Risotto is often one of the few vegetarian options available at restaurants, however it is traditionally made with cream and butter. We find these to be unnecessary ingredients and can easily be substituted with healthy alternatives such as organic cold pressed olive oil, or as we have done for this recipe, black truffle oil.
You only need a drizzle of truffle oil to create an abundance of flavour. However, we usually cook with coconut oil (which is more heat stable), adding the olive oil/truffle oil at the last minute. We love creating healthy versions of popular dishes and hope you will like our clean mushroom and spinach risotto! Feel free to email us or comment on any of our posts with any questions you may have.
Serves 2.
Ingredients
1 cup brown rice
100 grams baby spinach leaves
1 bunch Shallots
1 punnet (approx. 200grams) organically grown Shitake mushrooms*
1 punnet (approx. 200grams) organic swiss brown mushrooms
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 1/2 – 2 cups filtered water
2 tbsp black truffle oil (or to taste)
Grated parmesan cheese (to taste)
Parsley and/or micro herbs
Himilayan sea salt and pepper (to taste)
* Try to obtain organic forest/log grown shitake mushrooms as some are grown on saw dust blocks. This involves a lot of artificial processing including addition of chemicals and significantly lower nutrient content.
Method
- Place brown rice in a saucepan with water and bring to a boil.
- Then, reduce heat and simmer for 30-40 minutes or until rice is soft and all moisture absorbed (add more water if required).
- When the rice is almost ready, sauté chopped shallots with coconut oil for approx. 5 mins.
- Then, add sliced mushrooms and sauté for a further 5-10 minutes.
- Combine cooked brown rice with the mushroom mix.
- Meanwhile, wilt the spinach and stir through the risotto, seasoning with freshly cracked pepper and Himilayan sea salt.
- Add in parmesan cheese and 1 tbsp truffle oil, roughly mix through.
- Serve and top with a drizzle of truffle oil and parmesan cheese (to taste) and garnish with parsley/micro herbs.
Note: We use this method as cooking mushrooms for a shorter amount of time reduces nutrient loss.
What are the nutritional benefits of Shitake mushrooms?
Shitake mushrooms have often been referred to as ‘medicinal mushrooms’, along with Reishi and Maitake, due to their immune-modulating properties. This means when these particular mushrooms are taken in a concentrated form, they appear to suppress immune activity when system is over-active (for example in the case of auto-immunity) or enhance the immune system when depleted (for example in cases of recurrent infections or convalescence).
In addition to immune modulating qualities, the nutritional profile of shitake mushrooms includes the following:
- Cholesterol lowering properties due to beta-glucan polysaccharides compound called D-eritadenine, thus assisting in cardio-vascular health
- Low in calories
- Good source of B vitamins, in particular Vitamin B5 (pantathenic acid), as well as B2, B1 and B6 (pyridoxine)
- Minerals, including iron, copper, zinc, manganese and selenium
Want to try another one of our truffle infused recipes?
Try our Cheezy Truffle Polenta! It’s a delicious vegan friendly side dish.
