Baked Pumpkin Risotto

     Recently, I have fallen head over heels for my newest cookbook addition, Whole Grain Mornings.  If you don’t have it, go buy it because it makes breakfast and breakfast foods magical no matter what time of day you eat them.  I have challenged myself to try or create one new recipe a week, and this week I decided to try Baked Pumpkin Risotto.  Yes, I realize fall has come and gone, but I could eat pumpkin any time of year.  Megan Gordon, the cookbook author and blogger of A Sweet Spoonful, recommends eating this dish the day it is made.  However, I made this dish the night before it was to be served, and reheated it in a 400 degree oven for 30 minutes.  I also added an extra ½ cup of water on top before heating, so it wouldn’t dry out.  It was absolutely delicious and I served it alongside mini meatloaves.  This is the busy girl’s version of a balanced meal, with only two dishes:  Protein = Meatloaf, Vegetable = Pumpkin, Starch = Brown Rice.  I pulled the mini meatloaves from the freezer the night before.  When I arrived home from work, I popped both the meatloaves and pumpkin risotto into the oven to reheat side by side.  No fuss and a satisfying home cooked meal.  

Recipe adapted from Whole Grain Mornings

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin coconut oil, plus additional for greasing
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 2 cups long grain brown rice
• 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 3 teaspoons grey celtic sea salt
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ginger
• 2 ¾ cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk

Directions

1. Heat the coconut oil in a medium-sized skillet, over medium-low heat.  Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until caramelized, about 20 minutes.
2. Fill a medium sized saucepan 2/3 full with water.  Bring the water to a boil.  Then add the rice, cover, and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Drain. 
3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and grease a large (13 x 9 inch) baking dish  with coconut oil.  In a medium sized bowl, stir together the pumpkin, maple syrup, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, caramelized onions, and drained rice.  Transfer this mixture to the prepared casserole dish and smooth out in one even layer.
4. Heat the chicken stock, water, and almond milk over medium-high heat, until it barely begins to boil.  Pour directly into the casserole dish over the rice.  Do not stir.  Bake for 40 minutes uncovered.  Let sit for 15 minutes before serving.  Stir.  Serves 8.

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