I could get used to this vegetarian thing...

Oh. My. Goodness.

Last night's dinner was amazing!  So fresh, so flavorful, so simple.  Also, I made Double Chocolate Cherry Cookies.  The recipe was originally vegan, but I was out of a few ingredients, so this version is not.  Oh well.  It is still very tasty. 

Granted, I'd change a little bit, like chopping the roasted tomatoes up a little more, using more spinach, or perhaps putting the spinach on top of the polenta.

Without further ado,

Polenta with Roasted Tomatoes and Garlic on a Bed of Spinach
Adapted from Mary Ellen's Cooking Creations

Polenta (recipe below)
tomatos--I used three from my MIL's garden
Garlic--I didn't have any, so I sprinkled garlic powder
olive oil
freshly ground sea salt and black pepper
Spinach
Parmesan Cheese

Make polenta, pour into a greased cookie sheet, casserole dish, or other dish (depending on how thick you want it).  Cool.

Wash, core, and quarter tomatoes.  Sprinkle with garlic (or garlic powder), salt, pepper, and drizzle in olive oil.  Roast in a 400F oven for 20-25 minutes.  Cool until easy to handle.  Peel and chop tomatos (I forgot to chop them--it would have been easier to eat chopped.

Decrease the oven to 350F.  Cut polenta into squares or use a cookie cutter of your desired shape.  Place on a baking sheet (with a lip) and top each piece with tomatoes, garlic (if used), and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.  Drizzle a little oil from the tomatoes over the top.  Bake polenta and tomatoes for 5-10 minutes.

Meanwhile, wilt the spinach in a pan with olive oil and garlic (I used crushed jarred garlic).

Place the spinach on a plate and cover with a slice of the polenta and tomatoes. 

I think you could also either put the wilted spinach on top of the polenta, then add the tomatoes or place raw spinach on top of the polenta, then top with the tomatos and bake as directed.

Anyway you make it, mmmmmm, mmmmmm, mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

Well, let's go over vegetarian month days 7-16:

7: catered mexican lunch at Space Camp (it was easy to avoid the meat); dinner was a speedy margharita pizza with fresh basil from the garden (the zucchini casserole didn't turn out faulously because of the beans I added).
8: organic boxed mac and cheese with spinach
9: salad for lunch (followed by a dead car--again); Dylan got home from travel and we immediately headed to B'ham for the weekend.  Dinner was at the Olive Branch and was a falafel pita sandwich
10:  oatmeal and fried eggs; banana bread, and dinner at a really nice resaurant (small piece of quail and Shrimp & Grits); yes, I cheated here--I didn't have any other option.
11:  baked oatmeal, peanut butter and banana sandwich (ehh); Black Bean Quesadillas with quick quacamole (this was really good, but my body rebelled; I think something was bad)
12:  catered lunch at a BOD meeting, so 1/2 ham sandwich--no other option; grilled zucchini and squash with barley for dinner
13:  jason's salad bar for lunch; memorial dinner for a friend that recently died--one bite of chicken, the rest was veggies and fruit
14:  black bean soup and ceasar salad for lunch; aloo palak and naan for dinner at an Indian restaurant with friends
15:  Falafel Wrap; Polenta with Roasted Tomatoes and Spinach
16:  farewell pizza for lunch; dinner will be leftover polenta and something to do with homegrown butternut squash and green bell peppers

I've been eating LOTS of fresh fruit and breakfast most days is plain yogurt and berries.  I'm really enjoying this and I think I'm down a few pounds (yay!!!).  I haven't worked out this week b/c we've been sharing a car as mine is in the shop.  Until yesterday, we thought we were going to have to replace it.  God's grace has rained down on us though; my car is fixable and the dealership isn't charging us a penny!!  Thank you, FATHER!!

Wow.  This is long.  Sorry about that. Ciao for now.  :0)