Címke: comfort food

Cosy, comfort food alert!

Creamy & easy ‘risotto’, anyone?

With autumn in full ‘bloom’ and crispy weather outside, it is only natural that our bodies start craving hearty, steaming dishes that feel like a soft, warm hug in our bellies.

Mama Nature is busy changing her colors from luscious green to rusty and bright red, and more and more frequently showering us with love (aka rain). So why not get busy in the kitchen and make this delicious dish in just about 45 minutes? Light your favorite candle and get into that ‘autumn spirit’. Indulge in cosy fall comfort food, you deserve it!

This hearty ‘risotto’ perfectly epitomizes this time of the year while still caring for your health with nutritious sweet potato and the oh-so-wonderful turmeric. Chestnuts are also a great source of vitamin C, copper and manganese, we can all use that immune system boost around November. *flexes right arm muscles*

Bulgur is my favorite choice of grains. It has a soft, chewy texture and is rich in fiber and minerals in addition to having a low glycemic index (GI), which means it is kind enough to not mess with your blood sugar levels.

Now, if you’ve made it through all that nerd talk, I have good news, too! You can absolutely make this dish in one pan, which leaves you with exactly one dirty dish in the end. Huge pro, if you ask me!

Oh, and don’t worry, there’s a generous amount of melting cheese coming in the end! It’s a comfort food after all. 😉

As for elderflower wine, we are lucky enough to have been given it as a gift, it is entirely homemade. And entirely delicious. If you can’t get a hold of it, though, your favorite white wine will do just fine. 🙂

If you’ve made this recipe (which you should!), be sure to tag me on Instagram or use the hashtag #allwithzest to show me your beautiful creations!

Take care and don’t forget to smile today! 🙂

With love,

Turmeric sweet potato bulgur “risotto” with elderflower wine and chestnuts

Yield: 3 servings
Prepare: 20 mins
Cooking: 25 mins
Total: 45 mins

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbs coconut oil
• 1 large red onion chopped
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 ½ cup bulgur washed & rinsed
• 3 cups veggie stock
• ¼ cup elderflower wine
• 1 ½ cup sweet potatoes chopped
• ½ tsp turmeric
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1 cup grated gouda cheese
• 150 g chestnuts, roasted
• parsley to garnish

Instructions:

1. Chop red onion and sweet potatoes, slice garlic.

2. Scoop about a tablespoon of coconut oil into a large pan and steam onion for a couple of minutes over medium heat.

3. Add sweet potatoes, turmeric, salt & pepper and rinsed bulgur. Add vegetable stock and elderflower wine. (Optional: pour a little extra of the latter and sip on it, if you like.)

4. Cover with the lid and bring it to a boil, then turn the heat down to minimum and let it all be cookin’.

5. In the meantime, roast your chestnuts in the oven. NOTE: I had soaked the chestnuts the night before, but half an hour prior is enough. You can also cheat a little, and roast them ahead or buy pre-packed, if you like. Otherwise, carefully, with a sharp knife, cut an X into each chestnut and place them on a baking tray for roasting, about 20 minutes. Wait until cool and get them out of their shells.

6. Once the bulgur and sweet potato are cooked, turn off the heat, add cheese and roasted chestnuts.

7. Stir it well. Consume while still hot. Enjoy! Be mindful of the taste, smell and textures. 🙂