White Bean, Spinach & Tomato Sauté over Polenta with Olive Tapenade

Directions

1. In a small saucepan, bring the broth to a boil, then gradually whisk in the polenta in a thin stream until fully incorporated. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the polenta is soft and creamy, about 15–25 minutes.
2. Wash and dry the vegetables; prepare the basil by removing leaves from stems and slicing thinly, if needed.
3. Zest the lemon and cut it into wedges to serve alongside the dish.
4. Mince the olives, sun-dried tomatoes, and capers; combine with the lemon zest in a small bowl and set aside. Add the minced garlic and the oil to the bowl and mix to form a tapenade base; set aside.
5. Preheat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
6. Dice the bell pepper and onion; have them ready for sautéing.
7. Add a small amount of oil to the hot skillet, then cook the pepper and onion with a pinch of salt and pepper until they soften and begin to brown, about 3–4 minutes.
8. Drain and rinse the beans.
9. Stir in the beans and diced tomatoes; cook until warmed through, about 5 minutes.
10. Add the spinach in handfuls, letting each addition wilt slightly before adding the next. Remove from heat once all the spinach is wilted.
11. Strip basil leaves from stems, roll them up, and slice into thin ribbons for garnish.
12. Stir in olive oil, salt, and pepper into the polenta; if it’s too thick, add hot water—1 tablespoon at a time—until you reach the desired consistency.
13. To serve, spoon polenta into bowls, top with the bean and veggie sauté, and finish with the olive tapenade and basil. Serve with lemon wedges.