Our Veggie Recipe of the Week: Quinoa risotto with Pumpkin and Spinach

Try this gluten-free risotto recipe made with butternut squash, quinoa and lots of fresh herbs. Give it a go and let us know how you got on. 

INGREDIENTS

• ½ small butternut squash, peeled and cut into 2.5cm pieces
• 2-3 tbsp cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 200g quinoa, rinsed and drained
• 750ml hot vegetable stock or water
• 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh herbs, such as rosemary, oregano and thyme
• ½ tsp sea salt
• Grated zest and juice 1 lemon
• 1 tbsp cider vinegar
• 150g baby spinach

METHOD

1. 
   
2. 01)Heat the oven to 200°C/fan180°C/gas 6. Put the squash in a baking tray and roast for 30 minutes, turning halfway through. 
3. 02)Meanwhile make the risotto. Heat the olive oil in a large, wide saucepan over a low-medium heat, then fry the onion and garlic for 5 minutes or until the onion is translucent, stirring often. 
4. 03)Clear one side of the pan and add the quinoa. Stir the quinoa in its half of the pan for 1 minute or until slightly crisp, then stir to combine with the onion and garlic.
5. 04)Increase the heat and add the hot vegetable stock or water 1 ladleful at a time, stirring constantly, letting the quinoa mixture absorb each ladleful before adding the next (this should take around 10 minutes). 
6. 05)Add the chopped tomatoes, herbs, sea salt, lemon zest, 2 tbsp lemon juice and cider vinegar to the risotto. Cook for a further 10 minutes or until the quinoa is tender but still slightly al dente.
7. 06)Stir through the spinach and roasted pumpkin, then cook for 5 minutes more. Taste and season with salt, black pepper and extra lemon juice, if required, then serve
8. 
   

Thanks to Delicious for this weeks recipe: http://bit.ly/1WvRsMA