I’m going to talk about this yummy vegetarian Brown Rice Kale Risotto with Cheddar in a second (it’s naturally gluten-free, and has awesome nutrition stats: Cal: 290, Fiber: 3 g, Protein: 12 g.) But first I wanted to tell you about the latest adventures I’ve been having in the word of running.
If you’ve been reading here for a while then you know I am a fitness fiend. Like Katie just ain’t right unless she got in her sweat session. Like I go from mean mommy to nice mommy in one hour flat. Like on rest days, I get into bed and have to refrain from squeezing my quads and grinding my teeth because I haven’t been set to straight by my daily workout. Like addicted. You get the picture.
But, I know many of you are here for the recipes. {Okay, all of you are here for the recipes. And you’re just here to figure out what to do with your CSA vegetables. Not to hear about quads.} So I try to not go on and on about working out too much. But since fitness is a major part of my life, I do indulge myself in sharing the occasional updates here. Forgive me.
Today is one of those days because I wanted to tell you about two really exciting pieces of news that are related to fitness. They are also about making an impact on the local community through running.
Because I am also chronically over committed, I don’t’ get to volunteer that much. Like ever. Like filing the giant pile of papers on the shelf directly to my left, volunteer work is one of the things that I really want to do, but don’t get to do.
Then last month, my friend Meg emailed me and straight-up asked me if I was willing to volunteer as a coach for the local chapter of Girls On The Run. I guess I all needed was a tiny nudge, and I agreed to do it. {Aside, would one of you nudge me about filing that pile of papers, please. Maybe a nudge is all I need for that pile too!}
I went to the Girls on the Run coach training, and even did CPR training. I am all in! And scared.
Just thinking ahead to leading a team of 3rd, 4th and 5th grade girls through the process of finding their inner strength and training for a 5k makes me well up with emotion.
I have been full of doubt that I am capable of teaching kids this age. Girls ages 9 to 11 are smart and observant and I have no clue how to lead them. Give me a room of adult BodyPumpers and I am all good. But tweens??? Yikes! Give me strength. Thankfully the curriculum is all laid out for the coaches and I have three other coaches whom are all amazing ladies.
The second piece of running news is that I was accepted onto the Cabot Fit Team again this year. I have participated in the team two other years. You can read about my past experiences running with the Cabot Fit Team here and here. I am thrilled to be able to do so again this year. The Cabot Fit Team is made up of health-focused bloggers, social media mavens and Cabot dairy farmers. We run a road race together and to increase awareness about nutrition and exercise. This year we’ll be running the Middlebury Maple Run on May 1st. How could I not be a part of this event? Maple + Cheddar+ Blogging + Fitness! All of my loves in one!
Speaking of Cheddar, let’s talk about this Brown Rice Kale Risotto with Cheddar. {Like that segue? Slick huh. 😉 } I have been trying to figure out how to make this recipe work for weeks, and it really was not easy. It’s gone through a lot of iterations. It started out being the poster child for earnest vegetarian hippy food of yore. I wasn’t going to sell anyone on brown rice, kale or a meatless main with the way this tasted. It gradually has gotten better and better. The last test thankfully worked great and the family gave it the thumbs up that it’s ready to share with you guys.
The key? Cheddar and a touch of butter.
When I swapped out the Parmesan and used a cheddar instead, it became much more creamy. More like white rice risotto, less like hippy food. And I added in 2 tablespoons of butter to finish it. Yeah. It had to happen. It really is a delicious result and made all the difference. And don’t worry I didn’t go crazy with either the cheddar and butter. Just enough to turn brown rice and kale from earnest hippy blah to creamy delicious comfort food.
Check out the nutrition stats: Cal: 290, Fiber: 3 g, Protein: 12 g.
QUESTIONS:
Do you do volunteer work?
Have your daughters (or you) been involved in Girls on the Run?
Are you a runner?
Do you need a daily workout?
What comes to mind when I say earnest vegetarian hippy food?
For more like this, check out this Ultimate Guide to Kale!
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PinDescription
Brown Rice Kale Risotto with Cheddar is a healthy gluten-free and vegetarian main course.
Ingredients
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth for vegetarian option)
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, finely chopped
- 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cup short grain brown rice
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 6 cups shredded Lacinato or curly kale
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar
- Grated Parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
- Bring chicken broth to a gentle simmer in a medium saucepan.
- Heat oil in a sauté pan or large straight sided skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until the onion is softened and jut starting to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add carrots, celery, thyme, pepper and salt and cook, stirring often until the celery is bright green, about 4 minutes.
- Stir in rice and cook, stirring, until the rice starts to turn opaque in spots, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add wine, and cook, stirring often until the wine is almost completely evaporated, about 90 seconds. Ladle 3 cups of the broth into the rice, and stir to combine. Cover the remaining 1 cup broth and keep warm. Bring the rice mixture to a simmer. Cover, adjust heat to keep the liquid at a steady simmer and cook until the rice has absorbed most of the broth, about 35 minutes.
- Bring the remaining 1 cup broth to a simmer. Remove lid from rice, increase heat to medium and stir in the remaining 1 cup broth and kale. Continue cooking, stirring often until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is creamy and tender, 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in butter until melted. Add cheddar and stir until melted. Serve hot with Parmesan on top if desired.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 1/3 cup
- Calories: 290
- Sugar: 2.5
- Sodium: 407
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5
- Carbohydrates: 23
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 12
Dear Katie, eating right and exercising go hand in hand. This brown rice risotto looks delicious…I love discovering healthy comfort foods such as this. I must try this soon. Pinning for later. xoxo, Catherine
I totally agree, that exercise and eating nutritious food is a self-perpetuating cycle. Thank you for pinning this recipe!
My son is participating in a 5K training program at school and I’m SO thankful for the volunteers (like you) that make this happen. So THANK YOU for volunteering, even when there are papers to be filed 🙂
Can’t wait to cheer you on in May!!
Ha you are so right! The papers will be there wether or not I am making a difference in all those girls life, so I guess I should be happy to volunteer my time. And the race this year will be a blast. I really can’t wait!
I wish I could coach for GOTR! I volunteer at their local 5K and it is always a great experience. One day I will stop my 9-5 job and be able to. I’m a big runner too and can totally relate to your “rest day dilemma”. It was my new years resolution to take more rest days! I never mind a little fitness thrown into your post! PS- this risotto looks delicious!
The 5K looks like such a blast in the videos, and from what I have heard from other volunteers in the past. I love that the girls wear silly costumes to run in! And Barbara, thank you for saying so about not minding the fitness posts. And I appreciate that you too don’t really like rest days. Ha ha. I’m in good company with you!
The Cabot Fit Team sounds like so much fun! Good luck at the race! 🙂 I’m always looking for more gluten-free risotto recipes! This looks absolutely lovely, Katie. Pinned!
Lauren, thank you so much for the well wishes in my race. I am excited to do it. I haven’t been running much this winter, so it’ll be good to have an excuse to get back outside no matter the temps.
I so know what you mean about needing a workout! Some days when I don’t get one in – and I’m feeling “pissy” and sometimes acting “pissy” and not quite being aware of it, my daughter will say “mom did you not workout today?” Speak about being observant eh?! Speaking of which – those gals are gonna love you Kaite! Tweens won’t mess with someone who lives what they preach! And congrats on making the Cabot Fit Team! And thanks for this wonderful recipe – so much flavor and I adore that you added kale into this! Happy Friday my friend!
Ha ha, my girls can tell too. They really are amazingly observant. Thank you for the vote of confidence.
Cheddar makes everything better (did I really just type that?!)! This is a gorgeous risotto and I love everything about it!
Congrats to you on your running excitement! That’s so cool that you’ll be a Girls on the Run coach! Good for you and for your trainees 🙂
I agree! Ha ha. Thank you so much. I am thrilled but trying to stay cool about it!
That’s awesome that you’re able to do that, I’ve looked into GOTR before but unfortunately there aren’t any around me. It’s such a great organization! How fun you can marry your love of fitness with helping others out by coaching. 🙂
It really is. I am such a sap, I couldn’t stop myself from getting emotional during the training. It really is a worthy cause for volunteer work. BTW, I think you’d also make a great coach.
Whooo hoo – so fun that you are on Cabot Fit again – a worthy team member for sure. And love that you are coaching a Girls on The Run Team – I’ve heard fantastic things about the program from numerous friends around the country (but I hear you about being a bit intimidated by the tweens – he he.)
Lastly, I definitely be making this recipe as I got all the ingredients on hand (and am stocking up on more Cabot cheddar today natch.)
Yeah, the tween thing. I am afraid in general for the next many years of my life considering that my girls are 7 and 9 now.
This sounds so good! The nutty rice, the creamy cheese, the positively VIRTUOUS kale… I’m in!! I coached GOTR before becoming a Mum… its so fun and so rewarding, I’m positive you will love it!
Really, you were a coach? I am so dying to go to the other coaches house right this moment to get the coach’s binder so I can memorize the first lesson plan. This is how I prepare for the unknown. I grasp at whatever I can. Ha ha. I am so sure it will be rewarding. I love everything I’ve learned from it.
I hear the word running and I run lol. I love the cheddar addition to this!
Well, I guess that’s the first step! Ha ha.
I am adding this to my repertoire because we are trying to eat less meat and this sounds delicious. Also pretty! Best of luck with the Cabot run, the girls on the run and the pile filing
Thanks so much. I need the luck you’re offering up! Ha ha!
Yum! I have to go buy cheddar so I can make this! I am not a runner any more, but I “volunteer work” co-teaching REFIT® (cardio dance fitness) classes to women in my community. We focus on the heart as a muscle and a soul. Our mission is to provide fitness, build community, and make an impact. Yes, I NEED a workout every day!