Chicken with olives

Corn's taken a beating recently, huh? 🌽 

"Corn syrup's in everything," say the health experts.

And "overconsumption of it causes obesity."

Are they right?

Maybe.

If Americans weren't guzzling quarts of it in our soft drinks, we wouldn't need Bobby Kennedy to rescue us from it.

So corn syrup's not great, but...

What about corn itself?

Not the mass-produced, genetically-modified corn that grows in a toxic haze of glyphosate.

I'm talking about delicious, yellow corn that grows on organic farms in the summer.

(The kind that's good for you.)

Does corn have a place in the world of fitness meal prep?

I've got some ideas about it.

Today I'll break down how I made this 55g protein dish using corn the way it's been prepared in Northern Italy for centuries.

A method to craft a mouthwatering concoction laced with the king of cheeses...

Parmigiano reggiano.

(A surprisingly high-protein ingredient)

Coming in at 55g protein, this dish may change how you feel about 🌽 forever.

Let's dive in:

How to use corn in meal prep

When you think of corn, what form comes to mind?

Frozen? Canned?

If it's either of those, you need a fresh introduction to the ingredient.

To get the most vitamins (and flavor) from corn, you can't beat the fresh summer version.

Packed with juicy sweetness, I love using this summertime treat for my meal prep during July, August, and September.

One of my favorite ways to use fresh corn is to fold it into roasted cauliflower rice as an accompaniment for meat or fish.

I char the corn under the broiler, slice the kernels from the stalk, then toss it with the roasted cauliflower rice along with chopped cilantro, salt, and lemon juice.

But that will have to wait until next summer.

The other form of corn I like is cornmeal…

An underrated product with a flavor all its own.

Cornmeal is a type of flour that's made by grinding the kernels of dried corn.

One variety of cornmeal, called "polenta" serves as the base for this delightfully tasty side dish I'll share with you.

What is polenta?

The words "cornmeal" and "polenta" have different meanings

Cornmeal comes in many types, ranging from finely-ground to coarsely-ground, and it's used in an endless variety of recipes.

Polenta is the term for the type of coarsely-ground cornmeal that's used to make polenta.

But "polenta" ALSO refers to the finished dish itself.

It’s served in one of two ways:

1. In a bowl as a creamy, porridge-like dish with soft specks of cornmeal texture.

2. A firmer, sliceable version, often cut into shapes and grilled or sautéed.

Polenta originates in Northern Italy.

It's been a staple since the 16th century, not long after corn was brought to Europe by explorers from America.

For hundreds of years it was just "peasant food".

Once the food enthusiasts found it in the 90s, it started popping up on menus of nice restaurants everywhere.

But the main ingredient isn't the reason people love polenta.

It's really about what you ADD to it.

Polenta with fresh spring peas is nice. Sautéed chanterelle mushrooms make a great addition in the fall.

My version?

You can make it all-year round.

It includes a few lumps of grass-fed butter and a handful of grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.

It's got a small list of ingredients, but still packs an unforgettable flavor.

How to make polenta

The method of making polenta couldn't be SIMPLer.

Start by boiling some chicken or vegetable stock in a saucepan. Add salt and pepper, if you'd like.

Then:

• Whisk in the dry polenta

• Cook on low heat for 5 minutes while stirring occasionally

• When it's thickened, remove from heat

• Fold in the butter, cheese, and any other ingredients.

The butter and cheese give this polenta a richness that obviously doesn't put it on the lighter side...

Although I like the added protein content from the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.

When I think of polenta, I also think of other Mediterranean flavors that go well with it, such as the ingredients in this week's SIMPL recipe.

You might also like:

Chicken with olives, garlic broccolini, and parmesan polenta

This week's recipe cooks polenta in a broth flavored with slow-simmered chicken, aromatic vegetables, wine and herbs.

You'll start by searing the chicken in a pan.

After both sides are browned, sweat diced onion, garlic, and chiles in the same pan, and deglaze with wine.

Return the chicken to the pan to cook in the broth with fresh oregano.

Remove the chicken when it’s done, then steam the broccolini in the same liquid.

After the broth builds a rich flavor with all these ingredients, strain it; it's ready for the polenta.

Whisk the polenta into the boiling liquid, then simmer it for 5 minutes. Off the heat, fold in the butter and cheese.

Toss the cooked aromatic vegetables with sliced Kalamata olives and scatter them on top of the chicken to finish.

Here’s the nutrition breakdown for 1 serving:

Join me LIVE Tuesday 12/10

Next week, join me on Zoom for a virtual cooking class, where I’ll break down the steps to cooking this dish in real-time.

Come ready to learn, and ask me all your cooking questions LIVE.

Reserve your spot HERE

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