Mushroom & Zucchini Multi-Grain Risotto

Simple and cheap never tasted this good.

Grains are an excellent (and affordable) source of protein and fiber, produce is cheap if you’re not it buying pre-packaged or pre-cut, and herbs and aromatics add all the flavor a dish could need.

This risotto recipe is a sales pitch on its own.

Below 60 days are pretty common right now and by 4pm sundown, it’s even colder. Side-note: “cold” is subjective and I’m a born and raised Southern Californian so below 60 is cold for me!

Anyway… warm, comforting meals are the cure for chilly winters.

If you’ve ever heard of Ayurveda, you probably already understand why we crave such cozy meals when it’s cold outside. For those who haven’t, our bodies react better to warm foods this time of year, both in temperature and in spice. Cooked foods with good flavor are not only what our tastebuds are craving, our digestive systems want them, too! Isn’t that kinda cool?

Without even forcing myself to follow what Ayurveda recommends to eat during winter, I intrinsically do so. My day starts with a warm bowl of cinnamony oatmeal and ends with a warm bowl of this risotto. My tummy is as happy as my tastebuds.

Yours can be too if you follow my guide to the perfect bowl of oatmeal and make this risotto for dinner tonight.

Mushroom & Zucchini Multi-Grain Risotto

Things I used:

4 cups low sodium chicken broth (option to make vegan with vegetable broth)

1 whole zucchini, chopped

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 cup lentils

1/2 cup brown rice

1/2 cup pearl barley

1 shallot, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced or finely chopped

1 tbsp olive oil