Rainbow Risotto

How would it feel to ingest a few gulps of a rainbow? Sparkling? Blissful? Vital? Vibrant? Okay, so no, this isn’t a recipe for an arch of color in the sky—but we do think it will make you feel joyful and alive. It’s a bright, healthy and delicious risotto that incorporates a variety of color. And because the pigments in fruits and vegetables contain phytochemicals and antioxidants, eating an array of colorful natural food helps to inhibit cancer and protect brain cells, regulate cholesterol and work against inflammation. Consider this your personal rainbow, courtesy of Deepak Chopra.

INGREDIENTS

1½ cups leeks, shallots, or onions, chopped
1 tablespoon Bragg Liquid Aminos or tamari
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon sage
2 cups arborio rice, rinsed and drained
6 cups hot vegetable stock
1 cup thinly sliced carrots
1 cup thinly sliced celery
1 cup zucchini, cut in half lengthwise, then into ¼-inch slices
1 cup cooked white beans or one 14-ounce can, drained and rinsed
2 cups arugula, or a mixture of spinach and arugula, coarsely torn
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons fresh basil, thinly sliced
Chopped fresh parsley

1. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a 4-quart soup pot over medium heat. Saute the leeks with the Aminos, vinegar, pepper, dried basil, thyme, and saute until the leeks are translucent.

2. Add the rice and sauté, stirring constantly. Add stock a little at a time and allow the rice to absorb the stock each time before adding more. Keep stirring. Risotto should have a soft (not mushy) texture with a creamy consistency. Be careful not to overcook or let the rice dry out. The cooking process will take about 20 to 30 minutes total. Taste the rice for texture.

3. Heat the remaining teaspoon oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat and add the carrots, celery, zucchini and beans. Add some stock if necessary to keep the vegetables moist. Saute until the carrots are al dente or almost soft.

4. Add the greens and continue to sauté until just wilted. Pour all the ingredients from the sauté pan into the rice, add the fresh herbs and gently combine.

5. Place the rice in a festive serving dish and garnish with freshly chopped parsley. Traditionally, a good quality grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese and cream might be added to this dish to achieve a creamy consistency.

Adapted from The Chopra Center Cookbook: Nourishing Body and Soul by Deepak Chopra, M.D., et al (Wiley, 2002).

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Rachel S.

10:34AM PDT on Jun 21, 2012

this look DELICIOUS :)

June 21
send a green star

Sheri P.

9:13AM PDT on Jun 18, 2012

yum! sounds delicious.

June 18
send a green star

Sylvia W.

12:03PM PDT on Jun 16, 2012

Wow! Nutritionists keep telling us to eat a rainbow - here is a one-dish rainbow! What's not to love!? Guess it's time for a trip to the farm stand for a couple ingredients... ;-)

June 16
send a green star

Dot A.

9:50AM PDT on Jun 15, 2012

geez ;+/
meant to say:
Party Hearty*

June 15
send a green star

9:49AM PDT on Jun 15, 2012

Party Heary! This LOOKS festive! I've attended a Deepak Chopra seminar (many yrs ago in Long Beach, CA) and the food served was absolutely marvelous darlings! :)

Tia P.

6:00AM PDT on Jun 15, 2012

I eat pretty healthy! This looks good!! Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!! Now i know what's for dinner!!!

Allison A.

3:42AM PDT on Jun 15, 2012

We still need to feed our family healthy, well-balanced meals while keeping to a set budget. Change is the hardest thing and trying to do everything at once will have most people quitting before they even begin. You can get samples from sites like "Official Samples" where you can find all samples

Pamela H.

12:46AM PDT on Jun 15, 2012

Is arugula also known as rocket? The recipe looks amazing. I will definitely try it.

Elaine A.

10:32PM PDT on Jun 14, 2012

Completely heavenly looking!