Portobello Mushroom & Freekeh Risotto

Hello my lovely fellow goddesses!

Happy 2016!

Has everyone binged, eaten, drank during their holidays and need to de-fluff a tad? In an effort to save both the environment and my waist, I’ve returned to my Meatless Mondays promise. I actually add a few more meatless days to my and my family’s diet. We focus heavily on beans (legumes) during the winter. I will share some of my favorite lentil curry soups in the next recipe posting.

 

In the meantime, I’m in love with freekeh – the superfood I wrote about last month. It’s an ancient grain that is packed full of B-vitamins, fiber and protein. Toss in a few green, leafy vegetables while cooking and it is a complete meal. For more nutritional information on freekeh, please go to my earlier post https://www.livelikeagoddess.com/get-your-freekeh-on/

Freekeh is the inner seed of a young, green wheat stalk. It is harvested early and has a nutty, chewy texture to it. I decided to couple freekeh with sliced baby Portobello Mushrooms. I love the taste of fresh, earthy Portobellos and figured I’d mix it with my favorite grain. The taste was a winner. I paired it with some wilted spinach and a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon and was happy as a log. My husband threw a piece of grilled chicken next to his risotto, and ate it as a side dish. However you decide to eat it, I hope you enjoy.

**Keep in Mind: Freekeh is a Whole Wheat Grain. It should not be consumed if you have celiac disorders.**

Portobello Mushrooms and Freekeh “Risotto”

Ingredients

• 1.5 Cups cracked Freekeh
• 3.5 Cups vegetable or chicken stock
• 1/2 Onion, diced
• 3 Cloves garlic, minced
• 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 2 Cups sliced, baby Portobello Mushrooms
• 2 Tablespoons Italian parsley, finely chopped
• Grated Pecorino, Asiago, or Romano cheese (hard cheese of choice), for taste

Method

1. In a large bowl, place the dry freekeh and inspect for any small stones or debris. This is a natural product, and you will need to carefully look for any non-uniform pieces. Rinse the freekeh a couple of times until the water is no longer cloudy. Drain and set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan, saute the onions in the olive oil until translucent.
3. Add garlic and Portobellos, and continue to stir over medium-high heat. When cooked in a pot, Portobellos release a lot of liquid. Keep cooking and stirring until Portobello liquid evaporates, approximately 5 minutes.
4. Add the freekeh to the pot and stir for another minute.
5. Add the vegetable/chicken stock and bring to a boil. Once it is boiled, reduce heat to LOW and cook gently for 45 minutes (seriously). You will know it is ready when all the liquid is absorbed by the freekeh.
6. When it is nearly cooked, toss in the parsley.
7. Serve immediately and add grated cheese as desired.

If there was one problem with freekeh, I would say it is the slow cooking time. For the freekeh to be fully cooked, it takes upwards of 40 minutes. But there is very little for you to do. Just turn it on low and forget about it.

Hope you enjoyed today’s Meatless Monday recipe! Go get your freekeh on, girls –

Discover your Inner Aphrodite . . .

Claudia