Fun and simple Oven Baked Polenta Bites. These are a really great gluten and dairy free lunchbox option.
Polenta Bites
I was so looking forward to when my kids started school and I would get to spend my mornings making up their lunchboxes………. What was I thinking!?! I have only had kids at school for 9 weeks and I am running out of ideas. I am going to try being creative turning dinner leftovers into something my kids will actually eat in their lunchbox. My son would be perfectly happy with a Vegemite sandwich, pretzels and a banana every single day. Georgia, however, we haven’t yet found her perfect lunchbox. She isn’t really a big bread eater, would much prefer some sort of protein and cheese in hers. I do avoid meats and cheeses while they are so young as they are opening their lunch bag 3 times a day and I just cant be sure, even if I put ice blocks in, that they are closing it up after each break.
Anyway, here is a great little recipe using up the rest of that packet of polenta you bought especially to make my Slow Cooker Beef Brisket. These are simply cooked and chilled polenta baked in the oven to form a crispy shell with a soft centre. You could easily make these cheesy polenta bites just by adding a handful of grated cheese to the cooked polenta, before you chill in the fridge.
It’s as simple as chilling the polenta, cutting in to squares and then into the oven for 40 minutes. I must admit though, I couldn’t stand making polenta before I got my Thermomix. I still made it, but there was a lot of swearing and complaining under my breath. Polenta making requires you to stand at the stove stirring constantly while it spits and splutters all over the place. These spits and splutters, not only turn your kitchen into a scene out of ‘The Cat in the Hat Comes Back’, they burn your arms and face as they hit you. In short, I more recommend this recipe for those of you with a Thermomix or a good level of patience……..
Polenta Bites
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 49 bites 1x
Description
Ingredients
- 200g polenta (cooked as per packet instructions)
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- extra dry polenta for dusting
Instructions
As soon as you cook the polenta pour it into a greased cake tin or baking tray. I used a 20cm x 20cm square cake tin.
Allow to cool slightly then refrigerate overnight or until completely chilled and firm.
Pre heat oven to 220°C
Cut firm polenta into squares and place on a lined baking tray.
Brush with a little coconut oil and dust with extra polenta.
Bake for 30 – 40 minutes until browned and crispy.
Notes
These go perfectly with a sweet chilli dipping sauce or a mix of avocado and yoghurt to dip in.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
