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A few months ago, I had the most amazing dish from Martha & Marley Spoon: Spicy Honey Shrimp with Garlicky Kale & Grits. It was slightly sweet, had a little kick as well as some thoroughly seasoning grits! Considering its awesomeness, my husband and I were wanting to have it again. The only problem was that even though the dish was a clean eat (filled with real food like Shrimp, honey, and quick grits), it was not keto or low-carb. After making the Carne Asada Bowl spice mix, I realized that I could use it to replicate the Martha & Marley dish in a way that reduced carbs and was keto-friendly. I provide a recipe for each part, but you can feel free to use the grits, shrimp or kale with other dishes.
What is a keto-friendly substitute for grains?
Grits, like rice, are a grain so they are not a good option for those following the ketogenic or paleo lifestyles. One way that I substitute grains like grits is to use cauliflower rice. I prefer to use cauliflower rice that I purchase from the store because it saves me time on busy days. You can also make cauliflower rice with a grater or food processor using a how-to recipe like this one.
Sweet & Spicy Shrimp w/ Cheese Cauliflower Grits & Garlic Kale
Ingredients
Cheese Cauliflower Grits
- 16 oz Cauliflower Rice, ~4 cups
- 1 cup Organic Heavy Whipping Cream
- 1/2 cup Chicken Broth
- 2 oz Cream Cheese
- 2 tbsp Butter
- 1 tsp Natural Sea Salt
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
- 1 tsp Dried Chives
- 1/2 cup mild cheddar cheese, grated
Sweet & Spicy Shrimp
- 1 lb Shrimp
- 1 tbsp sugar-free carne asada spice mix
- 2 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
- 2 tsp Honest Syrup Caramel
- 1 tbsp Butter
- 3 Green Onion, chopped (optional)
Garlic Kale
- 4 cloves Garlic, minced
- 2 cups kale
- 1 tbsp Butter
- 1/4 tsp Natural Sea Salt
- 1/8 tsp Black Pepper
Instructions
- Create the spice mix for the shrimp by combining the Carne Asada mix and Old Bay
- Use a paper towel to pat the shrimp dry
- Dump all but 1/2 tsp of spice mix on to the shrimp and mix. You'll use the rest as a garnish.
- Heat a large skillet (12 in.) over medium high heat for the cauliflower grits
- Add heavy cream, chicken stock, cream cheese, butter, salt, black pepper, and chives to the pan. Whisk together until cream cheese is melted (~4 minutes)
- Add cauliflower rice to the pan and cook in sauce until tender (6-8 minutes was enough for me, but I'd check at 5 minute intervals)
- Heat another skillet (10 in.) over medium high heat for the shrimp
- Add seasoned shrimp and green onions (if using). Cook (undisturbed) until one side of the shrimp is pink (~2 minutes)
- Mix in butter and Caramel sauce. Cook for an additional minute or two. Turn off heat and set aside.
- Heat a small skillet (8 in.) over medium high heat for the kale
- Add kale, butter, garlic, salt and pepper.
- Sauté until the kale is tender (~5 minutes). Add more salt, pepper or even a squeeze of lemon if you'd like.
Nutrition Details
The nutrition facts come from entering the recipe ingredients into Spoonacular API, a database of food ingredients. They may vary for any recipe based on the exact product used. The keto sweeteners I use have 0g net carbs & are not included because sugar alcohols do not impact most people. This is provided as a courtesy, but you can do your own calculations if you wish!
