Quick Zojirushi Polenta

If you have never had polenta, you are really missing out. It’s creamy, warm and filling and can be paired with just about any other food imaginable. Another neat thing about polenta is that it’s good for you. When I learned to make polenta, or grits, last summer, I went to my favorite website, Joy The Baker, who has an amazing recipe for Vanilla Brown Sugar Breakfast Polenta. This polenta takes upwards of 40 minutes and a lot of muscle, but the end result is unbelievable. This summer I wanted to continue making my grits, but turn them into something simpler. So, I’m going to teach you a trick with a Zojirushi rice maker and some polenta that will give you a healthy FODMAP friendly meal to feed your face in under 40 minutes.

First you will need some good quality polenta. I like to buy mine in bulk at the People’s Food Co-op, but this week they were out, so we opted for Bob’s Red Mill because they are good too. If you have a health food store near you I almost guarantee you that there will be corn grits in their bulk section. You will also need a rice maker. You can obviously make polenta with a simple pot and whisk, but I’m trying to save you some time, effort and arm strain, so if you have a rice maker, dust it off. I  turned this polenta into a meal for Team VP, so you will also need eggs, avocado and tomatoes.

The Chicken and Cake Are Optional.

• The first thing you need to do is take 3/4 cup or one Zojirushi cup of polenta and put it in the rice maker bowl. 

• Add 2-3/4 cups water or just fill the Zojirushi bowl to the brown rice line.

• Add a pinch of salt.

• Stir everything up into a cloudy mess.

It Will Get Better.

• Close the lid on your rice maker and if it has a white rice setting now is the time to push that button. If you have a Zojirushi press the Cooking button and rock out to Twinkle Twinkle. 

• That’s right, take out your iPhone, Droid, Blackberry, flip phone or just walk over to your microwave, and set a timer for 15 minutes. Now, click here.
• When your timer chirps, dings, sings or chimes it’s time to stir. Just lift the lid and stir. The grits will be watery, but don’t panic because they aren’t done yet. Stir them around three or four times and put the lid back down to make Zojirushi happy.

Stir, Stir, Stir.

• Set your timer for 15 more minutes and click here.

Taa Daa!

• Give your polenta a few more good stirs and then turn your rice maker to the Keep Warm setting if it has one. If it doesn’t don’t panic. Your grits are done, just keep them in the bowl and close the lid.
• You can eat your grits plain. Go for it. They are delicious, but they are even better if you crack a couple eggs.

• Mr. MVP likes avocado and tomato slices with his polenta, so I just slice everything up like this:

• Then I stack everything in a bowl.

• Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for two to three days, but I’d be really surprised if there were any. 

About The Author

Nicole

Member of Team VP, knitter and Mama to Blue and Franks. Life, is bloody good.