Scandalously Good Grits 'N Greens Casserole
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Perfect for brunch, or serve with baked beans and salad for a delicious southern dinner! See Notes for a low-fat version and tips to make ahead. Adapted from Grits & Greens Casserole in March/April 2010 issue of EatingWell magazine.
Author:
Recipe type: Entrees
Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • ½ c pecans, chopped (1½ oz)
  • ½ tsp Cajun seasoning or ⅛ tsp salt
  • cooking spray (can skip if you don't mind a little sticking around the top)
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • water as needed
  • 4 c low-sodium vegetable broth, divided
  • 1 large bunch collard greens (1½ lbs before trimming) OR 1-lb bag of frozen collard greens (see Notes)
  • 1 c grits (not instant)
  • ¼ c almond or cashew butter
  • ¼ c salsa
  • salt to taste
Directions
  1. Prep your baking dish: Coat a 2-quart (8-inch square) casserole dish with cooking spray.
  2. Prep the topping: In a small bowl, sprinkle chopped pecans with water and toss. Add Cajun seasoning and toss until evenly coated.
  3. Prep your collard greens: Wash, remove stems, and chop into small pieces.
  4. Coat a large pot with cooking spray. Over medium-low heat, add onion and cook for 6 minutes, stirring frequently. Add a splash of water as needed to prevent sticking. Add garlic and cook for another 2-3 minutes, until garlic is fragrant and onion is just starting to brown.
  5. Add 1 c broth, turn heat to high. When broth is bubbling, add greens and stir until wilted and volume is reduced by at least half. (About 2 minutes.)
  6. Turn heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes, until greens are very tender. Stir occasionally, adding water as needed if pot looks dry.
  7. Remove greens from heat and drain in a colander, pressing out any extra liquid with the back of a spoon.
  8. Preheat oven to 400F.
  9. While greens are cooking, in a covered medium pot, bring remaining 3 c broth to a boil. Remove lid and add grits slowly, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Continuing to whisk, bring mixture to a simmer. Turn heat to low and, stirring constantly with a spoon, cook 4-5 minutes or until grits are thickened.
  10. Remove grits from heat. Gently stir in nut butter, salsa, and salt to taste.
  11. Using a heat-safe rubber spatula, spread half the grits in the bottom of the casserole dish. Add the greens, flattening with a spatula. Add the remaining half of the grits, smoothing the top with a spatula.
  12. Sprinkle with seasoned pecans.
  13. Bake at 400F for 15 minutes. Enjoy!
Notes
FAT-FREE VARIATION: Omit nut butter and cooking spray. Replace pecan topping with cornflake topping: Crush 1 c cornflakes. Sprinkle cornflakes with water and toss to coat. Add ½ tsp Cajun seasoning and 2 tsp dried parsley and toss to combine. Sprinkle over casserole and bake at 400F for 25-30 min, or until cornflakes are lightly toasted. (Reduces calories to 168 and fat to 1 g per serving.)
TO MAKE AHEAD: Up to 24 hours in advance, make casserole through step 10, omitting topping. When ready to serve: Prepare topping, sprinkle over top of casserole, and bake at 400F for 20 minutes (pecan topping) or 30 minutes (cornflake topping), or until heated through and topping is lightly toasted.
TO USE FROZEN GREENS: Skip step 3. In step 5, don't worry about reducing volume; just return greens to a simmer.
Nutrition Information
Serving size: ⅙ recipe Calories: 268 Fat: 12g Saturated fat: 1g Trans fat: 0 Carbohydrates: 35g Sugar: 2g Fiber: 5g Protein: 7g
Recipe by Veggie Quest at https://www.veggie-quest.com/2015/09/scandalously-good-grits-and-greens-casserole/