Silky smooth summer risotto

The secret ingredient for a super creamy smooth and silky vegan risotto to rival all non-vegan contenders… cashew butter!   

This simple idea for using nut butter in this way caught my interest when I came across this recipe by Deliciously Ella which inspired my own version below.  Ella's recipe used almind butter...but those you a regukar readers of my blog will know I'm a cashew kinda girl so i decided to give it a whirl! You seriously would not miss any cheese or dairy, and I challenge you to serve this to friends and see if they are just as oblivious to the fact.

This is a delightful fresh summer veg combo with courgette and broad beans from the garden, but you could use the cashew butter trick with any risotto flavour base. My risotto also uses organic brown rice for the added health boost and also because the cashew butter ensures it is all perfectly smooth and creamy without the need for the special risotto rice…but of course you could substitute risotto or arborio rice if you preferred.

Recipe: Summer risotto

Serves 2 (could easily be doubled)

Ingredients

1tbs olive oil

1 garlic clove  (crushed)

1 onion-finely chopped

1 cup brown rice

3 cups vegetable stock (plus an extra ½ cup if needed)

2 tbs cashew butter

1 medium courgette- chopped into half moons

½ cup peas

½ cup broad beans (or cannellini beans or more peas)

½ fresh lemon plus 1tsp rind (rind is optional for more intense flavour)

Sprinkling or chopped fresh mint (or chives for milder flavour)

Method

In a deep saucepan, fry onion and in oil for about 5 mins.

Add the rice and gradually add the stock over a period of 20 minutes whilst keeping a simmer.

Add the courgette and cashew butter and simmer for a further 5 minutes before adding the remaining ingredient and simmer for 5 more minutes, keep the herbs aside to add in the last minute.

Keep stirring so that the rice does not stick to the pan and it is ready when most of the liquid is absorbed and the rice has a slight bite. Freeze left over portions in individual bags.

Check out more main meals perfect for summer here.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.

A quick dip

Hummous is great, and I eat a lot of it… I mean a lot!!

A dip for raw veggies, a quick and easy base for my roasted vegetable tart, a simple spread for sandwiches or tortilla wraps… the list goes on. It’s strange as I never used to like raw carrot but since discovering hummous I can devour carrot stick after carrot stick and not get bored, it’s just something about the combination of those favours that really gets me going.

But, sometimes I fancy something slightly different.

This quick and simple dip takes literally a couple of minutes to put together and is super cheap and healthy. Great as a basic dip or spread, but also as a sauce for pasta- it makes a great alternative to tomato based sauces!  If you do use it as a sauce be sure to thin it out slightly with some soy milk (or any other non dairy milk or water ) as it coats the pasta so much better and the texture is much nicer.  The first time I used it this way I didn’t thin it out and it just didn’t do it for me, the ‘sauce’ was too thick and lost the silky coating I was after.

I have included jalapeno peppers to add a bit of a kick as I like a bit of heat, but feel free to omit these or adjust the amount to taste.

                                                      

                                                                 

Recipe: pea and black bean dip

Makes one small bowl

Ingredients

2 garlic cloves (or 1tsp garlic paste)

1 ½ cups frozen peas (thawed)

1 cup cooked/canned black beans

A few green jalapeno pepper slices

2 tbs fresh lemon juice

1 tsp olive oil

1 tsp ground garamasala spice (or ground cumin)

½ red onion chopped

Small handful fresh coriander (dried if no fresh available)

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Blend all ingredients in food processor until smooth. Store in the fridge. Best used within two days.