Brown Rice Spring Vegetable Risotto

[hotpinklovesofa]

I pulled this recipe off the Whole Foods site one night when I was looking for a healthier version of a dish I love from a restaurant in my old neighborhood.  It's really tasty and nutty b/c of the brown rice and you can really make it any time of year with whatever fresh vegetable is in season.



Brown Rice Spring Vegetable Risotto

Serves 6

*While the nature of brown rice means that this dish takes longer to cook than standard risotto, it is well worth the wait. Feel free to adapt the recipe according to the seasonal produce available.*

Ingredients
1 quart vegetable broth
5 cups water
1/2 pound (about 1/2 bunch) asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 cups uncooked short-grain brown rice
2 carrots, trimmed and chopped
2 zucchini, trimmed and chopped
1/2 cup fresh or frozen and thawed peas
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon butter
Sea salt and pepper to taste

Method
Bring broth and water to a boil in a medium pot. Add asparagus and simmer until just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer asparagus to a bowl of ice water until well chilled, then drain and set aside. Cover broth-water mixture and bring back to a simmer. Heat oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring gently, until toasted and fragrant, 4 to 5 minutes. Add 1 cup of the broth-water mixture and cook, stirring constantly and adjusting heat if needed to maintain a simmer, until liquid is almost absorbed. Repeat process, adding about 1/2 cup of the broth-water mixture each time, until rice is just beginning to get tender, about 25 minutes. Add carrots and continue process with broth-water mixture. When rice is just al dente and carrots are just tender, add zucchini and cook 5 minutes more. (If broth mixture gets low, add water as needed.) Stir peas and asparagus into rice and cook until hot throughout, 2 to 3 minutes more. Add cheese, butter, salt and pepper and stir to combine. Add about 1/2 cup more of the broth-water mixture to finished risotto before serving, if you like.


Nutrition
Per serving: 380 calories (100 from fat), 11g total fat, 4g saturated fat, 10mg cholesterol, 770mg sodium, 64g total carbohydrate (7g dietary fiber, 6g sugar), 10g protein