Veggie Loaded Risotto (HC)

Ingredients

• 1 tsp unsalted butter or olive oil

• 1 celery stick, diced

• ½ onion, diced

• ½ red pepper (bell pepper), diced

• 120g (⅘ cup) (4¼ oz) courgette (zucchini), cut into chunks

• Sprinkle of black pepper

• 1 tsp garlic granules or 1 garlic clove, crushed

• 1 tsp paprika powder

• 1 tsp Italian herbs

• 120g (⅔ cup) (4¼ oz) risotto rice

• 100ml (⅖ cup) (3½ fl oz) water

• 400g tin chopped tomatoes

• 2 tbsp (1.5 Aus tbsp – 30ml) reduced sodium soy sauce

• 1 tbsp (0.75 Aus tbsp – 15ml) tomato puree (tomato paste)

• 1 low sodium vegetable stock cube

• 2 bowls fresh spinach (80g (¼ cup) (2¾ oz) approx) (or 4 blocks frozen spinach)

• 160g (1 cup) (5⅔ oz) peas, fresh or frozen

• 1 heaped tbsp (+0.75 Aus tbsp – 15ml) soft cream cheese

Instructions:

1. Heat the butter or olive oil in a large pot over a medium heat.

2. Add the celery, onion, red pepper (bell pepper) and courgette (zucchini). Mix and cook for a few minutes.

3. Season with black pepper, garlic, paprika and Italian herbs and stir to combine.

4. Add the risotto rice along with ½ the water, ½ the tinned tomatoes, soy sauce and tomato puree (tomato paste) and mix well.

5. Cook on a medium heat for around 25-30 minutes.

6. While cooking the rice, crush or break up the stock cube and add it to the rice.

7. Keep adding the remaining water and tinned tomatoes, slowly and gradually.

8. Don’t allow the rice mixture to become dry, add more water if need be until the rice is cooked thoroughly.

9. If using frozen spinach, add after 15 minutes, along with the frozen peas. If using fresh spinach, add just a few minutes before serving.

10. When the rice is almost ready, taste test and add more seasoning if you need more flavour.

11. Before serving, take the rice off the heat and spoon in the cream cheese, mix around and then serve.

Top Tip

The recipe makes 2 portions, place the additional portion in the freezer for another time. Only add cream cheese to the portion that will be consumed fresh and not the portion that will be frozen. If you freeze it the same day it’s cooked, you can safely eat it within 2 to 3 days after thawing.

Dinner

Serves 2

High Carb