Messy Minute Dinner: fake sopes and mint rice

Last week we had a meal created totally out of necessity. I had fallen behind on my grocery shopping and suddenly the clock struck five. It was do or die. Start cooking or surely perish under the regime of a tantruming toddler. I found some ready made Polenta in my fridge. I buy this as Trader Joe's. I normally cook it with Marinera Sauce. But as luck would have it, I was out of the red stuff ( I have been sticking to not buying tomato sauce when a healthier more economical, and better tasting version can be made at home) Instead, I came to see the Polenta for what it really was, CORN! I lightly coated the medallions with olive oil and threw them on the grill outside. Meanwhile I steamed some brown rice and cooked up a can of black beans. I mashed the beans in the pan. I put all the mint I had in the blender with a splash of water. My friend Jason suggested the blender was better then the knife and he was right, the mint stays greener longer! I mixed the mint sauce into my rice. I diced a tiny bit of garlic into it and cooked it together for a short while. Just until I felt the mint had stuck to the rice. Once the polenta cakes were done I treated them like sopes. I topped them with beans and some grape tomato salsa I conjured up with onion, lemon (I was out of limes!), cilantro and sea salt. I sliced a some avocado onto them and served the rice on the side. It was such a good dinner. I can't wait to make it again with more time and a better selection of ingredients. They were beyond messy to eat, and I think that's why Nico loved them all the more.