Clean Out Your Pantry Risotto

This is one of my new favorite recipes because it's fast (30 minutes start to finish) and the possibilities are endless (hence, the Clean Out Your Pantry name)! I know this recipe isn't technically Risotto since I used brown rice, but that's all I had in my pantry! :)

·2 TBS butter

·½ medium onion, chopped

·1 ⅓ rice (I used Minute Brown Rice)

·4 cups water

·1 tsp chicken bouillon

·Freshly cracked pepper to taste

·½ cup Parmesan cheese

·1 cup steamed veggies (I used peas this time)

·Additional spices to taste (I added Parsley)

Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until tender. Add rice, stir, and toast for a few minutes. Add water, chicken bouillon, and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Leave covered and remove from heat. Let sit for 5 minutes then stir in cheese and veggies.

Lately I've been looking for more vegetarian meals (anyone else see Oprah's Vegan episode?!). Even though this recipe is a side dish, I've been eating it as a meal. I used to be a vegetarian about 10-12 years ago and I've really never been that big of a meat fan. I definitely could not be Vegan (I love dairy and work for an ice cream company!), but I do want to incorporate a few meatless meals into my weekly dinner plans.

What are some of your favorite meatless meals that I could try?

I've also shared this recipe on: Seasonal Sunday's