Quick Comfort Food: Grits and Greens (Plant Based!)

Ingredients

• GRITS:
• 3 cups water
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup white corn grits or medium grind organic cornmeal
• 1 tablespoon vegan butter or olive oil
• 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• Black pepper, to taste
• About 1/4 cup of any non-dairy milk or cheese, as you have on hand
• GREENS:
• Splash of olive oil
• 1 small–medium yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon smoked salt (or regular if you don't have smoked)
• ~1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 lb cleaned organic greens — collards and kale mix is wonderful, or any greens you love
• Hot sauce of your choice, to serve

Instructions

1. 1Bring water and salt to a boil, dump in grits and stir. Reduce heat to medium low. Cook, stirring regularly, for 5–10 minutes until thick and creamy (coarser grains may take a little longer). Turn off heat and stir in vegan butter or olive oil, nutritional yeast, non-dairy milk or cheese if using, and black pepper to taste.
2. 2While grits cook, add a splash of olive oil to a large deep skillet or pot over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until almost tender, then add garlic. Cook until fragrant, about 2–3 minutes.
3. 3Add vegetable broth, smoked salt, and red pepper flakes. Taste for balance and adjust salt if needed. Bring to a simmer.
4. 4Add in the greens — it will seem like WAY too much, but toss them around in the liquid and they'll quickly start to reduce. Cook 5–10 minutes for tender young greens, or up to 20 minutes for more mature greens, tasting as you go.
5. 5Add a squeeze of hot sauce, or more salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste.
6. 6To plate: in a low, wide bowl, fill half with grits and the other half with greens. Spoon the pan liquids from the greens over everything and serve.