Tasty Slimming World recipe for Butternut Squash Risotto
Risotto is one of my favourite comfort foods. It is filling, feels stodgy and can be made really easily (tips here). This butternut squash risotto recipe is one of my favourites. I love butternut squash everything if I am honest. Soup, chips, and even pasta!
This website is in no way affiliated with Slimming World and no contributors have been trained by them or worked for them. It is the reader’s responsibility to check syn values and allowances themselves on the Slimming World website as these are approximate.
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Making this risotto with pumpkin
If you fancy using a different type of squash like a pumpkin to make this risotto then go ahead and swap them around. There are very few changes you need to make as all squashes are fairly similar.
Pumpkin however does easily go a little mushy. To avoid this cook it a little less before adding it to the risotto mix. If the pumpkin ends up more of a puree in your risotto that is fine it will still taste great.
Using other squashes for risotto
If you have seen any other squash varieties in the supermarket such as harlequin then this recipe is great with those too.
Butternut squash preparation tips
If you are not used to using a butternut squash it can look a little daunting. A good potato peeler will help you out massively here.
Whatever style you prefer (prefer the Y shape one) there are so many on Amazon and so cheap that you really don’t need to keep using an old blunt one.
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I always find that cutting around the seeds is easier than trying to scoop them out but whatever you do, do not panic if you end up with a few in any recipe. They won’t do you any harm.
Is a butternut squash a speed food on Slimming World?
Yes, butternut squash is a speed food on Slimming World. It is perfect for using in meals like this to get your one third speed food in.
I have written a whole post on my experiences of the Slimming World plan and explained speed foods in more detail. If this is something you are not sure about or would be interested in reading you can find the post here. Do remember though to always check with your Slimming World consultant or on their website for anything you are unsure of.
Why you need vegetables to lose weight
If you follow the Slimming World diet you will instantly know what I am talking about when I say speed vegetables. On other plans, it could be considered a free extra or just classed as non-starchy vegetables.
Whatever it is referred to as you need to eat veggies to lose weight on the whole because they are healthy and filling for very few calories! You can try swapping things like potatoes for butternut squash and add fried onions or mushrooms to other meals.
Check out my ready-made meal plans to help you along the way with lots of my delicious healthy recipes perfect for any diet, weight loss plan or just a healthy lifestyle!
Remember to keep a check on the vitamins and minerals you consume and ensure you are eating a healthy amount of everything including calcium, vitamin c, iron, vitamin d, vitamin b12 and fibre as well as eating plenty of vegetables and fruit!
How many vegetables should I eat?
Most healthy diets and weight loss plans encourage you to eat lots of fruit and vegetables. Slimming World for example advises you to ensure that ⅓ of every meal is made up of speed foods. Other than possibly for breakfast this is likely to be vegetables! Even if you do not follow Slimming World this is still great advice for healthy living. Other plans suggest different methods of deciding on the food on your plate but all diets I have seen include a large number of vegetables.
The best vegetables are those that have a low-calorie density. Slimming World call these speed foods, other diets say non-starchy vegetables or other similar phrases. Basically, we are talking about the healthier vegetables – potatoes don’t count but butternut squash is much healthier for example!
This means if you eat 100g of spinach, for example, it is just 23 calories and obviously, 100g of anything would fill you up significantly. On the other hand, 100g of crisps, which would be just as filling, is around 536 calories!
What nutrients are in vegetables?
Whether you follow Slimming World, Weight Watchers, Noom, or any other diet, adding vegetables to your meal not only adds vitamin C and all the other nutrients that vegetables contain but will also help you lead a more balanced healthy lifestyle and potentially lose weight!
Many vegetables are also high in B vitamins, vitamin A, iron and other nutrients.
Don’t forget too that vegetables are high in fibre and as such you are less likely to get constipation and need my constipation tips!
Are frozen or canned vegetables healthy?
As long as they are not cooked or canned in any oil etc, frozen or canned vegetables have roughly the same nutritional value as of fresh vegetables and are a great way to save money and time.
If you buy vegetables that have been reduced at the end of the day you can always freeze them to use in a recipe in the future.
More recipes you might enjoy
You can find all of my butternut squash tips and recipes here.
If you don’t fancy this but would like another recipe with rice check out my huge selection of rice recipes here and check out my tips for cooking the perfect rice and my risotto guide for how to make a healthy risotto in 10 easy steps!
If you are vegetarian or want to eat more vegetarian or plant-based meals I have a full list of vegetarian and vegan recipes here.
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Have a good look around and see how I can help you achieve your weight loss goals. Request my free resources to get you started too!
Here are some quick jump buttons to help you find my most popular Slimming World guides (all unofficial) and be sure to check out all my Healthy recipes too.
Recipe
Butternut Squash Risotto Slimming World Syn free recipe
- Prep Time: 10 Minutes
- Cook Time: 40 Minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 Portions 1x
- Category: Main meal
- Method: Hob
- Diet: Low Calorie
Description
A delicious butternut squash risotto which is easy to make and Syn free on Slimming World
Instructions
Toss the butternut squash in 1 tbsp paprika, spray with low calorie cooking spray and roast in the oven or I use the Actifry until soft but still has a bite to it rather than mushy. This takes approx. 30-40 minutes depending on size of Actifry or how deep they are in oven dish etc
Allow to cook for 10 minutes before starting the following.
Spray a large frying pan with low calorie cooking spray and place over a medium heat.
Add the onion and garlic to the frying pan and stir fry for approximately 5 minutes until onion is soft and starting to brown.
Add the rice and stir fry for another 3-4 minutes.
Add two bay leaves to your jug of boiling stock and then put two ladles of the stock into the frying pan and stir frequently until the liquid is absorbed.
Add the stock one ladle at a time continually stirring and only adding the next ladle when the previous has been fully absorbed.
When you are down to the last approximately two ladles of stock remove the bay leaves and add the remaining stock, with the roasted butternut squash, 1tbsp paprika and the dried parsley (you could use fresh but I find dry as good and cheaper!). Keep stirring gently to prevent the mixture from sticking.
When all liquid is absorbed serve immediately.
Keywords: Risotto, butternut squash, Slimming World, Syn free,
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