TINY KITCHEN VEGGIE RISOTTO
How many of you have heard of or tried the Meatless Monday thing? If you haven’t heard about it, it’s a push to encourage people to go meatless both for personal health and the health of the planet. Studies show that going meatless just once a week can reduce your carbon footprint and help reduce preventable conditions like cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and more.
I like the planet AND avoiding disease, so when I started seeing some interesting articles around this Meatless Monday phenomenon, I was intrigued. And also perplexed. As a family that eats lean meat for dinner most nights, what kind of delicious, hearty, and meat-free dinner options would I be able to get past my husband? And my taste buds?
Well, here’s one dinner idea that worked. It’s also a total pasta cheat, using cauliflower in place of noodles, so I felt extra accomplished that this meal was not only delicious and meat-free, but somehow managed to stay low-carb, too. But don’t worry: it’s oh-so-satisfying thanks to a healthy dose of cheese. Yeah, it couldn’t be ALL healthy. ;) I also love that this dish works with a variety of green veggies, which makes it easy to customize to your palate. I’ve tried it with brussels sprouts, asparagus, and am going to try broccoli soon.
The best part about this recipe is that neither of us missed the meat. Husband didn’t even mention that there was no meat in it. So, I’ll be rolling this dish into our regular Monday rotation. In the meantime, I’ll also be looking for more Meatless Monday meals, so if you have one you love – send it my way!
xoxo
Tessa
INGREDIENTS
1 head of cauliflower, finely grated (tip: buy riced cauliflower to save time!)
½ of a sweet white onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 lemon
1 cup of your favorite green veggie: diced brussels sprouts, cut asparagus, or broccoli florets
1 cup grated parmesan
2 tbs olive oil
½ cup organic chicken broth
½ cup white wine
½ cup half and half
Salt, pepper, parsley
DIRECTIONS
In a large saucepan, heat your olive oil over medium – high heat
Add onions and cook, turning frequently with a spatula, until they begin to caramelize
Add garlic and cook until aromatic
Add cauliflower, and stir to combine
Slowly pour in wine and stir constantly until wine is nearly evaporated / absorbed
Next, add in your green veggie of choice, and your broth + half and half
Stir to combine all ingredients, and then bring to a simmer
Cook approx. 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Mixture should be creamy and thick and veggies should be tender. This absolutely calls for a taste test! J
While cooking, zest your lemon and juice the rest
Once Risotto is done cooking, remove from heat, and stir in lemon juice
Stir in ¾ cup parm, saving the last bit for the end
Add salt and pepper to taste (tip: try garlic or onion salt for an extra punch of flavor)
Top with parsley, lemon zest and a hearty sprinkle (is that a thing?) of parm
Enjoy!
