Sequestration Meal #686

 

A use-what-I've-got meal that proved to be everything I could ask for: Creamy polenta with homemade vegan barbecued meatballs (recipe from Orchids and Sweet Tea) and some lemon garlic roasted broccoli and purple cauliflower (recipe from A Healthy Makeover, without the cheese).

I even made my own barbecue sauce for this recipe! I felt particularly smug about that. This is all edging toward the infamous WFBP (Whole Foods, Plant Based) diet, were it not for the ketchup, I think. In any case, it was delicious. I didn't bother to add cheese in any form here, and it was fine. I haven't had polenta in far too long, and also, I've been dreaming of meatballs.

The meatballs are a mixture of chickpeas, pecans, quinoa, bread crumbs, veggies, and seasonings, seared in a skillet and then baked with the homemade barbecue sauce. They're spicy, but not too spicy, in part because I cut the cayenne in half in the barbecue recipe. 

The lemon garlic roasted veggies were perfect with this. I planned to add vegan parmesan, but when they came out of the oven, I tasted one and knew it didn't need anything else. Roasted veggies are amazing anyway, but the lemon really brightens these up. Also, the cauliflower was purple, which is an extra special delight.

I know I'd replace quinoa and chickpeas when I ran out of them, but probably not polenta unless I needed it for a recipe. We have to be sensible. But part of my problem, I am realizing, is that if I make something and love it, I like to keep the option around to have it again. In this case, I still have plenty of polenta, but I also know I can't just have everything available at all times. It's hard for me to balance sensibly, but I'm doing my best.