These Green-Powered Grits Are A Southern RD's Dream

If I had to guess, I'd imagine grits aren't the first thing that comes to mind when you think of R.D.-approved grains, but for mbg's director of scientific affairs and registered dietitian Ashley Jordan Ferira, Ph.D., RDN, they're a perfectly suitable side dish or the start of a delicious meal.

"Grits are often a forgotten or regionalized grain option," she says, "which is too bad, since key varieties (stone ground) are, in fact, whole grains. I personally think grits deserve the limelight again and see it up there right beside other gluten-free grains like quinoa, oats, brown rice, etc."

"As a Southerner, grits have been a staple of my diet for as long as I can remember," says Ferira. "In addition to the delicious taste and satiating benefit of stone-ground grits, I find them to be a versatile grain for meals throughout the day, both savory and sweet."

If you want to get creative and "infuse" more flavor and color into the grits, there's no limit to your creativity. Consider a berry-laden sweet grit, sun-dried tomatoes and red peppers for a red veggies infusion, or the goodness of green grits (with the help of organic veggies+, pesto, Brussels sprouts, and kale).