Grits ’n Greens Casserole

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 2-quart casserole dish or six 8-ounce ramekins with nonstick cooking spray, and set aside.

2. Place the water and milk in a 3-quart pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in the grits and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for about 7 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes, until tender. Stir in the collard greens, margarine or butter, pepper, bacon, and ¾ cup of the Parmesan cheese.

3. Spoon the grits mixture into the prepared dish or ramekins, and sprinkle the remaining 3 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese over the top. Bake uncovered for about 20 minutes if using a casserole dish, and 12 minutes if using ramekins. The grits are ready to eat when the top is lightly browned. Serve hot.

4. Dietary Variation to reduce fat and calories:

5. Omit the margarine or butter and substitute vegetarian bacon or extra-lean turkey bacon for the pork bacon. This will eliminate 43 calories, 5.6 grams of fat, and 1 diabetic fat exchange from each serving. The high-fat meat exchange will become lean meat.

Notes :

1. Diabetic Exchanges:
   
         1½ starch
   
          ½ nonfat/low-fat milk
   
         1 high-fat meat
   
         1 fat