1 cup of arborio rice

3 cups of vegetable / mushroom stock

1/2 cup of onion, diced

1/2 cup of  fennel, diced

3 cloves of garlic, sliced

1 lemon zest

2 tablespoons of tarragon, chopped

3 tablespoons of nutritional yeast

canola / sunflower oil (or whatever oil you prefer to cook with!)

1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar

1 cup of squash (butternut works great, but you’re choice!), diced

 vegan butter

1. In a medium sized pot, add oil on medium heat and add in your onion, fennel + garlic. Add a pinch of salt and stir periodically. In a second smaller pot, add your vegetable stock and place on low heat, just enough to get warm.

2. Once your onions + garlic is aromatic, add in your balsamic vinegar and de-glaze. Continue stirring and add in squash. Continue to stir until squash gets a bit more tender.

3. Add in arborio rice and toast for two minutes on medium heat then add in just enough stock to cover rice + squash. Let liquid come to a gentle simmer and continue stirring (it's honestly just a lot of stirring TBH). Once the stock moves below the rice, add in more stock. Continue this step until rice begins to swell and become tender (if you run out of stock, just use water).

4. By now, your rice should be plump and soft (like me in my winter hibernation) and your squash should be soft and aromatic. Now you can "finish" the risotto. Add in 1/4C of vegan butter, your nutritional yeast and lemon zest and stir it around until you get the creaminess you desire. Now fold in your tarragon.

5. To plate, adjust your seasoning to your preference - make sure the rice is soft but not TOO soft. Pour into your bowl (this should be enough for two of you) and garnish with a bit of nutritional yeast, cracked black pepper + fennel frawns (those frilly tops you never know what to do with).