Cauliflower Grits with Gouda Cheese and Blackened Shrimp

Cauliflower Grits with Gouda Cheese and Blackened Shrimp is a low-carb update to traditional shrimp and grits!

(Many thanks to Oxo for the complimentary Oxo Good Grips Spiralizer!  A review of the product is included here.  All opinions are mine alone.)

You are going to love this!!

Some of you may recall the old 1980’s television show, MacGyver, with Richard Dean Anderson.  It’s about a secret agent who uses simple everyday items in unconventional ways to thwart evil.

Here is how to use a simple, single chopstick in an unconventional way along with a spiralizer to make cauliflower “grits!”

First of all, I’m not smart enough to think of this on my own; the idea is from the smart people at Oxo.

Oxo is a brand I trust.  They make quality innovative products that make everyday life easier.  I use many of their kitchen tools in my personal chef business.

As you already know, spiralizing vegetables to produce more healthful meals is one of the hottest cooking trends to hit kitchens in a long time.  Numerous spiralizers already exist on the market.  However, Oxo studies people and how they use everyday products and improves upon them.  They’ve developed the Oxo Good Grips® Spiralizer and it’s awesome!

• The Oxo Good Grips® Spiralizer quickly creates spaghetti-cut, fettuccine-cut and ribbon-cut noodles from fruits and vegetables and can also be used to make cauliflower “rice” or “grits.”
• The super-sharp color-coded blades are stored in a blade box to keep them clean, safe and organized.  The blade box fits neatly on board the spiralizer when not in use.
• The Stronghold™ suction cup underneath the spiralizer provides non-slip stability on countertops and has a lever that easily engages and releases the suction.
• The food holder has sharp teeth to securely hold the food in place.
• The rotating handle has a curved contour that fits easily in your hand.
• The side handle which helps advance the food through the blades folds up for compact storage.

More and more of my clients are requesting healthful alternatives to rice, pasta and because I’m in the South–grits!

I’ve made cauliflower grits and cauliflower rice with both food processors and hand graters.  The problem with a food processor is that it’s very easy to practically puree the cauliflower as cauliflower contains a fair amount of water.  A hand grater works much better, however, it’s a lot of work and by the time I’m finished grating a head of cauliflower, my arm and shoulder are extremely tired.

Here’s the quick and easy way to make cauliflower grits and rice with the Oxo Good Grips® Spiralizer:

Start with a fresh, crisp snowy-white medium to large head of cauliflower.  Remove all the leaves, but do not cut off the stem.  Then, insert a long chopstick into the center of the top of the cauliflower.

Using the fine, spaghetti-cut blade, place the chopstick through the hole that’s near the top of the blade.  Secure the cauliflower with the food holder and spiralize away!

Once the cauliflower is processed through the spiralizer, use a chef’s knife to finely chop it into small even “grains.”  If any cauliflower florets left near the stem are difficult to pass through the blade, simply hand chop them along with the rest.

How easy is that?

Now onto the rest of this creamy, cheesy wonderful low-carb Cauliflower Grits with Gouda Cheese and Blackened Shrimp.  As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, I just couldn’t wrap my mind around “grits” when I first moved to the South and now I’m somewhat of a fanatic.  I love being able to create a healthier version of the dish I’m so passionate about more easily with the Oxo Good Grips® Spiralizer.

I use reduced-fat cream cheese blended with chicken broth rather than cream or half-and-half to produce a creamy base for the “grits.”  Because gouda is a full-flavored cheese, you don’t need much.  The amount of gouda cheese melted in at the end amounts to only 1/4 cup per serving.  That’s not bad and cheese is a good source of calcium.

….Aaannnd……What are grits without shrimp?  These blackened shrimp with my amazing homemade blackening mixture sear up easily in a cast-iron or nonstick skillet and pack a ton of flavor without a heavy sauce.  The recipe for the blackening mixture makes more than you’ll need for the shrimp, but once you try it, you’ll always want to have it on hand!

Enjoy!  If you’re in the market for a spiralizer, give this one a try!  What will you spiralize today?

Cauliflower Grits with Gouda Cheese and Blackened Shrimp

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Prep Time 15 min

Cook Time 15 min

Total Time 30 mins

Serves 4

Shrimp and grits get a low-carb update in Cauliflower Grits with Gouda Cheese and Blackened Shrimp

Ingredients

• BLACKENING MIX
• 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon salt (kosher or sea)
• CAULIFLOWER GRITS
• 1 large head cauliflower
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 bunch scallions, white and light green part only
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese (whipped or regular), room temperature
• 4 ounces Gouda cheese, shredded (approximately 1 cup)
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 3 tablespoons olive oil (or as needed)
• 1 pound jumbo shrimp (16-20 ct)

Directions

BLACKENING MIX:  Combine spice mixture in a small bowl.  Set aside.

CAULIFLOWER GRITS:  Process the head of cauliflower through the Oxo Good Grips Spiralizer as shown, then finely chop if necessary.  Set aside.

Heat butter in a shallow saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add scallions, reduce heat to medium and cook 1-2 minutes to soften.

Add chicken broth and bring to a boil.  Whisk in cream cheese, stirring constantly until cream cheese is incorporated into the broth.

Add the cauliflower and cook 2-3 minutes, stirring often.  (I like them a little less cooked--you may like them cooked more.)  Add the Gouda cheese, continuing to stir until the cheese has melted and cauliflower is a creamy consistency.  Season to taste with salt and black pepper.  Stir in parsley and keep warm.

SHRIMP:  Generously coat the shrimp with the blackening mix.  Heat olive oil in a cast iron or nonstick pan over medium high heat.  Add the shrimp and cook 1-2 minutes per side or until firm, being careful not to overcook.  Serve grits topped with shrimp.

by Carol | From A Chef's Kitchen

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