Butternut Squash Risotto

I used to love this Pumpkin Sage Risotto from Oprah's chef, but have found a way to create the creamy rich flavor of risotto without any animal products. Risotto takes a long time, because it cooks slowly. You have to stir the rice frequently to release the starch, which results in the creamy sauce. I like to use brown rice in this dish, which takes even longer...but to me the whole grains are worth it. I just pick a day, when I will be home and feel like enjoying the cozy feel of being in the kitchen over a pot of rice.

Butternut Squash Risotto

Ingredients:

1 butternut squash
1 tsp olive oil

1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp vegan margarine
1/2 onion, diced

3 tbsp fresh sage, sliced and divided
1 clove garlic, minced

2 cups short grain brown rice
1 cup dry white wine, (I used a Pinot Grigio)

10 - 12 cups vegetable broth (I love Better than Bouillon)

1/2 cup unsweetened plain soy milk
3 tbsp nutritional yeast
2 tsp Bragg liquid aminos
1 tsp balsamic vinegar

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Wash your butternut squash and cut it lengthwise down the middle. Scoop out the seeds and drizzle it with the tsp of olive oil and then use your hands to rub the oil all over the surface of the squash. Place it cut side down on a cookie sheet and put it in the preheated oven to bake for 30 minutes.

While your squash is cooking, heat the olive oil and vegan margarine over low in a large stock pot. Add the diced onions and let them caramelize slowly over the low heat while stirring occasionally. This is the first step in creating rich flavor. Plan on this step taking between 15-20 minutes. Once your onions are turning a deep golden brown, add 2 tbsp of the sage and the garlic and cook for 2 minutes more.

Add the rice to the onions and warm the rice, by stirring it around in the pan until it turns opaque. Then deglaze the pan with the cup of white wine. Stir until the wine is almost all evaporated.

Heat the vegetable broth in another pan over low heat.

Add the warm broth to the rice one cup at a time. Stir frequently and add another cup of broth when the last one is almost completely absorbed. Continue adding broth and stirring the rice until the rice is finally tender...mine took about three hours. I did not stir the rice constantly, but did check on it and stir it very frequently until it was cooked through, but still al-dente.

Then it is finally time to add the finishing touches...Scoop the squash out of the peel in as large of chunks as you can. Cut the squash into bite sized pieces.

Add the soy milk, nutritional yeast, Bragg, and vinegar to the rice and continue to stir as it continues to thicken up. Finally, fold in the squash and the reserved sliced sage and enjoy warm with a glass of white wine.

For 10 servings. Nutritional information from caloriecount.about.com.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 412 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories 291 Calories from Fat 68

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 7.5g 12%

Saturated Fat 1.2g 6%

Trans Fat 0.0g

Cholesterol 0mg 0%

Sodium 1019mg 42%

Potassium 637mg 18%

Total Carbohydrates 42.7g 14%

Dietary Fiber 4.1g 17%

Sugars 3.2g

Protein 10.8g

Vitamin A 62% • Vitamin C 11% Calcium 5% • Iron 11%

Nutrition Grade B

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet