Fall Risotto

Risotto. It can be as decadent as it’s name sounds - found commonly on restaurant menus as a specialty side or even elegant enough to be an entree all on its own. Cooking a risotto is somewhat of a labor of love, but it’s certainly not limited to only the likes and skills of professional chefs. With a little bit of patience (seriously, just a little - like 15-20 minutes), you can have a delicious risotto right at home! This Fall recipe is so worth it!

Traditionally risottos are made with rice. Our recipe that we’re sharing today is made with a rice of sorts: cauliflower rice, and that purpose is two-fold. Rice, while it can be a part of a balanced diet, is typically served in quantities far too large in risottos. Riced cauliflower, on the other hand, is all vegetable and eliminates much of the carbohydrate quantities in this dish. So, you can enjoy a healthy portion without compromising your weight loss goals. The other reason we like using riced cauliflower in place of rice in this recipe is that riced cauliflower cooks a bit quicker than regular rice risottos. The cook time on this one comes in under 20 minutes! Talk about quick and easy!

With Fall being in full swing and Thanksgiving right around the corner, we’ve chosen to incorporate the flavor of pumpkin into this dish. Canned pumpkin (pure pumpkin; not pumpkin pie filling) can be a great addition for both flavor and health with its high Vitamin A and antioxidant contents. Not to mention the fun, rich color it brings what can oftentimes appear to be a “bland looking” dish! Top with your favorite protein (or serve on the side) and you’ve got a decadent meal fit for the finest. Our favorite protein accompaniments for this dish are roasted shrimp or seared scallops!

Ingredients:

• 1 TBSP grass-fed butter
• 16 oz. raw cauliflower, riced (or use 8 oz. frozen riced cauliflower: cook, drain, and then weigh)
• 1 C. pure pumpkin (not pie filling)
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 - 1/2 tsp. Poultry seasoning or ground sage
• One pinch each: garlic powder, onion powder
• 1 C. low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 oz. Parmesan cheese, shredded
• 100 calories bacon, cooked crisp and chopped
• Garnish: fresh parsley

Instructions:

1. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add the riced cauliflower, pumpkin, salt, seasoning or sage, garlic powder, and onion powder and stir. Saute for 4 minutes.
2. Add 1/4 C. of the chicken broth and let reduce for two minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated. 

Note: if your bacon is not pre-cooked and ready, this is a good place to start cooking and crisping your bacon in a separate skillet. Just move to a paper towel to drain and cool once finished crisping.

1. Repeat the “broth reduction” step above three more times (slowly adding broth and reducing) to create a thick and creamy texture until all of your broth is used up.
2. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and remove from heat.
3. Serve warm topped with crispy bacon crumbles and chopped parsley.

Makes 2 Servings | Serving Size: ½ recipe prepared | One Serving Replaces: 1 vegetable, 1 carbohydrate, ¼ protein

Variations:

• Make it vegetarian by swapping the chicken broth for vegetable broth and topping with chopped toasted nuts instead of bacon
• Use a fresh roasted pumpkin and incorporate a mix of pureed pumpkin and diced pumpkin pieces for more texture