Southern as Biscuits: What's for Breakfast?: Vegan Cheese Grits

grits |grits|- plural noun [also treated as sing.]: a dish of coarsely ground corn kernels boiled with water or milk.

Mabry Mill Grits (on the back, it says,
"these grits are made expecially..."
I'm hoping that was some tacky intended spelling
and not a typo. Either way, it's unfortunate.

"Song To Grits"
by Roy Blount, Jr.

When my mind's unsettled,
When I don't feel spruce,
When my nerves get frazzled,
When my flesh gets loose-
What knits
Me back together's grits.
Grits with gravy,
Grits with cheese,
Grits with bacon,
Grits with peas.
Grits with a minimum
Of two over-medium eggs mixd in
'em:um!
Grits, grits, it's
Grits I sing-
Grits fits
In with anything.
rich and poor, black and white,
Lutheran and Campbellite,
Jews and Southern Jesuits,
All acknowledge buttered grits.
Give me two hands, give me my wits,
Give me forty pounds of grits.
Grits at taps, grits at reveille,
I am into grits real heavily.
True grits,
More grits,
Fish, grits, and collards.
Life is good where grits are swallered.
Grits
Sits
Right.

I love pairing poetry with recipes. Sounds like a great idea for a cookbook! So....
Vegan Cheese Grits Recipe (since there is no cheese, I suppose I should call them "Vegan Cheeze Grits", but then you'd never find it in a keyword search again, would you?)
Makes 6 servings

2 c. cooked pureed butternut squash (mine is from Reynolda Farm Market
1 c. water
1 c. vegetable broth
1 c. almond or soy milk (plain)
1 c. grits (I used Mabry Mill, but any stoneground grits will do -instant in a pinch)
3 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp sea salt
3 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes (optional)
fresh ground black pepper to taste

Microwave grits, water, broth and almond milk, garlic and salt in microwave safe lidded bowl for 5 minutes at a time, stirring between each round. Cook until grits are fully puffed. The grits I used cooked in about 20 minutes total.

Add pureed butternut squash and optional nutritional yeast.

Add more salt, pepper, and garlic to taste. Serve warm as a main dish or a side. Of course, grits go perfectly with biscuits! [wink]