Not that you asked, but Kyle lived in the south (Hot-lanta what what) for a majority of his childhood. He emailed me from work the other day requesting grits. I replied asking if he liked his grits with cheese or with butter. He responded: yes. Ha!
This isn’t the version I made him (which was not vegan). This is, however, the version I reinvented for myself on Saturday night.
I had zucchini and squash from the farmer’s market…and the vision of them sautéed in oil and vinegar on top a steaming hot bed of cheesy grits sounded divine.
Problem was, we were out of the good balsamic (on the left). We had the 365 5 year aged balsamic in reserve, but it’s not the same. Good balsamic is GOOD and the rest is just meh. I need to find this brand again. Maybe online.
So I thinly sliced the zucchini and squash sautéed them in oil and vinegar.
I knew they were done when they turned translucent (like below).
In the meantime, I made the grits. I used the same method as I would to make oats.
Water + corn grits + heat. [You could use milk too or spilt the ratio of water and milk, depending on how rich you want them]
Soon enough I had smooth and silky grits. So I folded in some slices of vegan cheese and nutritional yeast.
Put it all together!
Sprinkle salt and pepper on top. And voila!
Extremely simple. Hearty and wholesome. Fresh and clean.
Start to finish, this was a 30 minute meal and I was too full for dessert after.
Enjoy!
Have you ever had grits? I suppose this could be made into a sweet dish too. Maybe with coconut butter and cinnamon. Or it could be a savory breakfast food too. My mind is racing…
Yum I love grits! I love how you sautéed veggies to put in them, sounds delicious!
I’m not from the South but my mom went to school at Vanderbilt and two years ago insisted that my family “ALWAYS has shrimp and grits on new years eve! it’s a tradition!” (We had never eaten this in our lives). But now we eat it. I’d love to make a vegan version though! The southern kind aint all that healthy…
I’ve seen them but never eaten them… my dad owns a few diners and we get requests for them every now and then, but I think we’re too far north for them to be a common menu item.
I saw grits in the Houston airport, and I was so tickled by this “American” food. I didn’t try it, though – didn’t seem appealing!
The boyfriend said he was surprised I’d never had grits because he pegged me as a “grits person”. I don’t know what that means, but I guess I have to try them now!
I don’t know what grits are, lol! 😛 I think it must be an American thing, becuase I have never ever heard of them. I bet they are scrumptious though, looking at the ingredient list…vegan cheese – check! wholegrains – check! veggies – check! 🙂 All good things 😉 Hmm…I didn’t realise there was such a divide between good and not-so-good Balsamic…I may have to invest in some good stuff since I use it alllll the time. Such a lovely salad dressing! <3 Can't wait to see some more Hungry Hippie spins of grits in the future! 😉 xyx
do you think corn meal would work in place of the actual “grits”?
I never had grits until I moved to Hot-Atlanta. I don’t eat them a lot, but I like them.
I don’t know that I have ever tried grits but the version above that you made looks really good! 🙂
I just found your blog 🙂 love it! I’ve never tried grits, but they look delicious! I’ll have to put it on my list of things to try.
Yesss! I am from Georgia, too (hour south of Hotlanta) and I miss grits so much! They have them in DC, where I now live, but they hardly compare!
mmmm now i’m craving grits! i def like savory grits. but i can never find nutritional yeast?!
I love grits! But what would you expect from an Alabama girl?
I went on a huge grits kick during college, and I loved adding cheddar, broccoli, and sometimes a little salsa:)
ooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhh i love grits, ESPECIALLY with veggies, we do okra and tomatoes a lot. especailly good with the fire roasted tomatoes
Being from the South, I grew up eating grits. And my dad lives in Hotlanta so I grew up going there too!
I eat polenta all the time (which is similar to grits??) and have a massive obsession with it! I really like it with pesto and nutritional yeast stirred in and then topped with veggies, though it does tend to look like something you should eat of halloween!
I LOVE grits. I’m from St. Louis but my mom is from South Carolina and the rest of my family lives in the south. I usually just eat my grits with cheese and haven’t ever thought about putting anything else in them because it is just so darn simple and good! I’ll consider it after seeing your post, though!
Hmmm. I usually just flirt with polenta in a tube from whole foods… I know southerners say its not the same but, close enough for me:). Basalmic is my weakness!!! Fini is the best most affordable pricey one, but i usually do the “trick” of taking a bottle of not that great basalmic and simmmer simmmmeeerrr simmmmeeer (dont boil!) with a pinch of regular sugar until its about a third of original volume. It gets thicker and more sweet and intense. Ex bf was professional cook and showed me how- ps smell of simmering vinegar is intense!
that is brilliant. thanks for the tip. i think thats why the good ones are so good, so ill do that next time.
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I absolutely LOVE grits, but I am originally from West Virginia (so that explains it). One of my favorite “grit dishes” is the traditional Shrimp and Grits from South Carolina. Yum!!
i think polenta is nearly the same thing although southerners may have to chime in on this one.
its in most health stores, but many times employees dont know where to direct you and assume its on the shelves with baking yeast with baking supplies. in Whole Foods its usually with other condiments though. near oil and vinegar and stuff.
hi meredith! glad you found me 🙂
no, i dont think that would work. they have to be actual grains and the meal is more like flour right?
the first time i had it was when my mom made it when we were young. we all thought it was disgusting! so i can see where the lack of appeal is…i swear they are good though. just like oats but with a corn like flavor. liquid cornbread if you will?
haha. thats a great story. you’re right, the southern versions are definitely not lacking in fat.
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