Latino blend salad

This recipe was inspired by a delicious mid-afternoon meal on the last cruise taken with the ex - a Christmas present from me to celebrate the end of breast cancer treatment.  Little did I know at the time that he already had one foot, and another appendage, out the door.
I used Hanover premium Latino Blend for the base of the salad, and added some other ingredients that were included in a beautifully composed salad I enjoyed for lunch on the ship while I nursed his sea-sickness.
It is a very easy adaptation, and a great contribution to a potluck or picnic.

1 16-oz package Hanover Latino Blend frozen veggies, thawed
1 avocado, roughly chopped
1/4 C red onion, chopped (optional)
1/2 C fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
Juice of 1 lime
1/8 C extra virgin olive oil
Course sea salt
Black pepper
handful of grape or cherry tomatoes, cut in half

Thaw veggie mix in microwave.  Mix in next seven ingredients.  Add tomatoes just before serving.  This dish keeps for a few days before the avocado fades.

Polenta with spinach, mushroom and sun dried tomato saute

It's so easy being one.  After years of rushing home to cook dinner for the men in my life, I find that now I can cook a few dishes once a week and have them last all week long.  Preparing dinner in a snap enables me to get to yoga practice when I don't have night meetings, which is great for my body and better for my mind.

Here's one that I especially enjoy.  It is adapted from two recipes - one from Sheila Lukins and Julee Rosso's The New Basics Cookbook and the other from wholefoodsmarket.com.

Polenta with spinach, mushroom and tomato saute

Polenta

2 C milk
1 C water
1 T butter
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 C cornmeal

Combine first five ingredients in a heavy saucepan.  Heat until simmering.  Slowly add cornmeal and wisk until combined.  Switch to a wooden spoon and stir constantly until thickened, about 10 minutes.  Pour into a greased casserole dish.  Cool.  Run a knife through to make nine servings that can easily be removed later.

Mushroom saute

2 T olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
12 oz. mushrooms, sliced (I use several varieties, especially baby bellas)
Salt, pepper
8 oil packed sun dried tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 bag of baby spinach
1/4 C water
1/4 C grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oil in skillet, add garlic and mushrooms, salt, pepper and saute about 5 minutes.  Add sun dried tomatoes and cook two minutes more.  Add spinach and water, cook until wilted and flavors meld.  Pour mixture over polenta and top with Parmesan cheese.  Serve with arugula and tomato salad.  Delish!