Food Friday: Grits and Greens, Sort Of, In The Instant Pot

 Recently I purchased ANOTHER cookbook!  Be A Plant Based Woman Warrior by the Esselstyn ladies.  I thought I would start with breakfast recipes, even though I was dying to try some of the sauce recipes. (No, even though I have referenced Amazon as a source, I am not going to get even the smallest commission. )

This morning I made my first try...though it was not from the cookbook. I did get the idea from the cookbook.

Because I wanted to use the Instant Pot, I read a few different people's suggestions on how to do it. I made a bastardized combination of several of them.

Since I wanted to cook with pot in pot, I found a two-quart pyrex bowl and got out the 8-quart Instant Pot. In the Instant Pot I place the trivet then 2 cups of water.

In the glass bowl I placed 1 cup water, 1 cup milk, 2 teaspoons onion-flavored Better Than Bouillon, one small finely diced onion, and 1/2 cup old-fashioned "grits" which turned out to be cornmeal once I really looked at the package. Oh well.  Since I had already put the cornmeal into the water mixture I became philosophical about the probable failure of the project.

So moving on, I added about 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper then about the same amount of pink Himalayan salt from the grinder, plus about 1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese.  After mixing rather well I put the lid on and set the Instant Pot to HIGH pressure for 15 minutes and let 'er rip. After the pressure came down naturally,  I removed the cover, stirred the mixture, and called Dear One to come and eat.

Since I wanted to add greens, I steamed a few leaves of kale stripped from their stems in the microwave for 5 minutes.  That part was not an unqualified success.  The kale came out nice and green but mostly like green leather.  Still, I filled my bowl halfway full of kale leather then spooned on the grits/cornmeal.  It tasted really good.

Because I am such a nice little wifey and knowing Dear One's probable response to this I put one tiny leaf of kale leather in his bowl and gave him a chance to serve himself one teaspoon of the grits before putting any in his bowl.  His first teaspoonful seemed good so he served himself a reasonable serving in the bowl. He did eat the little leaf (and I do mean LITTLE LEAF!) of kale with the first teaspoonful.

Because I had already tasted the mixture and found it fabulous I served myself frugally...leaving another half serving in the bowl so Dear One could have more if he wanted it.  Turns out he did!  He finished it off.

This is something I will make again and again, assuming real grits taste as good!