Hi guys! I’m following Oprah's One Plant-Based Diet Meal a Day for 30 Days and I'm may try [some] of her recipes in her plant-based food diary!
Back in November, Oprah sat down with author and climate change activist Suzy Cameron about her book, The OMD Plan. In it, Cameron says that the benefits of eating plant-based go way beyond just your own personal health, but also, the health of the planet. Animal agriculture is the number two contributor to climate change, and if you change your diet to include just one plant-based meal each day, you can help save tens of thousands of gallons of water.
Oprah was so moved by the idea that she's decided to try the challenge herself, pledging to eat at least one plant-based meal a day for the next month.
“If you've been thinking about going vegetarian or vegan, I think this is a good way to lean into it where you don't have to give up everything you've been eating your whole life in one day.”
To help her out, Lady O asked her chef, Raymond, to whip up a meal plan for her. And while she jokes that "You know I know how to cook, but I have a chef, so don't be hating!" luckily for those of us without a professional, Chef Raymond is sharing his recipes here...
Ingredients:
1 C Arborio Rice
½ C Yellow Onion (Diced)
3 C Butternut Squash (Diced)
1 C Kabocha Squash (Diced)
1 ½ C Mix Mushrooms
3 ½ C Vegetable Stock
1 T Parsley (Chopped)
1 t Sage (Chopped)
1 C Almond Milk
1 T Olive Oil
2 t Garlic (Chopped)
Squash Puree: In a small sauce pot, add ½ cup diced kabocha squash and 2 cups diced butternut squash. Next, add almond milk, along with 1 ½ cups tap water. Cook on medium heat until squash is soft. Carefully remove squash from pot and place in high-speed blender; puree on high adding just enough cooking liquid to help it spin. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.
Mushrooms & Squash: Sauté mushrooms in 1 t olive oil. Once caramelized, add 1 t chopped garlic and set aside. Next, sauté squash in 1 t olive oil until soft, then add 1 t chopped garlic. Combine both mushrooms and squash and season with salt, pepper & chopped parsley.
Rice: Heat vegetable stock in a small stock pot and keep warm on stove. In medium sauce pot, add 1 t olive oil and diced onions, then cook on medium heat until onions are translucent. Next, add Arborio rice, continue to cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Start to slowly add vegetable stock a little at a time to allow the rice to fully absorb liquid. Continue to slowly cook on medium heat until liquid is finished. Once you are happy with the tenderness of the rice, set aside and keep warm.
To plate: Heat squash puree and mushroom/squash on high heat. Mix 3 t of squash puree into cooked rice; check seasoning. Add half of the squash/mushroom mix into rice and gently stir. Place risotto in middle of large plate, gently tap the bottom of the plate to allow rice to spread out. Place remaining garnish on top of rice and sprinkle chopped sage on top to finish.
At the end, she sprinkled on a bit of her favorite Truffle Zest, which she "never leaves home without." Are you interested in learning more about plant-based diets?