Broccoli & Cheddar Risotto

As much as I’m all about healthy eating and stick to ‘real’ foods, I still do hold a soft spot for certain processed foods. These are the foods which I choose to conveniently ignore the nutrition labels. What can I say, ignorance truly is bliss 😉 :

• Oreos
• M&M’s (yes I have noticed that whenever I add them to yogurt, it looks like a rainbow threw up..hellllo artificial colors 😆 )
• Pop Tarts

And probably the most processed of them all:

• Kraft Easy Mac: plastic heaven in a box.

Processed to the max and devoid of any nutrition whatsoever, it is total comfort food! Let’s be honest, processed or not, cheese plus any carb is a match made in heaven♥! Even though I can’t remember when I last ate it, I will always hold fond memories of Easy Mac: it got me through many hungry nights in boarding school.

My dinner last night took slightly longer than 3 and a half minutes yet it tasted as delicious as any bowl of Easy Mac I’ve ever had!  No sorry, it tasted better because each bite was loaded with nutrition. It was as cheesy, as carby, and as comforting. In the famous words of Bart Simpson: “eat my shorts, mannn maccc”

Broccoli & Cheddar Risotto–>Easy Mac for Grown-Ups 😉

 (serves 1)

Ingredients 

• 40g arborio (risotto) rice
• 1 clove garlic, finely diced
• Half a small onion, finely diced
• 1 tspn extra virgin olive oil
• 20g cheddar
• 1/2 cup brocolli florets
• 180ml vegetable stock
• Crushed black peppercorns

Method

1. Heat oil over medium heat in a pot or heavy bottomed frying pan. Sauté garlic & onions till soft.
2. Add in rice and sauté for a few minutes until translucent 
3. Pour in a ladle full of stock and stir until absorbed. Add another ladle full, stirring until absorbed, continuing until all stock is absorbed. Once you have added the last ladle of stock, add in the broccoli florets.
4. Once all the stock is absorbed and/or the rice is cooked the way you like it, reduce the heat to a minimum and stir in the cheese. 
5. After the cheese has melted through, give the risotto one final stir and serve.

 

 

 

 

**I ate this with grilled chicken for protein staying power and a salad for some extra veggie action.**

What’s one of your favorite processed foods?