Sweet Potato & Brown Rice Risotto

 I was intrigued by this beautiful Beet Risotto on ktmade.com, but by the time I got around to making it, my beets had gone bad. Instead of tossing the idea, I totally revamped it using a sweet potato left over from a previous recipe. 

This recipe is perfect for those who have dairy sensitivities or are vegan. This risotto is a lot different than my normal risottos: it is creamier and a little sweeter (because of the coconut milk), and definitely better as a side dish than a main dish, but tastes great as leftovers. I encourage you to give it a try if you are looking for a fun twist on risottos.

Ingredients

• Olive oil
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 white onion, chopped
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped into small pieces
• 3 cups vegetable broth (split use)
• 1 Tbsp white wine vinegar
• 15 oz. can coconut milk (do not strain)
• 2 cups medium- or long-grain brown rice
• salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. Heat medium size stockpot over medium heat.
2. Add oil, then garlic and onion. Cook until onion has softened, about 5 minutes.
3. Reduce heat slightly if necessary to avoid burning. Add sweet potato and 1 cup of the vegetable broth. Cover and cook until sweet potato has softened (pierce-able with a fork), about 5 minutes.
4. Reduce heat to medium low. Add vinegar, rice and coconut milk. Stir well. Cover and let cook, stirring two to three times, until most liquid has been absorbed.
5. Add the other 2 cups of vegetable broth, stir well, and recover until most of the liquid has been absorbed and rice is cooked.
6. Uncover, turn heat to low, and let rest of liquid cook off – about 2-3 minutes.
7. Remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper.