Name: Creamy Butternut Orzo Risotto
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1.5 tbsp olive oil; 1 tbsp light miso; 1 tbsp maple syrup; 2 tsp yellow mustard; 1 lb brussels sprouts (halved); null null sea salt (to taste); null null ground black pepper (to taste); 0.5 cup unsweetened plant milk ((such as cashew or oat)); 1 cup puréed butternut squash (OR cooked butternut squash cubes); 1 tbsp nutritional yeast; 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 null shallot (fine dice (about 0.25 cup diced shallot)); 2 cloves garlic (minced); 1 tsp thyme leaves (minced); 0.5 tsp chilli flakes (or to taste (optional)); 0.25 tsp smoked paprika; 0.5 lb orzo pasta ((227 grams)); null null sea salt (to taste); null null ground black pepper (to taste); 2 cups vegetable stock (plus extra); 1 tbsp lemon juice; 0.25 cup chopped flat leaf parsley

Instructions

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1

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil (1.5 tbsp), light miso (1 tbsp), maple syrup (1 tbsp), and yellow mustard (2 tsp) until combined.
3

Place all of the brussels sprouts (1 lb) on the lined baking sheet and pour the miso and mustard mixture over top. Season with [sea salt] and [ground black pepper] and toss the sprouts to coat evenly in the mixture.
4

Slide the baking sheet into the oven. Roast the [brussels sprouts] for 20 minutes or until tender and deep golden brown on the edges. Keep warm.
5

While the [brussels sprouts] are roasting, make the creamy butternut orzo. First, make the butternut cream. In an upright blender, combine the unsweetened plant milk (0.5 cup), puréed butternut squash (1 cup), and nutritional yeast (1 tbsp). Blend this mixture on high until completely smooth. Set aside.
6

Place a deep skillet or braiser-style pot over medium heat. Once it's hot, pour in the olive oil (1 tbsp). Add the shallot (1) to the pot and stir. Cook [shallots] until softened and translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic (2 cloves), thyme leaves (1 tsp), chilli flakes (0.5 tsp) (if using), and smoked paprika (0.25 tsp). Stir and cook until the [garlic] is quite fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add the orzo pasta (0.5 lb) and stir to coat in the spices and [shallots]. Season the mixture liberally with [sea salt] and [ground black pepper].
7

Add the vegetable stock (2 cups) to the pot and stir. Bring the [orzo] to a boil and then simmer, uncovered, until [orzo] is soft, about 8 minutes, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot often. The [orzo] will want to stick to the bottom of the pot! Just keep stirring and adding more [vegetable stock] if necessary. You want to keep the consistency nice and fluid.
8

Once the [orzo] is soft and the mixture is starting to get creamy, add the butternut cream to the pot and stir to combine. Bring the [orzo] back up to a simmer. Add the lemon juice (1 tbsp) to the creamy butternut orzo and stir. Check the dish for seasoning and adjust if necessary (more salt, chili, lemon etc). Stir in the chopped flat leaf parsley (0.25 cup) and top with the roasted [brussels sprouts]. Serve immediately!