caprese polenta stacks

One of my favorite things to order at an italian restaurant is the caprese salad. It seems to come in different forms, but they all compare with the main ingredients: tomatoes, basil, mozzarella, and balsamic. Angels sings when these come together. I had recently made a caprese chicken and it was incredible. This go round, I had no chicken but I did have a tube of organic polenta in my pantry …

I could have easily thrown together this, but wanted something easier. Easier?! How could it get any easier? Well, let me tell you. The hardest part of this meal: slicing tomatoes. Oh, and maybe waiting for the cheese to melt … but that glorious moment will come 🙂 I had these as a vegetarian meal with a side of brown rice, but these would make the most perfect hor dourves that would impress just about anyone. I’ve broken up the points for however you decide to serve them; hor dourves, appetizer & meal. Enjoy!

caprese polenta stacks:
(hor dourves)
Yeilds 8 servings
Serving Size: 1 stack
Points Per Serving: 2pp
(appetizer)
Yeilds 4 servings
Serving Size: 2 stacks
Points Per Serving: 3pp
(meal)
Yeilds 2 servings
Serving Size: 4 stacks
Points Per Serving: 7pp

1 (18oz) tube of polenta (I used Trader Joe’s organic kind)
2 medium tomatoes
16 basil leaves, fresh
2oz light shredded mozzarella (I use Trader Joe’s lite mozzarella)
1T balsamic glaze

•Start by cutting the polenta into 16 discs. Pat dry with a paper towel and place them in a skillet to brown both sides. (This will take a few minutes)
•While the polenta cooks, slice the tomatoes into 16 slices. Set aside.
•Once both sides of the polenta have been seared, it’s time to start the stacking!
•Place one slice of tomato on top of 8 polenta discs, followed by a little mozzarella then a basil leaf.
•Place the remaining polenta discs on top of the basil leaf and repeat.
•Place stacks on a serving dish and drizzle with the balsamic glaze.
•Serve immediately.