Roasted Butternut Squash & Sage Risotto

You know you are caught between two worlds when, while doing a Google search, you keep inadvertently swapping the word "pumpkin" for "pumping" and vice versa.

The days of simplicity and one track thinking {though, really, have I ever not multitasked?} are coming to an end soon, my friends. The evidence is clear in my big ol' bulging belly and the fact that a complete stranger yelled "Paint it orange for Halloween!" out his car window while I was crossing the street. Classy.

Belly evidence.
These are the gals that helped throw me the most perfect baby shower ever!

This week marked the end of our HypnoBirthing classes {which I've officially written a very long -  but informative! - post about and will be sharing next week}, meaning that we're one step closer to getting this show on the road. For our last class, a couple who had practiced HypnoBirthing brought in their 4 week old baby boy and shared their birthing story with us. They also gave us some tips for surviving the first few weeks of being new parents, which were greatly appreciated.

They made one thing very clear: You will have time for almost nothing. Not sleep. Not bathroom breaks. Not cooking or eating. {Whimper.} But you will become very efficient at using any spare moments that may be gifted to you for important things like naps, quick bites of sustenance and gazing at your newborn with awe.

Can't wait.

Our instructor mentioned a baby-wearing group that meets monthly in the same office where the classes were held, and how she noticed that they have become alarmingly skilled at doing things with one arm. I imagine this is one of those special adaptations that parents develop as a survival skill, along with bionic hearing and a variety of other special talents.

Naturally, that got me to thinking about recipes that could easily be made with one hand {or with very short moments of needing both}. Would you ever think about risotto being one of those things? Probably not.

Risotto is often thought of as quite fussy and labor-intensive. So, out of curiosity, I decided to make this version and see how it would turn out with very little "babysitting".

And wouldn't you know it... it worked. Quite well, in fact!

Now, there are some ways to make this even easier by taking shortcuts like buying pre-chopped onions & butternut squash, and grated cheese . {Side note: Butternut squash is one of the only convenience items I think of as a worthwhile purchase. I've nearly lost fingers too many times to count while dismantling a whole butternut squash.} But if you happen to have two hands available, it isn't even necessary because the tasks are pretty quick and simple.

Just roast some diced butternut squash, saute some onion, add rice and liquid and let it simmer. Adding the liquid in 3 separate additions helps to make the rice tender and creamy, but you really don't need to do all the stirring that is often associated with risotto. So that's good news.

The other good news is that it tastes really good. And it looks like you actually worked hard to put it together, so even new parents who only have one arm available can psych people out and make them think they've really got things under control.

Maybe my next project -- you know, after having a baby and everything -- will be to write an entire collection of recipes that can be cooked with one arm. Because I'm sure I'll have time for that.

Roasted Butternut Squash & Sage Risotto
Adapted from Real Simple 

1 1/2 cups chopped butternut squash
Olive oil
Salt

2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 cup arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine {or chicken/vegetable broth}
3 1/2 cups chicken broth, heated through in a microwave safe container with spout
1 teaspoon fresh sage, finely minced
1/2 cup grated Parmesan or aged Havarti cheese

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place a sheet of foil on a baking pan and drizzle with a bit of olive oil. Plop butternut squash onto pan & toss with oil. Sprinkle with salt. Roast for about 20 minutes or until tender and lightly browned in spots.

Remove from oven and set aside.

2. In a deep skillet, heat butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add diced onion and saute until softened and translucent, about 4-6 minutes.

3. Add rice to onions and stir. Cook for about 2 minutes, then add wine {or broth} and allow to simmer until the liquid is absorbed. {This should take about 5-7 minutes.}

4. Pour in about 1/3 of the chicken broth that's been warmed. Give it a quick stir {yes, you can do this with one arm}, bring the heat down a smidge {you want a simmer, not a boil} and allow to simmer until the liquid is absorbed once again, about 7-9 minutes or so. Repeat with another 1/3 of the broth. When you add in the last 1/3, toss in your roasted butternut squash and minced sage. Stir and allow to absorb the last of the liquid. {You don't even have to watch it, which means you might even be able to sneak in a bathroom break.}

5. Before serving, add in cheese, salt & pepper to taste and stir {for the last time!}

Serve hot... and try to eat it while it's still at that temp. You deserve it! :)

Coming Clean: Chocolate-Hazelnut Risotto

So, I'm definitely detoxing.

I'm irritable, uncomfortable, and just want to stick my face in a bucket of gelato.

Is that so much to ask?

I'm even having weird nightmares about all kinds of crazy things. 

Last night, I dreamed that I was leaving a friend's party and had to drive someone else's car to the next place I was going. The seat was pulled too close to the steering wheel, so I tried to adjust it while I was driving. Suddenly, it went flying backwards faster than I expected. My feet were too far from the pedals to be able to brake. So, I was careening out of control while merging onto a busy highway. 

Somehow I managed to avoid catastrophe and made it to college, where I had a huge exam awaiting me. Except, I had no idea what room it was in, what time it started, who my professor was, or how to make my way around the giant campus.

Meahwhile, I get a call on my cell phone from "The Government" {no specific branch, just a lady saying "This is a call from The Government". They had seen my reckless driving fiasco and had some questions to ask me. As I'm trying to explain my situation {and still navigate my way around this terrible labyrinth of a school}, my phone battery dies. 

Crap.

I miraculously get to the right place and find that there is a huge line of people waiting to pick up their testing materials, which are given out by machine. After a long wait {and a near meltdown thinking that this test is timed & probably almost over by now}, I make it to the front of the line and can't figure out how to work the darn machine. I'm swiping my student ID over and over again, but it isn't working, and the mob of students behind me is growing tired of waiting.

Out of nowhere, a librarian holding a phone with one of those long, curly cords from back in the day, tells me that someone from The Government is calling for me, and that they seem pretty mad. 

In the meantime, I've figured out that the test I'm taking is made up of a combination of advanced anatomy and some sort of math I've never seen. WHAT?

Luckily, this is where I woke up. Which is good because I'm pretty sure my blood pressure was probably through the roof from the stress of this nightmare.

I have got.to.get.a.grip.

And I think part of the solution is dessert.

No, but seriously. I'm enjoying the healthy recipes I've been making -- a lot -- but the real issue is that I'm MISSING the things I'm trying to avoid.

Specifically sweet treats. Because a life without Nutella is not a life worth living.

They say that necessity is the mother of invention. Well, so is desperation.

This.

I am happy to say that this "cleaner" dessert recipe* hits the spot. Ok, so it's not Nutella, exactly. But you won't hear any complaints.

Completely inspired by the Chocolate Risotto I had at Disney, this version is non-dairy, uses honey as a sweetener instead of sugar, and gets its rich, creamy texture from coconut milk.

Did I ever think I'd come up with something this good? Only in my dreams. ;)

Chocolate-Hazelnut Risotto
Inspired by the chefs at Disney, and this Whole Foods Recipe

1 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil {I used this kind}
2/3 cup arborio rice**
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

4 cups almond milk
1/2 cup non-dairy hazelnut creamer {I use So Delicious Coconut Creamer}
1/2 cup honey
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup coconut milk {I used full fat but you can use "lite" if you'd like}
1/4 cup toasted hazelnuts, chopped {Optional}

1. In a medium saucepan, whisk together cocoa powder and a few tablespoons of almond milk to make a paste. Gradually add in remaining almond milk, whisking to combine. Stir in hazelnut creamer, honey, and vanilla extract.  Bring to a simmer and leave over medium-low heat.

2. Meanwhile, in a skillet with high sides, warm 1 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil over medium heat. Add rice and stir to coat, toasting for about 2 minutes.

3. Ladle about 1/2 cup of hot milk mixture in to the pan with the rice. Stir often until most of the liquid is absorbed. Continue to add liquid in small amounts {approx. 1/3 - 1/2 cup at time}, simmering until almost absorbed and stirring, stirring, stirring {that's what creates the creaminess of risotto... developing those starches!}.

4. After the last bit of liquid has been absorbed, stir in coconut milk. Continue to stir until thickened and  {once again}, mostly absorbed.

{This whole process took me about 40 minutes. The rice might still have a tiny bit of a bite to it, but shouldn't be hard. If you find that it is still a bit hard, reduce heat to low and put a lid on the pan. Cook this way for 6-8 minutes, making sure to monitor the liquid level... it shouldn't get too dry.}

5. Spoon risotto into serving dishes and top with chopped toasted hazelnuts if desired.

Makes about 4 servings.

*A Note about "Clean Desserts" - Desserts are desserts. And while this is definitely a more wholesome version of the original, please remember that these sweet treats should still be enjoyed in moderation. {Bummer, huh?}

** You can substitute with brown arborio rice if you prefer, but it will affect the cooking time as brown rice takes longer to soften and cook through.