“We like the things that summer brings. It brings the sun. It brings the heat. It brings the things we like to eat.”

~Alice Low (from Summer)

It is finally beginning to feel like summer here and we've been busy doing summery things. Like visiting the farmers' market. <image removed>

Cooking farmers' market finds...like fava beans on the grill- YUM! (Thank you 101 Cookbooks for this recipe!). <image removed>

 

Drinking freshly made fruit and veggie juices to hydrate our bodies with "liquid sunshine" (thanks Kris Carr for this term!) first thing in the morning.

Planting a garden of too many things (as usual!) in my little garden box and in pots around the yard.

Even my little orange tree that finally gave us oranges this year is piping up!

The weather here has been looking more like January than June. In the spirit of comfort food, I came up with this crockpot version of a vegan polenta lasagna. It is healthy and delicious and I think that trying this recipe with different veggies would be good too. This recipe was inspired by Fat Free Vegan Kitchen.

1. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Slowly add polenta. Add margarine and stir continuously until very thick.
2. Pour polenta onto prepared baking sheet and spread evenly to about 1/4 inch thick. Set aside to cool.
3. When cooled, cut into rectangles.

1. Heat 1-2 tbsp of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and onions and saute until mushrooms start to get juicy. Add the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the kale and cook until kale is bright green and starting to soften. Add cheese sauce and cook until it has thickened a bit and is no longer runny. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper, if necessary.
2. Cover the bottom of the crockpot with a layer of marinara sauce. Cover marinara sauce with a single layer of polenta slices (homemade or pre-made). Top with a layer of the kale mixture. Repeat layers: marinara sauce, polenta, kale; finishing with a layer of polenta then marinara.
3. Cover and cook on high heat for about 3-4 hours. Uncover and let stand for 30 minutes before serving.

1. Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until very smooth.