Tag: Rice

Baked Rice Pudding

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Iodine is a nutrient we need to make thyroide hormones. If we don’t get enough iodine in our diets it can lead to something called goitre where our thyroid glands swell up in our necks in order to increase the capture of low levels of iodine in our diets. This was a common disease in 1950’s before iodine was used in the dairy industry to help improve sterilisation techniques for dairy cattle. Since plant-based dairy products has boomed over the years, we are starting to see the increase of this goitre again as dairy intakes are reduces. Other sources of dietary iodine include shellfish and certain white fish. For those following a fully plant-based diet it is essential that you look for alternative sources of iodine, such as fortified milk alternative products. Many products are now starting to add this nutrient back in, but not all have to be sure to carefully check the ingredients or the nutritional information chart where they will proudly state it has been added.

One delicious way I like to use iodine-fortified milk alternatives is in my Baked Rice Pudding. For the creamiest and richest rice pudding I use the barista version, very close in taste to rice pudding enriched with cream. The standard unsweetened oat milk still makes a delicious rice pudding without so much richness, and is the basis for my nutritional analysis, although most iodine containing milk alternatives are fortified to around 20μg per 100ml.

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 5 medjool dates, pitted
  • 800ml unsweetened oat milk fortified with iodine
  • 100g pudding rice

To serve

  • 200g frozen cherries
  • 30g flaked almonds
  • 30g coconut flakes

Method

  • Preheat the oven to 130°C fan/ 140°C convection
  • Blend the dates with 400ml oat milk
  • In a large baking dish (approximately 1.3l) mix the rice, date milk and the remaining oat milk. Bake in the oven for 1 hour 45 minutes.
  • On a baking tray add the coconut and almonds. Bake for the last 10 minutes.
  • Defrost the cherries over a low heat, allowing their juices to slightly concentrate.
  • Serve the rice pudding hot with the cherries, almonds and coconut sprinkled over the top.
Baked Rice Pudding

Per serving: 399kcal/ 12g fat/ 4.8g saturated fat/ 62g carbohydrates/ 6.7g fibre/ 6.7g protein/ 45μg iodine

Golden Pumpkin Risotto

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This is the perfect way to use up any pumpkin scraps you may have from Halloween carving! I’ve paired it with some carrot for an extra golden beta carotene boost, making the whole dish a gorgeous golden hue.

It is estimated that 14.5 million pumpkins will be wasted in the UK this year. Carving pumpkins are edible, from the skin to the flesh and even the seeds, so why not try to make use of some of the pumpkin scraps once you have carved your jack-o’-lantern. Reducing food waste helps reduce CO2 emissions, which in turn helps our planet.

It’s suitable for a gluten-free diet, just check you’re using suitable stock, or even for baby-led weaning if using a no-added salt stock (for very young babies you may need to blend/mash the rice). Optional to use homemade stock or some herbs and spices to make your own. If you want to make this dish vegan, substitute the butter for a little more oil, and the parmesan for some nutritional yeast.

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 700ml stock
  • 100g pumpkin scraps such as inners or carving off-cuts
  • 100g carrots, roughly diced
  • 200g pumpkin, cut into cubes
  • 1/2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2-3 sprigs of sage, leaves removed
  • 1 large onion, finely diced
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 20g butter (use extra oil if making vegan)
  • 200g risotto rice
  • 150ml white wine (option to use extra stock)
  • 40g parmesan, grated

Method

  • Start by making the pumpkin stock by adding the pumpkin scraps, carrot and stock to a saucepan. Bring to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes till the pumpkin and carrots are cooked through. Blend till smooth and keep on a low heat.
  • Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180°C fan/ 200°C convection. Add the pumpkin cubes to a baking tray and mix with 1/2 tbsp olive oil. Bake for 25 minutes, turning halfway through. Add the sage leaves and bake for a further 5 minutes.
  • While the pumpkin is roasting, take a large pan and gently cook the onions in the remaining oil till soft and translucent.
  • Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute before adding the butter.
  • Add the rice and toast for 2-3 minutes till fragrant. Add the white wine and stir.
  • Slowly add the stock, stirring the risotto continuously. As the stock is absorbed add more. If you run out of stock use boiled water to allow the rice to cook through so it has a little bite in the centre.
  • Remove the risotto from the heat and add the parmesan and 1/2 the toasted sage leaves. Season with pepper to taste.
  • Serve with the roasted pumpkin and remaining sage leaves over the top.

Per serving: 417kcal/ 15.0g fat/ 5.9g saturated fat/ 52g carbohydrates/ 5.3g fibre/ 9.2g protein

Goat Cheese Stuffed Beetroot Risotto Cakes

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Got some leftover risotto from my Beetroot and Goat Cheese Risotto recipe? Here’s how to turn it into a delicious alternative dish which will give you an excuse to make extra risotto next time! Alternatively, you could make these beetroot and goat cheese risotto cakes from the get-go, but it’s best to cool the mixture in the fridge overnight. This is also a handy way of increasing resistant starch, something our bodies are unable to digest, but the microbes in our guts love them and it makes them happy!

Serves 2

Ingredients

  • 40g goat cheese, cut into 2 slices
  • 300g leftover beetroot risotto, chilled in the fridge overnight
  • 30g plain flour
  • 1 small egg, beaten
  • 50g breadcrumbs, I have used panko
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Method

  • Preheat the over to 180°C fan, 200°C convection.
  • Take the beetroot risotto and fill a food ring halfway up with the risotto.
  • Place the goat cheese slice into the centre and completely cover with more risotto mixture, ensuring the cheese is fully encased.
  • Season the flour and then dust the risotto cake on all sides with the flour, evenly coating all the sides.
  • Coat the rice cake in the beaten egg before rolling in the panko breadcrumbs.
  • Place on a lined baking tray, drizzle with the olive oil.
  • Bake for 15 minutes till golden brown and crispy.

Delicious served with a warm salad of lentils and crispy kale as made in my Roasted Squash, Kale and Lentil Winter Salad.

Beetroot and Goat Cheese Risotto

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I love the colour of this dish. It can’t help but put a smile on your face. Such a bright red-pink colour from the fresh beetroots and it’s something that will also make your gut microbiota smile too…. if they had faces!

Beetroots are naturally high in nitrates, something that has been found to help reduce blood pressure, improve blood flow and possibly have an effect on athletic performance. How? Nitrates are converted to nitric oxide in the body, which has an effect on our blood vessels, dilating them and allowing greater delivery of oxygenated blood to our muscles when consumed prior to exercise.

A 2013 review of UK and Australian studies concluded that the nitrates in the beetroot (usually consumed as beetroot juice) can help improve endurance as measured by time to exhaustion. There are also benefits to gym-goers too as a separate study, conducted in 2016, found that beetroot juice improved performance in resistance training. Those who consumed a 70ml shot of beetroot juice (400mg nitrate) prior to training were able to complete more reps to failure compared with those taking a placebo control.

If you don’t have fresh beetroot you can use pre-cooked beetroots, but the colour will be slightly faded due to the high temperatures used to vacuum pack and store them. Simply skip boiling the beetroot, blending directly into the hot stock, and start the risotto straight away. Another alternative would be to buy beetroot juice, however, the fibre will be removed from this, so I would use this if it is your only option available. If you don’t have the leaves still attached to the beetroot, try using spinach, rainbow chard, or kale as an alternative.

Serves 4 as a main course

Ingredients

  • 350g peeled beetroot, cubed
  • 10g stock powder
  • 2 onions, finely diced
  • 30ml extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 300g risotto rice
  • 150ml white wine
  • 4 sprigs of thyme
  • 60g parmesan, grated
  • 150g beetroot leaves, roughly chopped
  • 60g goats cheese

Method

  • Place the beetroot and stock powder into a large pan and add 400ml boiling water. Cook for 10 minutes to soften the beetroot and blend till smooth. Return to the heat and keep ward without boiling.
  • Meanwhile, sweat the onions in the oil till soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes.
  • Add the rice, coating all the grains in the oil and gently toast before adding the white wine. Stir continuously.
  • Once the wine has been absorbed by the rice, add a ladle of beetroot stock. Keep stirring and adding stock till all the stock has been used up. If you need to use more liquid, add boiling water.
  • When the rice is almost cooked to al dente, add the beetroot leaves and allow to wilt.
  • Take off the heat and stir in the parmesan cheese.
  • Plate up and crumble the goat cheese over the top.

Per serving: 488kcal/ 11.0g fat/ 6.2g saturated fat/ 72.0g carbohydrates/ 5.0g fibre/ 17.4g protein

Tomato and Goats Cheese Risotto

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Sticky slow-roasted tomatoes and crumbled goats cheese over a tomato risotto. A delicious summertime recipe I made in honour of British Tomato Fortnight.

It uses my slow roasted tomatoes which helps increase their lycopene concentration, which is a type of antioxidant found in lots of yellow to red colours fruits and vegetables. In the case of tomatoes, processing helps increase the concentration and bioavailability of lycopene as the cells break down and become more absorbable. In addition, consuming tomatoes with oil also aids lycopene uptake by the body as it is a fat soluble nutrient.

Ingredients

  • 2 small red onions, finely chopped
  • 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 120g tomatoes, roughly chopped
  • 150g risotto rice
  • 150ml white wine
  • 1 tsp vegetable stock powder

To serve

Method

  • Gently fry the onions and oil together till soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes.
  • Add the tomatoes and allow to start cooking before adding in the rice. Coat the rice in the oil before adding the wine and stock in. Stir continuously and add hot water a little at a time as the liquid is absorbed. Cook till the rice is al dente (20-25 minutes).
  • Serve with the slow-roasted tomatoes and crumbled goats cheese over the top.

Mushroom Risotto

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Risotto is such an easy dish. The only laborious part about it is the constant stirring to make sure the grains go creamy and release their starch to thicken the liquid.

You can use almost any ingredients to make the risotto too, depending on what you fancy. Roast tomatoes in the oven with garlic and herbs, or use spring vegetables such as asparagus and pea, or a lemon and pea risotto would be delicious served with a pan fried fillet of fish. The possibilities are endless really!

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 onions, finely diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely diced
  • 300g mushrooms, half sliced, half diced
  • 300g risotto rice
  • 200ml white wine (optional)
  • 10g stock powder
  • 60g parmesan, finely grated

Method

  • Sweat the onion and 1 tbsp oil together in a large pan till soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes.
  • Add the diced mushrooms and cook till soft.
  • Add the risotto rice, stir and cook for 1 minute before adding in the wine and stock powder. Stir continuously, adding boiling water as the liquid is absorbed. This will take around 25 minutes to cook.
  • When the rice is close to being cooked through, heat a separate pan with 1 tbsp olive oil and fry the sliced mushrooms.
  • Turn the heat off the risotto, stir in the parmesan cheese and serve with the fried mushrooms on top.

If you’re feeling a little fancy, why not treat yourself with a drizzle of truffle oil just before you serve?