Risotto
Risotto is an Italian rice dish cooked with broth until it reaches a creamy consistency. The broth can be derived from meat, fish, or vegetables. Many types of risotto contain butter, onion, white wine, and Parmesan cheese. This dish isn’t a risotto but looks like one!
Whilst Risotto is one of the most common ways of cooking rice in Italy, the problem is the higher fat content of a true Risotto and the fact that Arborio rice is relatively higher in the glycemic index (around 70). Hence, in this recipe, the white arborio rice is swapped out for brown rice, however, if you want to use arborio rice for a more authentic risotto, then please do that, as the addition of vegetables and beans, lowers the glycemic load of this meal.
Switching to a low Glycemic Index (GI) diet doesn’t require radical changes to your diet. Nor does it mean only eating low GI foods – it simply means altering the balance between high GI and low GI foods and adding more soluble fibre to your diet as well. This means that digestion is slower and you feel full for longer.
The good news is that making a few simple changes can make a huge difference.
When we are busy and have a lot on in our day, it’s hard to think of meals that can meet the needs of the entire family. This is one such meal! Bon appetit!
Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup of brown rice
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, diced
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 courgette, chopped
- 1 can of white beans, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup green beans
- ½ cup peas
Dressing: Juice of 1/2 lemon, 4 tbsp yoghurt, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp cumin and 1tsp coriander.
Method
- Cook the brown rice as per the packet instructions.
- Place the olive oil into a large frying pan and turn the pan onto a medium heat. Fry the garlic and onions for 3 – 5 minutes, stirring continuously so they don’t burn.
- Add the courgette, green beans and peas to the pan, and cook for a further 10-15 minutes (or until the vegetables are cooked).
- Once the vegetables are cooked, add the cooked brown rice and the can of white beans to the same frying pan. Stir through and cook on low for a further 3 – 5 minutes. Make sure the rice doesn’t burn on the bottom of the frying pan.
- Once served, you can pour over the dressing and serve with fresh herbs, rocket or spinach.
