By Mayo Clinic Staff

Dietitian's tip:

This is a Mediterranean twist on a Southern favorite.

Number of servings

Serves 8
  1. DASH diet
  2. Weight management
  3. Diabetes meal plan
  4. Gluten-free

Ingredients

    For the grits:

  1. 3 cups unsalted chicken stock
  2. 1 cup of grits (not de-germinated)
  3. 1 tablespoon butter
  4. For the shrimp topping:

  5. 1 tablespoon olive oil
  6. 1 bunch green onions including the green tops, cut into half-inch pieces
  7. 2 large garlic cloves, minced
  8. 1 tablespoon sundried tomatoes (pat off oil), or about 5 cherry tomatoes
  9. 1/4 cup diced red or green bell pepper
  10. 1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp (about 16 to 20 per pound)
  11. 5 stuffed green olives, sliced
  12. 5 black olives, sliced
  13. 1 tablespoon capers
  14. 2 tablespoons crumbled goat cheese
  15. Black pepper to taste
  16. 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
  17. Lemon wedges (optional)

Directions

Have all other ingredients prepared and measured — this recipe goes fast. It is also beneficial to serve on heated plates.

In a medium saucepan, bring broth to a boil over medium-high heat. Slowly whisk in grits to ensure no clumping. Reduce heat, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally until thickened, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in the butter. Cover and keep warm. (NOTE: Moist grits — not dry — that are about the consistency of moist mashed potatoes taste best in this recipe. Add or decrease liquid for desired consistency.)

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add green onions, garlic and sundried tomatoes. Stir and saute until fragrant. (If using cherry tomatoes, you may crush them once they are heated and cook into the onion/garlic mixture.)

Add diced peppers and shrimp. Continue to stir and sauté until shrimp are pink and just cooked through. Stir in sliced olives and capers and heat through.

Onto each plate smear about 1/4 cup grits and divide shrimp mixture equally among plates. Top each with just a few crumbles of goat cheese, a twist of cracked black pepper and some parsley. Serve with lemon wedges.

Nutritional analysis per serving

Serving size: 1/4 cup grits with about 1 cup of shrimp toppings

  • Calories 199
  • Total fat 7 g
  • Saturated fat 2 g
  • Trans fat Trace
  • Monounsaturated fat 3 g
  • Cholesterol 113 mg
  • Sodium 637 mg
  • Total carbohydrate 17 g
  • Dietary fiber 2 g
  • Added sugars 0 g
  • Protein 17 g
April 09, 2016