Cauliflower and Butternut Squash Risotto

I love carbs. Love, love, love them. But when I limit the amount I have in my diet, I tend to feel better. For this reason, I try to come up with alternatives that I can hashtag shamelessly for more likes on instagram. (Just kidding. Kind of.) #paleo #glutenfree #vegan

I served this dish with steak and some balsamic glazed mushrooms, but you can use this as a starch replacement for just about any meal. You want the vegetables to still retain some texture, so be careful not to overcook it (just like real risotto). It's sweet, spicy, savory, and has some tang all at the same time - what some would like to call "a party in your mouth."

One note: I buy butternut squash already peeled and cut into chunks in the produce section. Ain't nobody got time to try and peel, maneuver, and hopefully avoid cutting off a limb trying to hack through that thing.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups butternut squash, diced into 1/2 inch cubes
  • 1 head cauliflower, roughly chopped
  • 1 shallot, minced
  • 1 inch ginger, grated
  • 2 garlic cloves, grated or minced
  • 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar 
  • 1/2 cup vegetable stock
  • 1 cup baby arugula
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • salt & pepper
  1. Preheat a large, flat-bottomed skillet with the olive oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the squash and coat in the oil. Reduce heat to medium and cook squash for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  2. When the squash has started developing some golden sides, add the shallot, ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
  3. Once the shallots have softened a bit, add the cauliflower. Season with salt and pepper. Stir and cook for another 2 minutes, allowing the rawness of the cauliflower to cook out a bit, but not all the way from the larger chunks. 
  4. Lower the heat to medium-low. Add the vinegar and cook through for a minute. Then add the stock and stir the mixture until the liquid is fully absorbed and some of the starch from the squash has given it some creaminess. If you need more stock, do this, but this part shouldn't take more than 5 minutes (you don't want the cauliflower to get completely mushy).
  5. Take off the heat and add the arugula, mixing it in to wilt. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.