Vegetarian Bolognese

1. In a 4- to 6- qt. Dutch oven heat oil over medium-high. Add mushrooms, onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. Cook 10 minutes or until vegetables are brown and liquid is evaporated, stirring occasionally.

2. Stir in meat substitute and wine; simmer 5 minutes or until wine is evaporated. Stir in half-and-half; simmer 5 minutes or until evaporated. Stir in tomatoes, cheese rind, Italian seasoning, and salt. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer 30 minutes, stirring in water, 1/2 cup at a time, if sauce becomes too dry.

3. Stir shredded cheese into sauce. Serve sauce over Polenta and top with parsley.

Vegan

Omit half-and-half and shredded Parmesan cheese and rind. Stir 1 recipe Cashew Cream and 1 Tbsp. nutritional yeast into sauce in Step 3.Cashew Cream: In a small bowl combine 1/2 cup raw unsalted cashews and enough boiling water to cover. Let stand, covered, 15 minutes; drain. Rinse and drain again. In a small food processor combine cashews, 1/4 cup water, and dash salt. Cover and process 5 minutes or until smooth and creamy. Makes 1/2 cup.Per Serving: 301 calories, 20 g protein, 38 g carbohydrate, 8 g total fat (1 g sat. fat), 0 mg cholesterol, 7 g fiber, 7 g total sugar, 72% Vitamin A, 17% Vitamin C, 1100 mg sodium, 9% calcium, 23% iron

Polenta

In a 3-qt. saucepan bring 2 3/4 cups water to boiling. Meanwhile, in a small bowl stir together 1 cup yellow cornmeal, 1 cup cold water, and 1 tsp. salt. Slowly add cornmeal mixture to boiling water, stirring constantly. Cook and stir until mixture returns to boiling. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook 10 to 15 minutes or until mixture is very thick and tender, stirring frequently and adjusting heat as needed to maintain a slow boil.