Hearty Breakfast Grits
“Grits are my favorite. Yellow corn grits are my absolute favorite breakfast food. They act in the same way an omelet does, as a vehicle to carry other ingredients to my face. (I stole that concept from Kathryn Stockett’s book The Help). With just a little bit of chopping and a 20 minute wait, you can make yourself a very nutritious, high-fiber, and filling way to start your day! This is really an easy dish to make, especially if you use a cast-iron, ceramic, or non-stick pot, so you can pretty much just forget about it until it’s done. For the purpose of this recipe, we are going to stick to the savory application, and I will use only the ingredients pictured here, but you have a lot of freedom here to add or omit whatever you want. This is a wonderful way to use up leftovers, veggies that are about to turn, and it’s an easy way to get your family to eat their greens!
Servings: 1
INGREDIENTS:
2 Tbsp Coconut oil or butter
1 Mushroom, chopped
1 Kale leaf, ribbed and chopped
1-2 Sweet peppers, chopped
1-2 Radishes, chopped
1/2 jalapeño, chopped
1 small cayenne pepper, sliced
1/3 C Bob’s Red Mill organic yellow corn grits (I am still breastfeeding, so I require a large volume of food; you can cut this back to 1/4 C if you are no longer eating for two)
1 Tablespoon Hulled hemp seeds
1 1/3 C Veggie stock or water (or 4X the amount of grits)
1 dash of turmeric
1 dash crushed red pepper
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 avocado, sliced
Add all of the veggies and greens that you have chopped except the avocado, and allow them to soften and become fragrant.
Add the grits and hemp seeds, and allow them to toast for a bit. Letting them absorb the fat in the pot before adding the water will help prevent clumping. You could also add a tablespoon of red quinoa now.
Add the stock and bring to a boil.
Stir in the salt, pepper, turmeric, and crushed red pepper, or whatever herbs and spices you like.
Reduce the heat to medium low, and allow the mixture to simmer until it has the desired consistency.
If you are using cheese, add it now.
Remove from heat and pour into a serving bowl. Top with the avocado slices.
Other suggestions for topping the bowl of grits are fresh cilantro, chopped tomatoes, and an over-easy egg. Non-vegans: this goes great with chorizo or chopped bacon. A slice of sharp cheddar, or a fistful of cotija cheese makes a nice finish. I hope you enjoy this versatile dish as much as I do!”
The key here is to add a rainbow of vegetables to maximize the nutrient content: sweet peppers for vitamin C, mushrooms for protein, kale for vitamin K, tomatoes for lycopene, onions and garlic for biotin and manganese, and all of these veggies for their myriad immune-boosting phytonutrients. OR you can do like my dad does and make it a sweet dish with cinnamon, maple syrup, and fresh strawberries.
