Cauliflower Grits

Recipes

I am a big believer in color, variety, + veggies at every meal. This is a plate that can be made quickly + for any meal of the day!

NUTRITION ON YOUR PLATE

PURPLE CAULIFLOWER HEALTH:

The purple color is due to the presence of a subtype of flavonoid compounds called anthocyanins. These compounds may help to regulate your blood lipid and sugar levels and body weight, as well as help to lower your cancer risk. Additionally, purple cauliflower contains a compound called glucoraphanin, which is also found in common green broccoli. In your body, glucoraphanin can be converted to compounds with anticancer properties.

WHAT IS GHEE?

Ghee is a form of highly-clarified butter. How is it “clarified?” By melting butter, it separates into liquid fats and milk solids. Once separated, the milk solids are removed, leaving simply ghee. Inherently, that means that ghee has less lactose than butter.

Health Benefits Include:

  • Ghee is rich in short-chain and medium-chain fatty acids and butyrate, which can improve heart health and lower insulin resistance.
  • Ghee is also high in fat-soluble vitamins, such as vitamins A, E, and D. This is important because fat-soluble vitamins need fat for the body to properly absorb them.
  • The grass-fed varieties have more conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which may offer heart protection, reduce inflammation, and promote weight loss. Also with less lactose than butter, it is less inflammatory than regular butter.

NOTE: Eat it in moderation. While it has benefits, it is still a fat with higher levels of saturated fat. Use it moderately.

this turns to this really quickly!

CAULIFLOWER GRITS

makes 4 servings

TYPE: Keto-friendly, Paleo-Approved (with0ut cheese,) Low-Carb

ALLERGEN LIST: Gluten-, Dairy-Free (without cheese,) Peanut-, + Soy-Free

WHAT YOU NEED:

For the grits:

  • 1 TB ghee
  • 4 cups cauliflower; riced (QUICK TIP: use a food processor or high-quality blender to pulse florets into “rice” or an Oxo food chopper which is an amazing tool for a small kitchen and for any budget) (FOOD FACT: bigger pieces will fill you up faster- eating less + causing you to eat slower for better digestion.)
  • 1 cup full fat coconut milk (GROCERY TIP: buy a brand without carrageenan*** (see below) like: Native Forest
  • Parmesan, grated
  • Sea salt + pepper, to taste
  • Handful of coarsely chopped parsley

For the Protein Toppers: (see servings below)

  • Breakfast Protein: 1 poached or egg over easy
  • Shrimp n’ Grits: 3 grilled jumbo shrimp
  • Rotisserie chicken, skin removed + hand-shredded.

TO MAKE:

1. Melt the ghee in a large skillet over medium heat. Add in the riced cauliflower. Cook for 2-3 minutes.

2. Stir in 1/2 of the coconut milk; simmer and stir for 6-8 minutes.

3. Add in the remainder of the milk- simmering until thickened; roughly 10 minutes. Season with salt + pepper.

4. Top with parsley when serving.

TO SERVE:

  • When serving for dinner: 1 cup grits with 1/2 cup rotisserie chicken; skin removed + hand-shredded
  • When serving for lunch: top 1 cup of grits with 3 grilled jumbo shrimp (I pan-grill them with a spray of ghee + 1 clove of minced garlic)
  • When serving for breakfast: 1 cup grits with 1 egg; over-easy

NUTRITION:

1 serving = 1 cup grits

  • Calories: 264 calories
  • Carbs: 11.4 grams
  • Protein: 8.6 grams
  • Fat: 20 grams
  • Fiber: 4.4 grams

With 1/2 cup Rotisserie Chicken (no skin):

  • 391 calories
  • 27.97 g protein
  • 25 g fat
  • 16 g carbs

With 1 Egg:

  • 342 calories
  • 14.6 g protein
  • 25 g fat
  • 15 g carbs

With 3 Jumbo Shrimp:

  • 305 calories
  • 16.55 G protein
  • 20.68 g fat
  • 12 g carbs

***What is carrageenan and why don’t I love it in my food…

Carrageenan is extracted from a red seaweed, Chondrus crispus, or “Irish moss,” and is used as a thickener and emulsifier to improve the texture of ice cream, yogurt, cottage cheese, soy milk, and other processed foods. Studies have shown that it increases inflammation in the body overall, which lends to several chronic diseases. However, it is also said to cause a plethora of stomach problems like ulcers, IBD, discomfort, and more. Still approved for use by the FDA, but many food brands have made the effort to remove it from their foods and use a different ingredient to act as a thickener and emulsifier.