RECIPE | Clean Butternut Squash & Bacon Risotto

In the summer a friend cooked an incredible, although not so healthy, Butternut Squash risotto and since then I've wanted to try to make one myself! I haven't cooked risotto since I was 13 years old in a high school class so I looked over a few recipes, got the basic idea and pulled this one together myself!

Whilst it doesn't photograph well (sorry!), I was really impressed with what I came up with and I promise it tastes really good!

The ingredients are all clean, it takes minimal effort and ingredients and it was easy! Click below for the full ingredients list, and step by step instructions.

Ingredients (To Serve 3/4)

• 1/2 a Butternut Squash *at room temp! It will make your life much easier*
• 1 Cup Risotto/Brown Rice
• 1/2 Cup Vegetable Stock (or water)
• 1 Onion
• 4 Cloves of Garlic (Minced)
• 2 teaspoons Ground Coriander
• 1 teaspoon Chilli Flakes (Red Pepper Flakes in the US)
• Olive Oil (or Coconut Oil if you would prefer)
• 4 Rashers of Turkey Bacon (or whatever you would prefer, Turkey is cleanest)
• Salt, Pepper and Italian Seasoning to your taste

Method

• Preheat oven to 375°F/ 190°C/ Gas Mark 5

• Cut Squash in half lengthways and scoop out the seeds, putting them to one side for later.

• Cut 1/2 Squash in to 1 inch thick strips. Mix a tablespoon of olive oil with the ground coriander and chilli flakes. Put the squash strips on a baking tray and cover them in the mixture

• Bake the squash for 30-40 minutes or until soft

• Cook your rice halfway (15-20 minutes) in water or vegetable stock. You still want it to be hard and quite chewy. If there is any liquid left, drain it and set the rice aside

• Dice your onion into fairly large pieces and mince your garlic. Fry up both in some olive oil (or coconut oil if you're using that) but slowly in a large pot (you will cook your risotto in this)! 

• After 30 minutes, take your squash out of the oven, place the chopped bacon on the tray along with the seeds you removed from the squash and season with salt, pepper and Italian seasoning if you wish. Put it back in the oven and bake for about 5-10 minutes

• Finely chop your squash or blend it if you would like a puree type risotto. Add your squash, the bacon, seeds and rice to the onions and garlic and cook on a medium heat for around half an hour - be sure to keep stirring and add small amounts of water if needed

• If you would like to, grate some cheese in to the pan just before serving! 

That's it! Although there is a lot of washing up to do after (sorry again!) I really think this recipe is worth it! Let me know if you try it yourself and I hope you do!  I would love to know what you think. What are some of your favourite winter warmer recipes? Chilli is another huge favourite of mine!

Lots of Love,

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