*My affiliate links are used in this post. However this does not influence or change my opinion. Thanks for using them and helping support my family and my blog!*
Creamy Kale Risotto with Parmesan is made without butter or cream. A healthy dinner recipe as a side with a lean protein or as a yummy vegetarian main dish.
How is everyone doing with their New Year’s resolutions? Are you still going strong or fizzling out? I hope you are doing well and making this your best year yet 😀 It’s a new year of possibilities and each and every day we get a chance to make good decision!!
I am doing pretty good with my “resolution” to get back to my healthful ways in the new year. I had a bit of a blow this week (maybe at some point I will share it on the blog, but I am just not ready yet…sorry), but for the most part I have been doing good.
Today I want to share with you a healthy comfort food. What???? You might be asking, isn’t that an oxymoron? Well it most circumstances, yes, but not today!! Aren’t you happy? This week I needed some good ‘ol comfort food, but I didn’t want to cave in and give up on my goals for the new year. So I came up with my Creamy Kale Risotto with Parmesan. It is a risotto that is made without the traditional components of butter and cream and you add in lots of uber-healthy kale to pump up the veggie, antioxidant and healthy factor!! It’s a win-win!!
The secret to a perfectly creamy risotto is not butter or cream. WHAT?!?! I hear all of you screaming, but I promise it is true. You just have to have a little patience, cook the risotto slowly and stir it a lot. It is really not hard, it just takes being mindful the 30 minutes while it is cooking.
I am sorta having a new love affair with kale (sorry hunny):oops: I have been adding into all sorts of foods, like my Berry Good Green Smoothie. Did you know that a cup of kale is only 33 calories? Crazy huh? Also, low in Saturated Fat, and very low in Cholesterol. It is also a good source of Dietary Fiber, Protein, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Folate, Iron, Magnesium and Phosphorus, and a very good source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin B6, Calcium, Potassium, Copper and Manganese. You can read more about how wonderful kale is here: http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2461/2#ixzz3wg4zG4Yd.
If your craving some comfort food like I was this week, I hope you will try my Creamy Kale Risotto with Parmesan. It did the trick for me 😉
Real quick, before we get to the recipe…Did you know that you can buy groceries on Amazon? I KNOW RIGHT!! They offer low priced, everyday essentials delivered right to your home!! You can even buy the risotto to make this dish!! Her is the link: http://amzn.to/1S8KmPi. I am sooooo excited to try Prime Pantry 😆 Wow!! I really am a food geek!!
Here is your recipe for Creamy Kale Risotto with Parmesan:
- 4 cups reduced-sodium chicken stock (substitute vegetable stock for a vegetarian dish)
- 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large, sweet yellow onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
- 1 cup risotto
- ⅓ cup dry white wine
- 4 cups chopped kale, packed
- ½ cup parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp. crushed red pepper (more or less depending on taste)
- sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
- In a small sauce pan, heat the chicken stock over medium-low heat and keep warm throughout cooking.
- In a large sauce pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Once hot, add onions and garlic and sauté for 3-4 minutes or until the onions are translucent and softened.
- Add risotto and stir for 2 minutes.
- Add wine, stir well and cook down until most of the wine is evaporated.
- Add one ladle of warmed chicken broth, stir well and cook down until most of the broth is evaporated.
- NOTE: Be sure to stir the rice mixture well every couple of minutes throughout the cooking process!! This is very important and the key to getting a creamy risotto.
- Continue adding one ladle of chicken broth each time the previous has evaporated.
- When adding the last ladle of chicken broth, add the kale to the rice mixture.
- Once all the liquid has evaporated, the kale is bright green and wilted and the risotto is tender and creamy, add the parmesan cheese, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper.
- Serve hot and enjoy!!
I know we just finished talking about Christmas and then New Year’s, but it is now time to start talking about the next holiday, Valentine’s Day 😯 And speaking of that, this Creamy Kale Risotto with Parmesan would make an excellent stay-at-home Valentine’s night meal!! I would just pair it with a grilled lean protein (chicken or steak). So have a date night or start planning for V Day (and before that for me is the hub’s bday). So are you planning for Valentine’s yet and if so, what are your plans?
*My affiliate links are used in this post. However this does not influence or change my opinion. Thanks for using them and helping support my family and my blog!*
That looks absolutely delicious! I’ve never actually try Rizzuto a voice been a little too scared to try to cook it because I know it takes a special hand. I may need to add this to my menu looks too good to pass up.
This looks so amazing. I am trying to eat better this year so I am putting this on my recipe list!
This is a great, healthy and delicious snack. I would love to try this during weekend.
It has been quite a while since I have made some risotto. This might make me waddle on in to the kitchen and fire up a pot. Sounds and looks amazing.
I had this once at a friends house and it was so good! Thanks for recipe so that I may re create!
I love Kale and so does my daughter. This would be a great one to try this weekend. I think we would love it and I know I would be happy getting some extra greens in.
This looks super yummy. I love kale, I planted some in my garden last summer and we benefited from it greatly.
Oh my goodness! This recipe is not only yummy, it is so healthy as well. I’ve read a lot about the benefits of kale, and like you, I am trying to add it to our usual meals. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Mm, that looks delicious. I haven’t tried making Risotto on my own. I should try this.
I don’t think I’ve ever had risotto before. That looks delicious though and I love that it has kale in it. I love kale. I will put that on the menu for next week. Thanks for the recipe!
We have been eating healthier as a family and I’m always looking for yummy recipes like this. Thanks for sharing this. I can’t wait to make it.
This looks like such a refreshing meal! I love being able to sneak some extra veggies in meals, and this does that!
I love the sounds of this. I am a big kale fan and we have risotto we have been wanting to use.
First off this looks good and Parmesan is just God’s love in food form. I’m trying to clean up my eating habits so I’m testing this one out on the family.
I actually have never had risotto before. That’s going on my list of new recipe to try! Looks so creamy!
I have not tried kale , but I do love Risotto so I think this is one that I would be interested in trying. It looks absolutely delicious!
Oh yeah, that is my type of recipe. I like that this recipe involves parmesan and kale. Also, I’m intrigued that white wine is also an ingredient.
I love risotto! Definitely namaking this on the weekend! Yum!
Great recipe! But not nearly enough for 6 – barely fed 4 adults and 3 toddlers.
Thanks for the note and glad you enjoyed the recipe 😊 Sorry about the portions, it definitely feed 6 of us easily. Maybe we just have different portion sizes.