Our next recipe for #HealthyEatingWeek comes from Miss Crawford, Food and Nutrition teacher, who has made a gorgeous vegetarian dish in the form of Roast Butternut Squash and Red Pepper Risotto. 

Miss Crawford says’ “This is one of my all-time favourite autumnal recipes. Perfect for the weather we are experiencing at the moment. It feels very indulgent and yet is a balanced dish counting towards 2-3 of your 5 a day! I personally stir chunks of stilton in, but you can miss this step out!”

Roasted Butternut Squash and Red Pepper Risotto

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 500g butternut squash, peeled and cut into bite-size chunks
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• ½ bunch of sage leaves, roughly chopped
• 1 litre vegetable stock
• 15g butter
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 150g risotto rice (I used arborio)
• ½ small glass white wine (if using)
• 30g parmesan, cheddar or stilton
• Handful of rocket

Method

STEP 1

Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Toss the squash in 1 tbsp oil together with the chopped sage. Scatter into a shallow roasting tin and roast for 30 mins until brown and soft.

STEP 2

While the squash is roasting, prepare the risotto. Prepare the stock. In a pan, melt the butter over a medium heat. Stir in the onions and cook gently for 8-10 mins until soft but not coloured, stirring occasionally. Stir the rice into the onions until completely coated in the butter, then stir continuously until the rice is shiny and the edges of the grain start to look transparent.

STEP 3

Pour in the wine (if using) and simmer until completely evaporated. Add the stock, a ladleful at a time, and stirring the rice over a low heat for 25-30 mins, until the rice is cooked al dente (with a slightly firm, starchy bite in the middle). The risotto should be creamy and slightly soupy.

STEP 4

When the squash is cooked, mash half of it to a rough purée and leave half whole. When the risotto is just done, stir through the purée, then add the cheese (you can use parmesan, cheddar or stilton) and leave to rest for a few minutes. Serve the risotto scattered with the whole chunks of squash and top with chopped sage and rocket leaves.