White Bean Risotto With Chard

The health benefits breakdown

In this risotto, white cannellini beans swap places with rice, to give this recipe the protein and fiber needed to help aid weight control and maintain healthy blood sugar levels. Paired with high protein ricotta cheese, this white bean risotto makes a meal that keeps your belly full, not fluffy.

Lemon and chard contain immune-boosting vitamin C which can help fight off an oncoming cold or reduce the length of your sickness if you do happen to catch that annoying virus. Garlic, onion and thyme are known for their antimicrobial properties and also help your body fight disease. To add, thyme is actually one of the strongest antimicrobials out there to prevent against food illness and it’s unique carvacrol content helps relieve a sore throat.

Oh, and Grandmother was right about drinking our broth when we are sick. Vegetable broth is full of the vitamins and minerals from the vegetables that is are made from. Think of it like a vegetable tea: as the vegetables cook, the vitamins and minerals leak out into the water. Try making your own vegetable broth by boiling water in a pot, adding chopped vegetables or vegetable scraps of your choice, then simmering for at least 45 minutes. Strain out the vegetables and use it for soups — it’s seriously that easy!

White Bean Risotto With Chard Recipe

15 min500 kcal

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp sunflower seeds (~½ oz)
• ½ tsp black pepper
• a tiny bit of salt
• ½ tsp thyme (dry)
• ½ lemon (~1 oz)
• 2 ¼ oz ricotta cheese (part skim milk)
• ⅔ cups white beans/cannellini beans (canned and drained) (~6 oz)
• 1 ½ cups chard (~2 oz)
• 1 garlic clove (~⅛ oz)
• 2 tsp olive oil (extra virgin)
• 1 ¼ cups vegetable broth (~10 oz)
• ⅔ onion (medium sized) (~2 ½ oz)

Method

1. Bring vegetable broth in a pot over medium heat to simmer, then set aside.
2. Peel onion and garlic, mince both. Clean chard and cut into pieces.
3. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat, add onion, garlic and the chard. Cook for about 5 minutes, stir occasionally, until softened.
4. Add half of the broth, cook and stir, until almost absorbed. Now add beans and the rest of the broth. Cook and stir for a couple of minutes.
5. Wash lemon, grate the zest and juice lemon. Add ricotta cheese, lemon juice and thyme to the pan. Season with salt, pepper and more thyme if needed. Top with sunflower seeds and some grated lemon zest before serving.

Cue the daydreams of cuddling on the couch with a fuzzy blanket and a hot, steaming bowl of this white bean risotto with chard.