Shrimp and Grits

This week, we’re inspired by the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin. What many of you might not know is that she was also the Queen of Soul Food!

We took Aretha’s famous Shrimp and Grits recipe and tweaked it for you guys! Our love affair with Shrimp and Grits actually started late in life—only a few years ago. On the way to the airport in Chicago, we stopped at a little restaurant called Handlebar and had one of the most memorable meals of our lives! We knew it was tweak-worthy, but had no idea how deliciously comforting and tasty it could be.

Like all comfort food, traditional Shrimp and Grits is loaded with the good stuff—butter, oil and cheese. To tweak this special recipe, we replaced the butter with clarified butter (ghee) and nixed the cheese completely. Now, instead of loading up on almost 800 calories per serving, you’re looking at closer to 400. Now THAT’s something the Queen of Soul (and all of us) can R-E-S-P-E-C-T!

Let’s get to cooking! Whip up this meal with us and follow along with the full recipe below.

TOUR TO SUMMER SHRIMP AND GRITS

Ingredients (Grits):

• 2 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/3 C finely chopped onion
• Course sea salt, to taste (up to 1 tsp)
• 1 qt. low-sodium vegetable broth
• 3/4 C organic yellow corn grits

Ingredients (Shrimp):

• 1 tsp clarified butter
• 1-2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 lb shrimp, raw, deveined
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 t chili powder
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Pinch of cayenne
• Juice of 1 lemon

Directions:

1. We’re tackling the grits first! In a medium frying pan, heat your olive oil. Add onions and salt, stirring often until onions are slightly translucent/browned, about 8-10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, bring 3C of your vegetable broth to a boil in a medium saucepot. Once boiling, add grits slowly, whisking constantly until the mixture is smooth. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low, stirring occasionally until liquid is absorbed.
3. Once most of the liquid is absorbed, add the remaining 1C of broth, onion mixture, and 1t of clarified butter. Take a taste and add salt to taste! We added about 1 teaspoon and it was perfect. Whisk the mixture together until it thickens (about 8 minutes). Simmer on low heat for 15-25 minutes.
4. While that’s simmering, grab your shrimp ingredients. Combine the spices separately in a small bowl. Grab your frying pan and heat the clarified butter and oil over medium heat. Once warm, throw in the garlic until it’s golden brown. PRO TIP: Use the same pan that you cooked your onions in to give your shrimp an extra kick!
5. Add shrimp, spice mixture, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Cook for 5-8 minutes and make sure the shrimp is nice and pink inside before removing it from the heat.
6. Grab a small bowl and put the shrimp over your grits! Top with chives for a boost of flavor.

There are two things we want to point out that you can incorporate into your #balancedeats routine:

1. Make sure you always choose non-GMO foods. It’s so important to choose whole, real foods to make you feel like a natural woman?
2. Eating healthy does not mean bland. PLAY with spices! Use them to add flavor—we promise they make the biggest different.

Let us know what your favorite comfort food is below and give this recipe a try this weekend. We can’t wait for you to whip this up and share your kitchen pictures with us!