I was born and raised in North Carolina, so southern food is part of who I am. Unfortunately, southern staples are usually loaded with flour, dairy, and/or sugar which isn't fabulous if you're trying to live a healthy lifestyle. Fortunately, I stumbled upon this shrimp and "grits" recipe (which is Whole30 compliant!) so I can have my shrimp and grits and eat it too. OK, OK, the grits aren't actually grits and definitely do not compare to my grandma's southern recipe, but it's a fun alternative when you're trying to eat clean. I've never been a fan of cauliflower substitutions, but I surprisingly enjoyed this, so thank you to Cheryl from 40 aprons for creating this recipe! Only five ingredients are needed and it takes only 15 minutes to prepare... talk about easy. In addition, it's spicy, flavorful, and fulfills my southern comfort food craving when I'm having one.
*Note: I adjusted the recipe/cooking method to what I had on hand... for original recipe please visit Cheryl's website here.
Ingredients (serves 2):
- 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 4 T ghee (2 for shrimp, 2 for grits)
- Cajun seasoning (I didn't have any so I googled how to make my own)
- 1 12oz bag frozen cauliflower rice
- 1 clove garlic, chopped
- salt to taste
Directions:
- Heat ghee and garlic in a pan on medium heat. Add cauliflower rice and stir until heated through. Reduce heat to low while you cook the shrimp.
- Pat the shrimp with a paper towel and season shrimp with cajun spices. Heat cast iron skillet on medium high, and add ghee. Once pan is hot, add shrimp and cook for 1-2 minutes on each side until shrimp are cooked through. Set shrimp aside while you blend cauliflower into "grits."
- Add cauliflower to a food processor along with a tablespoon or so of water. You could also use an immersion blender. Blend cauliflower until you achieve desired consistency, adding more water if needed.
- Spoon "grits" into a serving bowl and top with shrimp, and enjoy!