Well, it was supposed to be risotto but who thought the basmati we had in the same container was aborrio? Me. So it was still delicious, creamy, flavorful, and filling but not technically risotto. It comes together in about 20-25 minutes so it’s faster than risotto and still has such great flavor from the mushrooms and white wine, yum! It’s creamy from a little cashew cream I added in and I also threw in the chickpeas last minute for more protein. It’s such a perfect one pot meal when you’re craving something comforting and don’t want take a lot of time making it. I would eat this regularly and it was also good leftover for lunch today, which is why I always make so much!

Creamy Mushroom and Asparagus Rice

1.5 cups basmati rice (or any really)

2 cups veggie broth, or I used 2 cups warm water and 1 tbsp Vegetarian Better than Bouillon no chicken base

1 cup white wine

1 bunch of asparagus, sliced diagonally

8 oz baby Bella mushrooms, chopped

1/3 oz dried chanterelle mushrooms, hydrated in hot water

1 tsp minced garlic

1/2 yellow onion, diced

1/4 cup raw cashews, soaked in hot water

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Add cashews and dried mushrooms to very hot water and let soak for 20-30 minutes.

2. In a large sauce pan, sauté onion until almost translucent then add in the garlic, mushrooms and chopped dried mushrooms and let cook another 5-7 minutes.

3. Rinse your rice well, until water runs clear, and add dry to the veggies. Stir for 2-3 minutes and then add the broth and wine. Stir to combine and cover.

4. Let that cook for about 10 minutes and stir every 5. While that cooks, blend your cashews with 1/4 cup of water, nutritional yeast, and salt and pepper to make the cashew cream.

5. After 10 minutes, add in the chickpeas, cashew cream, and chopped asparagus then cover for another 5 minutes until liquid is absorbed and asparagus is tender.

Enjoy!