Brussels sprouts are such an underrated vegetable. If made right, they are incredible. If tossed in Cajun spice and served with cheesy grits and a spicy maple drizzle, they are beyond incredible. If you are a Brussels sprouts skeptic, this is where that ends. It certainly doesn’t hurt that they are piled on top of the most wonderfully cheesy, creamy grits ever, which are made possible with the help of vegan milk, vegan butter and nutritional yeast.
Serves: 2 to 4
1 lb (450 g) fresh Brussels sprouts
2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
2 tsp (6 g) smoked paprika
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp dried thyme
¼–½ tsp cayenne pepper
2 cups (480 ml) water
1¼ cups (300 ml) almond milk or other nondairy milk
¼ cup (15 g) nutritional yeast
1 tsp salt
1 cup (170 g) yellow or white grits (see Hot Tip)
¼ cup (60 g) vegan butter
2 tbsp (30 ml) pure maple syrup
½ tsp hot sauce
To make the Brussels sprouts, preheat the oven to 375°F (191°C). Spray a medium baking sheet with nonstick spray.
Trim the Brussels sprouts, cutting off the stems and removing any loose leaves.
Transfer the Brussels sprouts to a medium bowl, then drizzle them with the oil. Toss to coat.
In a small bowl, combine the smoked paprika, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, black pepper, thyme and cayenne pepper (use ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper if you prefer mild food or ½ teaspoon if you like more spice). Stir to combine the spices. Sprinkle the spices over the Brussels sprouts and toss to coat them completely.
Arrange the Brussels sprouts in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the Brussels sprouts are soft (but not mushy) and brown.
While the Brussels sprouts are baking, make the cheesy grits. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the water, milk, nutritional yeast and salt. Stir to combine the ingredients, then bring them to a boil.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and very slowly add the grits, whisking constantly. The more slowly you add the grits, the less likely they will be to form lumps.
Reduce the heat to low. Cover the saucepan and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring frequently, until the grits are thick and soft.
Turn off the heat, then add the butter. Let it melt slightly, then stir it into the grits. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
When the Brussels sprouts and cheesy grits are done, make the spicy maple drizzle. In a small bowl, whisk together the maple syrup and hot sauce.
To serve, place some of the cheesy grits in a bowl. Top them with some of the Brussels sprouts and dress the Brussels sprouts with the spicy maple drizzle.
Hot Tip: If you can’t find a package that is labeled specifically as grits, yellow or white cornmeal will also work.