Butternut Squash and Pesto Risotto

I love risottos, especially anything with pumpkin or butternut squash. This recipe includes homemade vegan pesto and together with the risotto, they make a masterpiece.

(Serves 2)

Ingredients

For the risotto:

• 1 clove of garlic, chopped
• 500ml of vegetable stock
• 100g butternut squashed, skinned and cut into 2cm cubes
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp vegan butter (I use vitalite)
• 2 spring onions, chopped
• 100g arborio rice
• 1 tsp nutritional yeast

For the pesto:

• large bunch of basil
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• handful of cashews
• large bunch of spinach leaves
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tbsp almond milk
• 1 tsp nutritional yeast

1. Using a food processor, pulse together the cashews to make the pesto. Add the garlic and make a breadcrumb-like mixture.Add the basil, spinach, nutritional yeast, almond milk and extra virgin olive oil. The mixture should be slightly coarse. You can add more almond milk to create your ideal texture, but I recommend keeping the pesto coarse for this recipe. Set the pesto aside.
2. Heat the oven to gas mark 6/200C. On a baking tray, lay out the cubes of butternut squash and drizzle with the olive oil. Roast for 15 minutes or until tender.
3. In a pan, melt the butter and add in the garlic and spring onion for 3 minutes on a medium heat.
4. When the butter is melted add in the arborio rice and coat with the butter for 1 minute.
5. Pour in a small portion of the stock. Lower the heat and pour in the rest of the stock in portions. Make sure the rice as absorbed the stock before you add the next portion.
6. Once the rice is cooked, add in the butternut squash cubes and nutritional yeast. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Serve with pesto.