Recipes and food fun by Carolyn J. Braden

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I love caprese salads (salads that consist of fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil), but had to find a way to make them vegan so my skin and my husband’s tummy would love it….so I did! This EASY dish may take a little longer to make than some of my other meals, but it’s totally WORTH IT! I promise! Make these bites as a meal, a type of a salad, or as an appetizer.

What is polenta? Polenta is simply a paste or dough made from cornmeal/ground maize. It’s gluten-free and so loveable! The kind I used for this recipe is already prepared, so you are basically just heating and crisping it for this dish.

Prep/cook time: 60 minutes

Yield: 2-8 servings (depending on if you are serving as an appetizer or a meal

Suggested cooking tools: measuring cup, measuring spoons, large mixing bowl, small bowl, parchment paper or a form of grease/oil, 2 sauce pans, knife, blender (preferably a high-speed one, see tips and tricks below the recipe if you don’t have a high speed blender), skillet, spatula

Ingredients:

One recipe of my Casherella (Cashew Mozzarella “Cheese”)
One 17.6 oz. (or similar size) tube of prepared polenta (I used 365 Everyday Value Yellow Polenta from Whole Foods)
1 cup balsamic vinegar
10-12 fresh basil leaves (1-2 oz.)
One pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1 teaspoon olive oil

How-to:

Make my Casherella recipe. Allow it to chill while you make the rest of the meal.
Make the balsamic reduction by pouring one cup of balsamic vinegar into a saucepan. Place on the stovetop and cook on medium low heat until it has reduced to at least 1/2 the original amount. This takes approximately 15-20 minutes. When it is done, it will taste slightly sweet and be slightly thickened.
Slice your tomatoes into halves. Set aside.
Slice the polenta into small 1/4 inch rounds. Heat a skillet to medium heat with the olive oil. Fry the polenta approximately 4-5 minutes on each side or until slightly browned. I place mine in a foil covered pan to keep them warm if I have to fry them in batches.
Put the bites together: Drizzle some of the balsamic reduction onto a plate. On top of it, stack 3 pieces of polenta, a 1/2 slice of Casherella, a leaf of basil, and a slice of tomato. Drizzle some more balsamic reduction on top. See images below the recipe for a visual.
Eat and enjoy!

Tips and Tricks:

If you don’t have a high speed blender (the Magic Bullet, Vitamix, etc) you can use a regular blender but should soak the cashews longer (about 1-2 hours).
Store leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator
Don’t feel like stacking the polenta? Instead, try laying some on a plate and tossing some tomatoes and basil on top and drizzle with the balsamic reduction.