Shrimp & Vegetable Sauté with Cheesy Grits
Adding beaten egg whites to these luscious cheesy grits increases their volume (so you'll feel like you're eating more!), yet gives them a light texture. And if zucchini's not in its prime, substitute any seasonal vegetables you love!
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Nutritional Bonus: Our Shrimp & Vegetable Sauté with Cheesy Grits is packed with filling lean protein, yet it remains very low in calories – leaving you plenty of room to enjoy a muffin on the side! Shrimp is also an excellent source of hard-to-get vitamin D, which recent research has linked to a reduced risk of osteoporosis, high blood pressure, cancer and some autoimmune diseases. You’ll get 28% of your daily need for the fat-soluble sunshine vitamin in a single serving of this late-morning meal.
Ingredients
- Olive oil cooking spray
- 1 cup quick-cooking grits
- 4 oz garlic and herb spreadable cheese (1/2 cup; such as Chavrie or Rondele)
- 3 large fresh egg whites
- 1 lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined, tail on or off
- 1 tsp mild chile powder
- 1/3 tsp sea salt, divided
- Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 2 small zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1/2 red onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 cups no-salt-added diced tomatoes with juice
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 325˚F and coat a 2-qt baking dish with cooking spray. Prepare grits according to package directions. When done, remove from heat and stir in cheese. Partially cover and let cool slightly.
- Add egg whites to a clean, stainless steel bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Gently fold one-third of egg whites into grits. Fold remaining egg whites into grits in 2 batches. Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish and bake for 40 minutes or until puffed and lightly browned. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
- Meanwhile, season shrimp with chile powder, 1/4 tsp salt and black pepper. Place a large, heavy skillet on medium-high and add 2 tsp oil. When skillet is hot, add half of shrimp. (TIP: Cooking in batches means that the shrimp will have enough space in the hot pan to brown and develop flavor, rather than steam.) Cook without moving shrimp until browned on bottom, about 2 minutes. Turn and cook until opposite sides are browned, 1 to 2 more minutes. Transfer shrimp to a plate and repeat with additional 2 tsp oil and remaining shrimp.
- Pour remaining 2 tsp oil into same, empty skillet on medium-high. Add zucchini and onion, season with remaining salt and black pepper, and cook until softened and lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add tomatoes with their juice and cook until mixture thickens slightly. Add shrimp with any juices that have accumulated on the plate and stir just until heated through. Remove from heat and stir in basil. Spoon grits onto each of 6 plates, dividing evenly, then top with about 3/4 cups shrimp mixture. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size 1 c grits and 3/4 c shrimp mixture
- Calories 284
- Carbohydrate Content 26 g
- Cholesterol Content 124 mg
- Fat Content 8 g
- Fiber Content 2 g
- Protein Content 22 g
- Saturated Fat Content 2 g
- Sodium Content 511 mg
- Sugar Content 3 g
- Monounsaturated Fat Content 0 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat Content 1 g