Pumpkin and Zucchini Risotto

I'm here again, talking about pumpkin...again! (Always the Japanese one, which is low-FODMAP)

I cannot stay away from this glorious low FODMAP companion during the cooler months. It's sweet. It's versatile, creamy, doesn't break the bank, low in calories, and low FODMAP. Pure perfection!

In Italy, we like risotto all year round, but I would say that during the fall, we give our best, especially because it's mushroom season, and we match this amazing ingredient with so many other beautiful elements, even pumpkin.

In this case, as long as we have to, unfortunately, avoid mushrooms, I replaced them with my beloved zucchini. I even added some fresh rosemary to infuse the oil, which gave my dish a beautiful twist. In this case, I used some pumpkin flesh that I had in the freezer, precooked from a few weeks before, and it made my meal fast and exquisite.

Freezing the cooked pumpkin in portions is a time-saving and convenient way to always prepare it for soup, risotto, pasta, or just as a side to some proteins. You need to reheat it in the microwave for a few minutes, and it's ready to sweeten up your day!

Even though I'm now in Amsterdam, I keep cooking Mediterranean dishes as I find it's the diet my body can handle best, avoiding high-FODMAP ingredients. Sometimes it gets harder to find IBS-friendly ingredients, as it's the land of cabbages, cauliflowers, broccoli, and all those forbidden delicious vegetables. On the other side is even the land of potatoes, so I get to enjoy this lovely tuber as often as the locals do!

I loved the result. It was creamy and warm, perfect for a gloomy fall day in the Netherlands. Buon appetito!

Makes: 2 servings
Serving size: a plate each
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes

Ingredients for pumpkin and zucchini risotto

• 5 oz of zucchini
• 5/6 oz of pumpkin flesh
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 little sprig of fresh rosemary (otherwise, half a teaspoon of the dehydrated one)
• 6 oz of rice for risotto (arborio or vialone nano)
• 1 glass of white wine
• 2 spoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons of grated Parmigiano
• 1 tablespoon of butter
• 2.5 cups of stock/broth
• salt to taste
• pepper to taste

Directions for pumpkin and zucchini risotto

1. Put the stock to boil
2. Wash the rosemary and dry it
3. Wash the zucchini and dice them
4. Put the oil in a pan and add the garlic and the rosemary
5. Brown the garlic, then add the zucchini to the pan
6. Remove the garlic and the rosemary
7. After 5 minutes, add the rice to the zucchini
8. Toast the rice for a couple of minutes (It should take about 16 minutes to cook to have it "al dente")
9. Add the white wine
10. Let the alcohol evaporate
11. Add the pumpkin flesh
12. Proceed with adding a scoop of stock every couple of minutes
13. Taste the risotto halfway through cooking and adjust with salt
14. Add the pepper
15. Once al dente, turn off the heat and add butter and Parmigiano and stir vigorously to make it creamy