Cathy Katin-Grazzini
Cathy's Kitchen Prescription LLC
www.cathyskitchenprescription.com
 
Morado Polenta
 
Beautiful purple Peruvian morado maize, an ancient crop, is so rich in healthful anthocyanins, it appears black on the cob. Its powerful anti-inflammatory, antioxidant benefits outweigh even blueberries.
 
Morado corn bring so many benefits: Today itis being used as a food colorant alternative to harmful red dyes.  For the climate, choose sustainably grown varieties because these are open-pollinated  variants that enable farmers to save seeds and replant them year after year. Morado corn is naturally pest-resistant and drought-resistant, which makes it very climate-friendly indeed when it is grown using sustainable methods. Some new morado corn variants, like Asheville Morado, have roots that attract nitrogen-fixing bacteria much like legumes, lessening its fertilizer requirements as well.
 
I milled the kernels into polenta myself, but if you don’t have a grain mill, simply look for coarsely ground morado polenta online. It cooks quickly and makes a very tasty meal. Here it is simply topped with delicious sweet roasted koginut squash and sage, oil-free, and served with a side dish of pan toasted thick slabs of zucchini. 
 
Cook time 15 minutes             Serves 2
 
1 ½ cups coarse morado polenta
1 cup water
1 cup unsweetened, low-fat plant-based milk, like soy or almond
1 ½ tablespoons shiro (white) miso paste, or to taste
2 full teaspoons nutritional yeast
Several fresh grinds of black pepper
 
Combine the water and plant-based milk in a saucepan and heat to a gentle simmer.
Slowly stir in the polenta, stirring constantly, lower the heat to medium-low, and cook until the liquid is absorbed and the polenta tastes cooked, about 15 minutes.
If the polenta becomes overly dense, it should be soft but not liquidy, add a bit more milk and stir well to combine.
When you are happy with its consistency and it is cooked, remove from the heat, cover, and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
Serve on warm plates with your favorite vegetable toppings or sauces.