• Ingredients:
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 8oz package of sliced FunGuy white button mushrooms
  • 1 cup cornmeal
  • 1 onion, thinly sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced, divided
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, divided
  • ¼ cup walnuts
  • 2 tablespoons white wine
  • 2 ½ cups vegetable broth
  • 1 cup water
  • ½ cup beet juice
  • 1 cup shredded Gouda cheese
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • Salt to taste
  • Thyme leaves for garnish

As the leaves drop and the chill of autumn rolls on, it’s apparent that the time to conjure up tasty ideas of comfort is coming. While anyone one can imagine visions of hot soup, cheesy pasta, and thick hunks of bread, we suggest looking outside the box.

Here’s a recipe that uses ruby red beet juice, creamy polenta, and a generous amount of FunGuy mushrooms, crunchy walnuts, and sweet onions. Make it your new chilly weather dish!

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Heat olive oil in a sauté pan over medium high heat. Add the onions and half of the garlic to the pan and sauté 2 minutes. Add the FunGuy mushrooms, walnuts, and half of the thyme and cook another 5-6 minutes or until browned and starting to stick to the bottom of the pan.
  2. Pour the white wine into the pan and scrap any bits from the bottom and let cook until the liquid has evaporated. Season with a pinch of salt, cover and set aside.
  3. Bring vegetable broth and water to a boil over high heat in a medium sized pot. Slowly pour the cornmeal into the pot, stirring continuously with a whisk. Continue to stir until it has thickened slightly, about 5 minutes. Stir in the beet juice, and let cook another 2 minutes.
  4. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the cheese and thyme, continue to stir frequently to make sure no lumps form and to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Allow to cook about 15-20 minutes. Season with salt to taste.
  5. Just before serving return the mushrooms to the stove over medium high heat and cook 2 minutes to reheat them.
  6. Spoon the soft polenta onto a plate and add mushrooms, onions, walnuts, and extra thyme on top. Serve immediately.

Have a Fun meal!