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Cajun Style Shrimp and Grits – Lightened Up

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

Ingredients

Scale
  • For the shrimp:
  • 2 pounds raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
  • For the grits:
  • 1 cup dry grits
  • 2 cups almond milk (or 2% milk if you don’t want to buy almond milk)
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 1/4 cup cheddar cheese
  • For the gravy:
  • 1 cup diced bell pepper – about 3/4 of one pepper (I used a mix of yellow, green, and red)
  • 1 cup diced onion – about 1 small onion
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 2 cups chicken stock

Instructions

  1. Bring your almond milk (or regular milk), chicken stock, and some salt to a boil in a medium pot
  2. When boiling, add your grits*
  3. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15-20 minutes (or follow package instructions if it says something different)
  4. Meanwhile, season your peeled and deveined shrimp with 2 teaspoons of paprika, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  5. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat with a bit of coconut oil
  6. Sear your shrimp, stirring occasionally, until they are browned. Set aside to a plate
  7. In the same skillet, add your peppers, onion, and garlic
  8. Season with a little salt and pepper (add more coconut oil if things are getting dry)
  9. Cook, stirring occasionally, until veggies have softened
  10. Add your 2 tablespoons of coconut oil, 2 tablespoons of flour, 1 teaspoon of paprika, 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder, and 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper. Stir to combine
  11. Let this cook for a minute or two, stirring constantly
  12. Add your 2 cups of chicken stock to this – stir until combined
  13. Simmer the gravy until thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper
  14. When your grits are done cooking, add 1/4 cup of shredded cheddar cheese, and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper
  15. To assemble: start with your grits as the bottom layer, add your shrimp on top of the grits, and pour the gravy over everything!
  16. *Note about grits – The cooking instructions can vary based on the type and brand of grits you buy. If your package gives different instructions for the amount of liquid you need to cook 1 cup of dry grits, follow what the package says. Just do half chicken stock and half almond milk (or regular milk). For example, if it says you need 6 cups of liquid instead of 4, change my recipe to be 3 cups of chicken stock and 3 cups of almond milk versus 2 of each.*

Find it online: https://www.thegarlicdiaries.com/cajun-style-shrimp-and-grits-lightened-up/