Southern Breakfast Bowl

It’s time for another Soul Food Sunday post! They’re baaack!

If you’re new to the blog, Soul Food Sundays are a little tradition that I started where I share a form (usually a healthy twist) of traditional soul food on the blog on Sundays. It’s a way to get back to my Southern food roots, and it’s an excuse for me to eat some really awesome food. You can read a a little more about it and see some of my past posts here. I also added it as a category to the main menu, so you can easily find these posts any time.

My last soul food post was on these yummy sweet potato pancakes.

And today I have another breakfast recipe for you!

This meal was actually inspired by a brunch that I ate at the fabulous Empire State South back home in Atlanta. I had a delicious skillet with pork belly, young kale, a coddled egg, and grits with sorghum. The flavor combination of the bitter greens and the sweet sorghum with the creamy grits was out of this world and I haven’t been able to forget it since.

I used that meal as my muse to make this savory bowl of breakfast goodness that has a healthy balance of protein, vegetables, and (most importantly) awesome flavor. It will make your taste buds very happy and stick to your ribs for hours.

And it only takes about 20 minutes total to whip up!

 

Southern Breakfast Bowl

by Lauren

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Keywords: breakfast Southern

 

Ingredients (serves 1)

  • 1 c. water
  • 1/4 c. grits (Quaker old fashioned work well)
  • 1/2 c. milk
  • 1/4 c. shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 2 t. olive oil
  • 1/4 c. diced onion
  • 1/4 c. diced red bell pepper
  • 1 c. fresh baby spinach
  • 1/2 T. balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 T. sorghum syrup or blackstrap molasses
  • salt and pepper

Instructions

Heat the water and milk together in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until it boils.

Add the grits to the boiling liquid and lower the heat to medium. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally to prevent lumps.

While the grits are cooking, heat a small skillet over medium-low heat with a little oil or non-stick cooking spray. Cook your egg to desired doneness (I do mine over medium).

Remove the cooked egg to a plate and set aside.

Return the skillet to the stove, raise the heat to medium, and heat the olive oil until it shimmers.

Add in the onions and red bell pepper and sautee until they are soft and begin to brown.

Add in the spinach and stir together until all the spinach is bright green.

Pour in the balsamic and the sorghum/molasses and stir together, cooking just until most of the liquid has cooked off. Add a pinch of salt and pepper.

Remove from the heat and set aside.

When the grits are done cooking (should take 10 minutes or so), stir the cheddar cheese into them.

Get out your bowl. Fill it first with the cheese grits, then the egg, then the veggies on top.

Enjoy!

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I can’t believe that I never thought to try grits this way before! This is going to be a new favorite. And if you’re like me, the most exciting part of eating it is going to be releasing the runny yolk.

And taking that first bite…

Lord have mercy!

So good.

I hope you are having a wonderful and restful Sunday.

Thanks for reading!

 

  1. Lauren
    |

    My mom was just asking me why she never thinks to make grits for big family breakfasts. I didn’t have an answer for her. I LOVE grits. This looks like the perfect savory breakfast!