For the past few weeks we've been clean eating and introduced more weight training into our gym regime. Can I just say what a difference it's actually making? We're not 100% clean as we do enjoy a treat once a week, however we've noticed we have more energy, feel mentally better and I actually no longer crave sugary or salty foods - just last night I was saying how much I just wanted a bowl of broccoli to eat. Would I have said that a few months ago? Probably not.
But we're serious about this now. We're well on the way to the wedding with a year and a half to go and I do not want to be looking back at my photos thinking "God, why didn't I lose weight and get a bit fitter and healthier?...lazy cow" - or something to that effect!
This clean eating malarkey includes being a bit more ingenious in the kitchen. Luckily i'm part of an ace wee group on Facebook which provides support from people all over the world, so when you have a bad day you can go and vent and everyone is so understanding and supportive. It also includes all these lovely people posting recipes and their meals they've had, a lot which I wouldn't have thought of. So come join our wee group and get into the clean way of things!
ANYWAY! Back to the main matter at hand - this bad boy recipe *points up to photo* is an ideal way to have a yummy risotto (who doesn't love that stuff?) and be healthy. Brown rice is known to be a complex carb and has more nutrients compared to white rice and is also considered "Clean". It also feels lighter, so once i've eaten this I don't feel bloated or in need of a nap.
For this recipe I used (serves 2 - but can be altered to cater for more or less):
- 1/2 - 3/4 uncooked cup brown rice
- 1 onion - chopped finely
- 2 cloves garlic - chopped finely
- Pack of dried Wild Mushrooms (I got mine from Tesco) - Try not to use stock as there is loads of artificial colourings and sugar in it - if you need to use stock (i.e not a wild mushroom risotto) use an organic or fresh kind and check the ingredients.
- 2/3 chesnut mushrooms - sliced relatively thick for texture
*You can also add in some veg too - i sometimes add in broccoli, asparagus or any green bean (add this before adding the stock)*
- Parmesan and Lemon Juice to taste
First, place the dried mushrooms in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave to sit for 20 minutes to get the moisture back into them - it WILL make the place smell like mushroom soup.
Using a non-stick pan - or a tiny amount of olive or coconut oil - fry the onion and garlic on a medium heat until soft and translucent but not brown.
Squeeze the water out of the mushrooms but make sure that the water stays in the bowl - we need that! Slice roughly and add to the pan with the other mushrooms and selected veg. Cook for 2 minutes.
Add the rice to the pan and cook for a minute so it's soaked up all the juices from the mushrooms and veg.
Start adding the water from the mushrooms gradually - I say a ladle at a time - stirring each time and making sure the water has been soaked up by the rice before adding more water. Keep doing this until the rice is soft. I eventually ran out of mushroom water so I just used water from the kettle so as not to overpower the delicate mushroom flavour.
To finish I added a bit of lemon juice to taste. This lifts up the flavour without the need to use salt or pepper. You can add a sprinkling of parmesan too.
So there you have it. I must warn you - this, much like any risotto does take a while to make so be prepared and make sure you have the time. Also this can only be kept for a day - rice doesn't keep very well! Another idea I had was to maybe try it with quick-cook rice to see if it works - so if you happen to try that, give me a shout to let me know!
