly heated, place 6 polenta rounds on a serving plate and top with a ¼ portion of the black beans and tomato salsa.

Serves 4 (or 2 really greedy people )

                                                        Life is Delicious...Go taste it!