Sunday Brunch: Vegan Grits, Tomatoes, Onions, and Spinach:

Over the past year or so, I've fallen in love with grits. A traditional Southern comfort food, I think that they've surpassed mashed potatoes as one of my favorite foods. They can be made in 5 minutes, and I've come up with the perfect vegan version.

I cook the grits in salted water, and then I whisk in a tablespoon or two of almond milk, a tablespoon of Earth Balance buttery spread, and two tablespoons of nutritional yeast in the last 2 minutes of cooking. The result: creamy, comforting grits.

I paired the grits with some sauteed tomatoes, onions, garlic, and spinach in this recipe. The acidity of the tomatoes combined with the creamy and savory grits creates a lovely marriage of flavors, while the onions and garlic lend the perfect amount of umami flavor. Pair this recipe with mimosas, and I guarantee a delicious Sunday brunch. Happy Sunday!

Ingredients:

2/3 cup instant grits

1 2/3 cups water

1 ripe tomato, sliced

1 cup spinach

1 medium yellow onion, sliced

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 tbsp. plain unsweetened almond milk

2 tbsp. nutritional yeast

1 tbsp. vegan buttery spread

2 tsp. olive oil

A few dashes of salt

Dash of paprika

Serves 2 of me, but serves 4 people with normal appetites. 

Total Cook Time: about 20 minutes.

Instructions:

1. In a medium saucepan, bring the water and a dash of salt to a boil. Whisk in the grits, cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring when necessary.

2. Next, whisk in the almond milk, buttery spread, and nutritional yeast. Let cook on low for another 2 minutes or so.

3. Add the onions and garlic to a large skillet. Cook on medium to medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, and cook for about 3 minutes on each side.

4. In a small skillet, add a tablespoon or two of water, and the spinach. Cook on medium-high heat until wilted. Drain any remaining water.

5. Serve the tomato mixture and spinach on top of the grits (preferably with mimosas).