ET Recipe of the Month: Butternut Squash Risotto

By
Judy Serino
-
42

Fall is a spectacular season of beauty and bounty. Besides providing us with breathtaking foliage in colors ranging from bright yellows to muted oranges, this time of year also offers a variety of foods in those very same colors which provide many health benefits.

Orange and yellow fruits and vegetables such as pumpkins, carrots, winter squash, sweet potatoes, oranges, pears, and grapefruits typically get their color from plant compounds (antioxidants) called carotenoids, including beta-carotene and alpha-carotene. Besides boosting the immune system, these phytonutrients have been linked to lowered risks for conditions such as heart disease, breast cancer, macular degeneration and rheumatoid arthritis.

Orange fruits and vegetables also give you vitamin C and folate, which may lower the odds of osteoarthritis, diabetes, depression, certain cancers, and help prevent birth defects. Yellow fruits and vegetables give you more carotenoids plus vitamin C, and minerals. Amazing health benefits are even found in the peels of citrus fruits; recent studies suggest they reduce the risk of squamous cell skin cancer by 70 percent, and may even lower LDL (bad) cholesterol.

Here’s to a healthy fall full of colorful foods that are good for you, too!

Butternut Squash Risotto

Servings: 4

YOU WILL NEED :

  • 2 cups vegetable broth, heated
  • 1-2 TBSP olive oil
  • 2 minced garlic clove
  • 1/4 cup chopped onion
  • 2 tsp chopped fresh sage (or parsley)
  • 1 cup cubed peeled butternut squash, cut into 1/2” chunks
  • Sea salt to taste
  • 2/3 cup Arborio rice
  • 1/4 cup white wine (optional)
  • freshly ground black pepper

HERE’S HOW YOU DO IT :

Sauté garlic, onion and herbs in olive oil in a deep sauté pan for a few minutes.

Add the squash, sprinkle it with salt, and stirring, cook for 1 minute. Add the rice and stir until the rice is opaque, about 3 minutes. Add the white wine (if using) and cook a few minutes, until it evaporates.

Add about 1/2 cup (or ladleful) of the hot broth and stir until the broth is absorbed. Lower the heat. Continue to add broth, a 1/2 cup at a time, stirring frequently until the rice kernels are al dente in the center and creamy on the outside, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Adjust salt and pepper, and add grated cheese to taste (optional). Let sit 2 minutes before serving.

Serving Size: about 3 cups

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