Paleo Bacon Jalapeño Grits

I am a New England girl born and raised, but I love grits!!!  Perfect with a little salt and butter, hardly any nutritional value and about as far from paleo as fettuccine alfredo.  Here was my first attempt at a paleo version of grits.  I realize shrimp and grits is one of the most popular grits dishes out there, but given that I don’t really like shrimp I decided to try making bacon jalapeño grits instead.  I think this recipe is YUMMY!  While many of my creations get “there is no way this is paleo” as a reaction from taste testers you will know this is paleo.  You will know because you just can’t get that perfect grits texture without the grits (the wheat), but this was still delicious and could be a great side dish to any dinner.

Ingredients:

1 large head cauliflower, riced

10 oz bacon, diced (can always use more, who doesn’t love bacon?)

1 sweet onion, chopped

4 jalapeño peppers, seeded and diced

1 cup chicken broth

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. pepper

1 small head garlic, roasted (you will only use 1/4 of this at most)

2/3 cup unsweetened coconut milk beverage

1 tbl. nutritional yeast

1/8 tsp. xanthan gum

Method:

Chop top off garlic head to expose cloves.  Wrap garlic in foil and bake at 350 until the exposed cloves are browned and the garlic is soft, 45-60 minutes.  When cool squeeze the roasted cloves out of the garlic bulb and set aside.  Cook bacon over medium high heat until crispy, drain and set aside.  Add onion to bacon fat, season with salt, and cook for 5 minutes.  Add jalapeño pepper to onion and cook for an additional 5 minutes.  Set onion and pepper mixture aside.  Cook cauliflower in a large pot over medium high heat for 5 minutes.  Add chicken broth, cover, and cook for 5-10 minutes until cauliflower has absorbed the liquid.  In a food processor blend together coconut milk beverage, ≤ 1/4 of the roasted garlic, nutritional yeast, and xanthan gum.  Add bacon, onion, and jalapeño back to pot with cauliflower.  Season with salt and pepper and stir in garlic mixture.  Enjoy!

Tags: Paleo bacon jalapeño grits