Super Yummy Vegan Risotto

A funny thing about becoming a mom, is that all of the sudden, you are so aware of everything you put into your body and into the teeny body of that little being you made.  For a long time, I've had a love/hate relationship with dairy products (My brain loved it; my body hated it), and I've suspected that it might not be so good for me.  I've cut it out of my diet halfheartedly a number of times, but once I had Eleanor, I finally gave it a real go.  And you know what.......I really do feel a lot better.  I have less headaches.  And stomach aches.  And clearer skin. And more energy.  And I've finally found ways around eating it and still feeling satisfied (NOT easy for me to do!).  I've also read so much research about how totally awful dairy is for you.  (Read the China Study!! Did you know that regular to high consumption of dairy can DOUBLE your risk of prostate cancer?  No thanks. Especially not with a family history of it.)  So, we are doing our best to be as dairy free as possible.  I'd say we are about 95% there.  The only dairy I buy on a very rare occasion is feta cheese.  The amount of dairy we do consume usually comes from eating out, or eating at other people's homes, or a small treat here and there.  I only buy almond or coconut milk (my favorite is the Almond Breeze that is a mix of those two milks and is unsweetened).  We sparingly use Earth's Balance vegan spread (soy free version) in place of butter, but mostly we substitute with coconut oil. And we do funny things like eat cheese-less pizza.  It's not for everybody, but it't a change we've been willing to make and one we are glad we have.

So, now to the recipe.  It's a liberal take on a delicious recipe from Moosewood Restaurant.  The cookbook is one we've had for years and it is EXCELLENT.  If you need some fresh cooking ideas, go pick this up! Here is a link to the original recipe, and my version is below.  Also, a quick note on risotto in general.  I used to be terrified of this stuff.  I loved eating it, but thought it looked so complicated to make, so I only ever ordered it in restaurants.  This recipe is so easy and delicious, that if you're like me, you'll wonder why you waited so long to try your hand at it.

Enjoy!

Vegan Spinach Artichoke Risotto

Ingredients:

• 1 quart vegetable broth
• 3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil (or coconut oil)
• 1½ cups Arborio rice*
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 14-ounce can of artichoke hearts, drained and quartered**
• 1 tablespoon dried dill (2 tablespoons chopped fresh)
• 10 ounces baby spinach, rinsed and drained
• ½ cup chopped scallions
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  
  *I've also made this with short grain brown rice.  It just takes longer to get the rice softened.  I would use another cup or 2 of stock and cook it at a lower temperature.
  **I've also substituted with other, similar ingredients, like grilled & marinated eggplant or zucchini and it has a different falor profile, but is also wonderful.

Process:

In a small saucepan, bring the vegetable broth to a boil and then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer.  Grab a one cup measure to have handy for transferring the broth to the risotto pan.  Also, make your life easier by using adjoining burners--less of a mess!

In a large, heavy saucepan on medium-high heat, cook the onion for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and cook just a minute, until golden. Add the rice, stirring to coat each grain with oil. Stir in the wine, artichoke hearts, and dill if using dried. Cook, stirring often, until the wine is absorbed. Ladle in the hot broth a cup at a time, stirring frequently. After each addition, cook until the rice has absorbed most of the broth before adding the next ladleful.

When most of the broth is absorbed add in the Dijon mustard. The mustard will add a creamy element to the recipe in place of the cheese. When the rice is tender but still al dente, stir in the spinach, in batches. The goal is to have the spinach wilte,d but still bright green. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the scallions, and dill if using fresh. Serve at once.