Table for Two, Please
Whether the highlight of your Valentine’s Day is going all out with surprises for your significant other, or looking forward to the 50% off chocolate on February 15, it is hard not to get caught up in good vibes of Valentine’s Day.
You know what is also hard to not get wrapped up in? The crowds and long wait times at every restaurant. So, we have decided to stay in. Here’s the thing, we are both in training mode and following meal plans. So, what’s a girl to do? We decided to head into the kitchen and whip up something that feels a little more indulgent without compromising our goals.
We’re putting a lighter spin on a traditional, comfort-filled favorite. It doesn’t matter if you are cooking for significant other, your best girlfriends, or just loving on yourself, this recipe for two is sure to impress the lovers in your life.
Shrimp & “Grits”
Ingredients
1 pound large shrimp peeled and de-veined; Optional: 3 links of chicken andouille sausage
2-3 tablespoons Cajun seasoning without salt
Salt (check the label to ensure your salt does not include any added sugar)
2 tablespoons ghee or butter
1 12-ounce bag frozen cauliflower
2 tablespoons ghee or butter
Nutritional yeast to taste
One red and one green bell pepper
Instructions
Dice red and bell peppers into small chunks and set aside.
Heat your skillet with a drizzle of olive oil. Season your shrimp liberally with cajun seasoning. You want the shrimp to be almost entirely coated, Also, use a bit of salt. If adding sausage, saute along with shrimp.
Add 2 tablespoons ghee or butter in a large skillet, preferably cast-iron, over medium-high heat. Once the skillet is very hot, add the shrimp and cook about a minute or two, or until the bottom side begins turning pink. Flip the shrimp and cook until the bottom side is turning pink. Once protein is almost done, add bell peppers and saute for about two minutes. When the shrimp are no longer translucent down the middle, where they've been de-veined, remove from the skillet immediately.
Fill a medium saucepan with a couple inches of water and bring to a boil. Place frozen cauliflower in a steamer basket and top with 1 large clove garlic, chopped. Cover and steam until tender. (Shortcut: you can riced cauliflower in most stores that you can steam in microwave and transfer easily to your food processor)
When tender, place steamed cauliflower, ghee and nutritional yeast in the food processor. Blitz until almost the desired texture. Add a bit of the juice that has accumulated from your sauteed shrimp to the processor and blitz for just a few more seconds.
Spoon the cauliflower "grits" into serving bowls and top shrimp and/or sausage. Pour the ghee and Cajun seasoning "sauce" from the skillet over serving. Serve immediately.
Do you think cauliflower can do the trick for a good substitute for grits? Let us know in the comments!