Shrimp & Grits

Growing up in Canada, shrimp and grits was not a typical meal in my household. Now that I’ve been living in the States for the past 10 years, I was curious to try making this dish I often see listed on Southern cuisine menus.

Prepared with plenty of butter, cheese and bacon, traditional shrimp and grits isn’t usually considered one of the healthiest dishes. So my goal was to also try making a version that I could fit into my daily macro requirements.

I used a serving of instant grits and added volume and nutrition with cooked, purée cauliflower. Purée cauliflower is great for adding bulk, and because of its neutral profile, easily takes on other flavors. I first steamed 2 cups of cauliflower until tender then threw in my food processor while hot. A couple tablespoons of fat-free or non-dairy milk could be added at this point, a long with some salt and pepper. Once puréed, I combined the cauliflower with a package of instant grits I prepared in the microwave.

In a saucepan, I sautéed some onions, garlic and mushrooms until soft. I then added raw shrimp and continued to cook until just white and tender, about 1 1/2 minutes. Nothing worse than over-cooked, tough shrimp! I should mention that I tossed the shrimp in Old Bay Seasoning prior to cooking, which added a nice Cajun flavor.

I topped my grit  and cauliflower mixture with the shrimp and sprinkled with some chopped green onions. Voila! Goal met- A macro-friendly shrimp & grits dish!