It seems that more and more people have an intolerance or allergy to gluten these days.  I wanted to create a dish that was gluten free but full of flavor.  I also wanted it to be versatile enough for a vegetarian, but heartier for the ones who like a little meat with their potatoes...I mean risotto.  

Ingredients:
2 boxes Lundberg Parmesan Risotto 
16  ounces of peas
Diced baby portabello mushrooms, amount depends on you 
4 ounces of diced tofu, optional
Steaks cooked to your preference and sliced 1/2 inch strips, optional

Directions:
Cook the Risotto as directed on the package
Preheat oven on broil
Steam the peas

Place steaks in the oven until their are done to your likeness
Sautee mushrooms
Combine peas and tofu with the risotto

Plating:
Place 1 cup of risotto on plate
Topped with steak (if you included this)
Finally, add mushrooms to the top


Healthy Eatings!!!
 
I often find my greatest inspiration for dinner comes when I am not really thinking about it, and that was the case with this recipe.  I had a brisket that I wanted to use up, and I had looked up a few recipes, but nothing really struck me as “the” recipe.  So, I put my brisket in the crock pot and just decided to wing it and came up with this yummy dinner!!   Side Note: If you don’t have a CrockPot, you need one! 



This one seems more labor intensive, but it is really quite easy.  To help in the timing of everything I have included a timeline below:

Timeline:

8-10 Hours before serving: Place beef brisket in the CrockPot
1 Hour before serving: Add the carrots and mushrooms
30 Minutes before serving:  Start the Polenta
10-15 minutes before serving:  Start the vegetable sauce


Ingredients:

1, 4-5 pound beef brisket, thawed
30 ounces of beef stock
½ cup white wine
Onions, diced, to your liking
Salt and Pepper to your liking
Mushroom-I used a mixture of Shitake, Portabella and Morel
1 pound Carrots, sliced
4 cups Milk-I used 1% milk
2 cups Cornmeal-I used Bob's Red Mill Cornmeal
¼ cup of Butter/Margarine-I use Brummel and Brown
8-10 ounces quartered Tomatoes-I used grape tomatoes and yellow tomatoes
4-6 ounces of Spinach
1 medium Zucchini, diced to your liking.
Xanthan gum/cornstarch/flour-Something to use as a thickening agent for the vegetable sauce.  I use Xanthan Gum. 
2 cups brisket broth, taken right from the CrockPot
Garlic-to your liking
Goat Cheese


Brisket Directions:

-Place your brisket in the Crock Pot on low
-Pour in wine and beef stock, enough to cover all or most of the brisket
-Add salt, pepper, and onions to your liking
-1 hour before serving add carrots and mushrooms


Polenta Directions:

-Place milk and butter in a pot, heat until just before a boil
-Add in the cornmeal, cover and reduce to low heat, stirring occasionally
-After about 5 minutes turn off the heat, keep covered and stir occasionally
-The Polenta will thicken to the consistency of Mashed Potatoes.  If you find they are a bit “runny” add a little more cornmeal.  If it is a bit “stiff” add a little more milk


Vegetable Sauce Directions:

-Place tomatoes and 1 cup of brisket liquid into a pot
-Heat on medium heat until the tomatoes start to soften
-Add zucchini and remaining liquid to the pot until the zucchini starts to soften
-Add the spinach and garlic and continue to cook. 
-Gradually add your thickening agent to the mixture until you get the consistency you desire.


I layer this dish starting with the polenta then the brisket, followed by the veggie sauce, and topping it off with the goat cheese crumbles.  But you can layer it however you would like.  



Healthy Eatings!!

Rachel