Quinoa & Bulgur Wheat Risotto with Butternut squash and Chestnuts – I love a risotto and my mum has always served up delicious platefuls of this creamy comfort food. This recipe has a few health twists with added wholegrains and lower fat ingredients to keep the creamy indulgence without the calories.
Serves 4 | Preparation Time: 5 minutes | Cook Time: 35 – 45 minutes
 

Ingredients:

500g butternut squash, peeled and diced

5tsp rapeseed oil

2 clove garlic, 1 sliced and 1 crushed

1tsp dried sage

black pepper

3 banana shallots, sliced

200g risotto rice

75g bulgur wheat

75g red quinoa

200ml white wine

2 vegetable stock cube (made up into 1litre stock and kept warm on the hob)

150ml half fat crème fraiche

100g parmesan, grated

180g ready cooked chestnuts, roughly chopped (I like Merchant Gourmet)

1tbsp fresh sage, finely chopped

Method:

Toss the butternut squash with 2tsp of the rapeseed oil, 1 diced clove of garlic, the dried sage and seasoning.

Roast for approximately 30 minutes at 180°c/gas mark 4 until soft and browning on the edges.

Fry the shallots in the remaining oil for a couple of minutes, then add the crushed garlic. When both the shallots and garlic have softened without browning, add the risotto rice to the pan.

Continue to stir the rice until the edges of the grains start to go translucent round the edges. Then add the bulgur wheat, quinoa, and wine. stir the mixture until all of the wine has been absorbed.

Add 4 ladles of the stock and leave to absorb in the grain mix, stirring to ensure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan.

Continue adding the stock, 1 ladle at a time until the grains have softened and the mix has turned creamy; this could take anywhere between 30-45 minutes.

When happy with the consistency stir through the crème fraiche, parmesan, chestnuts, fresh sage and seasoning and add the roasted butternut squash.

Enjoy!!