Presto Polenta

The Chef: Elizabeth

The Menu: A, shall we say, creative concoction that is probably best described as "polenta." No, it wasn't made from cornmeal, like traditional polenta, but rather from blended garbanzo beans, lemon juice, olive oil, cooked amaranth, and spices. Elizabeth topped this unique blend of grains and beans with roasted butternut squash that she slathered in cinnamon, and sautéed collard greens with extra garlic.

The Goods: They say that necessity is the mother of invention, and maybe we'd like to submit that hunger, paired with overly watery amaranth and a couple cans of garbanzo beans is the estranged uncle of invention—you know, that one who shows up to family reunions every so often, so you have to be just nice enough because you can't actually remember if you liked him or not the last time you saw each other. Whatever your family ties, available ingredients, or ever-so-slight kitchen mishaps, there's one thing we know for sure: any meal is a hit when it ends with an array of vegan caramels, toffees, and brittles. Oh heck yes.