italian polenta bake

Polenta can seem like one of those scary ingredients that leaves everyone thinking “What in the world do I do with that?”

I was definitely one of those people. How do I cook it? Is it for breakfast? Is it similar to grits? Gosh, way to many questions for something so simple. I like things to be easy and the easier it is for me to cook with, the more likely I am to do so. I found a pre cooked, ready to heat and serve polenta at Trader Joes. So, I bought it and there it stayed in my pantry for the longest time. Then one day, I sat the polenta on my counter and stared at it, hoping it would start turning itself into something amazing. Nothing happened … sheesh, guess I’ll have to do it myself … 😛

I have to admit, this is probably one of the easiest, quickest, thrown together meals I’ve ever made … and it tastes so, so good. My friends’ italian husband even gave it 2 thumbs up 🙂

Oh, and it’s only 4 ingredients … woohoo!!

It’s vegetarian friendly, but you can always add a protein like lean ground beef or turkey, etc.

Delizioso!

italian polenta bake:
Servings: 4
Serving Size: 1/4 of the bake
Points Per Serving: 4pp

1 package of pre cooked polenta (I used Trader Joes)
1.5C of your favorite marinara sauce
2 handfuls of spinach
3oz shredded light mozzarella (again, I use Trader Joes)

Preheat oven to 375F.

Slice the polenta into 1/4″ discs. Dab them with a paper towel to remove excess moisture. (keep the rounded ends for topping)

Pour a little sauce into the bottom of the baking dish (this helps with sticking)

Now starting the layers: Place polenta (slightly overlapping if needed to fit) into a single layer.
Next, add a handful of spinach. Top that with 1/2 of the sauce and 1/2 of the cheese.