Polenta with Roasted Vegetables and Dairy-Free Pesto

Ingredients

• 4 cups Vegetable broth
• 1 cup Polenta (coarse ground cornmeal)
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/4 tsp Black pepper
• 3 tbsp Olive oil
• 1 medium Zucchini, cubed
• 1 medium Red bell pepper, cubed
• 1 medium Yellow squash, cubed
• 1 cup Cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 cups Fresh basil
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 1 tbsp Lemon juice
• 1/4 cup Nutritional yeast
• 1/4 cup Olive oil (for pesto)
• 1/4 tsp Salt (for pesto)
• 1/8 tsp Black pepper (for pesto)

Instructions

1. 1Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. 2Pour the 4 cups of vegetable broth into a medium saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, gradually whisk in the 1 cup of polenta, 1/2 tsp of salt, and 1/4 tsp of black pepper. Reduce the heat to low, cover the saucepan, and cook for 25-30 minutes, stirring frequently, until the polenta is creamy and has thickened. You will know it's done when it has a smooth, porridge-like consistency.
3. 3While the polenta is cooking, prepare the vegetables. In a large bowl, combine the cubed 1 medium zucchini, cubed 1 medium red bell pepper, cubed 1 medium yellow squash, and halved 1 cup of cherry tomatoes. Add 3 tbsp of olive oil, 1/4 tsp of salt, and 1/8 tsp of black pepper to the vegetables and toss to coat evenly. Spread the coated vegetables in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and slightly browned.
4. 4To make the dairy-free pesto, combine the 2 cups of fresh basil, 2 cloves of garlic, 1 tbsp of lemon juice, 1/4 cup of nutritional yeast, 1/4 cup of olive oil, 1/4 tsp of salt, and 1/8 tsp of black pepper in a food processor. Process until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
5. 5To serve, spoon the creamy polenta into bowls. Top the polenta with the roasted vegetables and finish with a generous dollop of the dairy-free pesto.

Substitutions

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