Traditional risotto, although rich, creamy and delicious, can carry quite a lot of calories due to exorbitant amounts of butter, whole fat dairy, cream, and cheeses. Traditional recipes call for constant stirring, resulting in a time-consuming and labor-intensive process. The beauty of this Slim and Simple Mushroom Artichoke Risotto recipe is you can fix it and forget it. At the same time, cooking slow for a long period of time adds layers of flavor and creaminess without an ounce of butter or cream! I use pearled barley in lieu of the traditional arborio rice, adding more fiber and protein for a satisfying end result.
Slim and Simple Mushroom Artichoke Risotto
The beauty of this recipe is you can fix it and forget it. At the same time, cooking slow for a long period of time adds layers of flavor and creaminess without an ounce of butter or cream!
Ingredients
- 14 ounces jarred artichoke hearts , drained and chopped
- 16 ounces portobello mushrooms , chopped (or combination of different mushroom varieties)
- 1 can chickpeas , drained and rinsed
- 1 onion , finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 bunch asparagus , ends trimmed and chopped into 1 inch pieces
- 1 cup frozen lima beans (or peas)
- 1 1/2 cups uncooked pearled barley
- 4 cups light vegetable broth (or 2 cups diluted with 2 cups water)
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground thyme
- 1 1/2 teaspoons oregano
- 1/3 cup cooking Marsala (or other dry cooking wine such as Sherry)
- Salt , to taste
- Ground black pepper , to taste
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Add all ingredients up to and including cooking wine to slow cooker.
- Set temperature to high and cook for 3 1/2 to 4 hours or until majority of liquid is absorbed.
- Season with salt and pepper and stir in Parmesan cheese prior to serving.