Mushroom Risotto

We move through our days so quickly. We tell ourselves we don’t have time for the mundane things, like grating fresh cauliflower resembling rice. Oh please I’ll buy the prepared, frozen bag. While I do buy and use frozen cauliflower rice, I found freshly grated cauliflower elevates my dishes to a new level and taste.

I love risotto, and I enjoy it when it’s low carb and gluten free as a way to lower my risk of type 2 diabetes and other chronic conditions such as arthritis an autoimmune and inflammatory disease which means that your immune system attacks healthy cells in your body by mistake, causing inflammation (painful swelling) in the affected parts of the body. While I do suffer from chronic lower back pain, I found that sticking to mostly a lower-carb, gluten free diet helps with my overall health and mental well-being. That’s not to say that I never eat carbs, I do but in moderation. This balanced approach to eating has helped me tremendously, as I move through my days with more ease and overall happiness. Moderation is key. Now back to my mushroom cauliflower risotto.

Risotto reminds me of the Adriatic as it’s mostly served with squid, or as a vegetarian dish with lots of seasonal veggies. I opted to make my version with mushrooms, shallots and lots of freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Ingrediets

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 shallot chopped

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup mushrooms chopped into quartered

1 teaspoon fresh herbs I used dill and basil, you can also use parsley, cilantro, oregano

1 head of cauliflower grated (approx 3 cups)

1/2 cup of mushroom broth or vegetable stock

2 tablespoons salted butter

1/4 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

-Place a large nonstick pan over medium heat. Add extra virgin olive oil and shallots. Saute for 5 minutes until shallots become soft and translucent.

-Add quartered mushrooms and sauté for another 5 minutes , mixing often as not to burn

-Add cauliflower rice, vegetable stock, salt and pepper. Cook on medium heat for 10 minutes stirring often.

-Remove from heat and add fresh herbs, I used dill and basil, butter and parmesan cheese. Mix through and serve right away.

-Optional- drizzle some extra virign olive oil on top.

Keto Lowcarb Polenta

Croatian’s love their polenta, and my gluten-free low carb cheesy recipe takes this dish to new levels. My version of this staple Croatian dish has all the flavours and textures of a true classic, but without all the carbs. In Croatia, polenta is typically made with cornmeal, and served with a sauce. I made mine with yellow squash which resembles its cousin the ‘zucchini’. Along with the finest cheesy and buttery ingredients.

My polenta is so easy to make and perfect as a side dish. Plus this healthy low carb alternative to a traditional polenta is made in half the time.

In certain regions of Croatia polenta is called zganci, and is typically eaten with cream, yogurt, or kefir for breakfast.

As you can see, there are many ways to enjoy this low carb gluten free version of polenta. Serve it as is, or add a dollop of sour cream or as my oldest son did enjoy with a Dalmatian beef stew (Pasticada). YUM, so decisions.

Low Carb Polenta

Ingredients

3 medium yellow squash which is right beside the Zucchini in the supermarket

2 tablespoons of unsalted butter

1/4 cup  full fat cream cheese

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

1.4 teaspoon black pepper

Salt

Directions

1. Cut off ends of squash and chop, as shown in first picture. Add squash in food processor and finely chop until it resembles fine corse texture.

2. In a sauce pan add butter over medium heat, allow butter to melt.  Add finely chopped squash from the food processor to pan and simmer for 5 minutes on medium heat.

3. Add the cream cheese and mix until melted and combine.  Add parmesan cheese then cook over low/medium until cheese is fully melted and combined. Enjoy.