Beetroot and Buckwheat Risotto with Amy

Beetroot and Buckwheat Risotto with Amy

Some people are able to go through life simply enjoying things.

I have never been one of those people.

I’ve never been one to err on the side of casual enjoyment of anything- I deal in absolutes and while philosophically I deeply enjoy engaging with the shades of grey, when it comes to pleasure (or indeed, displeasure!) I take the attitude of “go hard or go home”.

This was most obvious in my teenage years when I bought every magazine (including an edition of financial times) if it had an article in it about either Orlando Bloom or The Lord of the Rings trilogy and my room was literally papered with pictures of the former heart-throb in all of his guises.

Then there was my love affair with hats that lasted at least a year- if I was out (and not at school! Damn those fascist uniform restrictions!) I would be wearing a hat of some kind… fedora, beret, golfers cap… I’m not sure why. I could probably develop some psycho-analytical theory regarding my deep insecurity and my fear of being truly “seen” but it’s probably much simpler than that. I liked hats. Like, REALLY liked them. So, I wore them.

All. The. Time.

I don’t like things. I love them. I don’t “go to the gym”, I train. I don’t like Harry Potter, I’m a Hufflepuff.

I don’t like beetroot, I devour it.

So, when one of my favourite nutritionists (is it sad that I have a favourite? Yes. But after reading the above probably not wholly unexpected or surprising.) Jessica Cox posted her recipe for a Beetroot and Goats Cheese Buckwheat Risotto, I knew what I was having for dinner. Unfortunately I didn’t have quite enough beetroot on hand and was severely lacking in the goats cheese department so I made do with what I had and the result was, if I do say so myself, absolutely divine.

The buckwheat and zucchini ooze together beautifully and the colour is just electric. I highly recommend you try this healthy and delicious recipe out, and bask in the glory of the beet.

Beetroot and Buckwheat Risotto with Amy
 
Author:
Ingredients
  • ½ cup buckwheat groats, well rinsed
  • 1 small onion, finely diced
  • 1 ½ mushrooms, finely diced
  • At least 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 ½ cups chicken or vegetable stock
  • 1 beetroot, pre roasted and cubed
  • ¾ of a zucchini, diced
  • 1 cup red kale
  • 2 tablespoons oregano leaves, roughly chopped
  • ⅓ cup parsley, roughly chopped
  • ⅓ cup low fat cottage cheese
  • Grated parmesan, pecorino, nut parmesan or nutritional yeast
  • ¼ cup roasted pumpkin seeds
  • Dried Italian herbs
  • salt & pepper for seasoning
  • Juice of ¼ lemon
Instructions
  1. Warm your stock through until hot.
  2. Take another saucepan and place it on medium heat. Add a tbsp. of the stock, then add the mushroom, onion and garlic and sauté in the stock.
  3. Once the onion is slightly transparent add the buckwheat and stir continuously for 1-2 minutes until the buckwheat softens just a little. Continue to add the hot stock in generous ladle size serves and to stir the stock through until the buckwheat takes up the stock.
  4. Continue with this process of adding stock until the buckwheat becomes softened through with slight crunch to the bite. Season the buckwheat with some dried Italian herbs, salt and pepper throughout the process.
  5. Once the risotto is soft but still toothsome, turn to a low heat and stir through roasted beetroot, zucchini, kale, oregano and parsley. Heat through until the kale is wilted, the beetroot is warm and the zucchini is cooked.
  6. Just before serving, stir through the cheese and lemon juice.
  7. Place lid on saucepan, turn off the heat and leave the risotto for 1-2 minutes to relax.
  8. Serve the risotto topped with roasted pumpkin seeds, remaining parsley, grated pecorino/parmesan/nutritional yeast/nut parmesan and lots of cracked pepper.

I served mine with a chard, radish and pear salad which balanced the oozy risotto perfectly. Absolutely delicious and so, so good for you!

Happy Eating!

amyrisotto

Adapted from a recipe by Jessica Cox: http://www.jessicacox.com.au/recipe/2016/4/15/beetroot-goat-cheese-spinach-buckwheat-risotto/


Amy for eatmystreetAmy’s love of food is only matched in intensity by her love of fitness and her fear of choosing the wrong dish on the menu. She loves to explore new places and old stalwarts, constantly torn between ticking a cafe off her “to try” list and revisiting the favourites. She owns way too many cookbooks but the pleasure she gets from experimenting with new flavours and serving them to her family and friends far outweighs any debt incurred.


 

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