My Texas-bred Uncle Ron has this incredible recipe for Jalapeno Cheese Grits, an ultimate comfort food. My version captures the same delicious cheesy texture with lots of vegetables and without all the extra cream and butter. This recipe is one of my favorite plan ahead meals, particularly as a filling, easy breakfast for early mornings before work. It also works well as a side dish for dinner, doing double duty as the starch and vegetable. I have experimented with all sorts of vegetables (including spinach, mushrooms and asparagus). All of the variations have been delicious, though I am particularly fond of the zucchini bell pepper combo that I have laid out here because it provides some great color contrast to the yellow polenta.
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 medium zucchini, grated (a large tooth cheese grater works well)
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 sweet (or yellow) onion, finely chopped
- 4 cups of boiling hot water
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 1 cup polenta (dry corn grits)
- 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese
DIRECTIONS:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Chop the vegetables and lay them out in a 13 x 9 oven safe casserole or glass dish.
3. Add boiling water to polenta and sea salt. Mix together well, then pour over vegetables.
4. Bake in oven for 40 minutes.
5. Take casserole out of the oven and add the sharp cheddar cheese. Mix well and return to the oven for 20 more minutes.
6. Remove casserole from oven and let it cool at least 10 minutes before serving. If you are making this for later, I scoop out the warm polenta and put into individual microwave safe dishes so that it is easier to grab and go during the week
Recipe makes four hearty servings, 240 calories per serving.
Brooks and Stones 