Carrot "Rice" Leek Risotto with Bacon

Carrot “Rice” Leek Risotto with Bacon

Last week, Gina from SkinnyTaste.com was kind enough to let me hog her blog for...

Carrot "Rice" Leek Risotto with Bacon

Last week, Gina from SkinnyTaste.com was kind enough to let me hog her blog for the day and post up a recipe.

What did I choose? A true “bang for your buck” kinda meal. This risotto made of carrot rice has so much flavor (thanks to the leeks and bacon) that you truly won’t realize that you’re eating one of the most mundane vegetables out there: carrots.

Carrot "Rice" Leek Risotto with Bacon

I don’t mean to bash carrots – I eat them a lot! I love dipping carrots in guacamole and hummus. Actually, Dos Caminos (a Mexican chain restaurant) offers crunchy veggies instead of chips with their guacamole, which I really dig. It’s tough to pass up chips and guac.

Otherwise, carrots are kind of a second thought – chopped in a stew, sliced over a salad or floating as cubes in a soup.

Carrot "Rice" Leek Risotto with Bacon

But, I think carrots are going to make a comeback. It’s too bad that carrots are in their prime season during late summer and early fall. Luckily, carrots are such a staple veggie that they’re available year-round at farmer’s markets!

I love what Marc Forgione does with his carrots at his steakhouses (American Cut) – they’re giant and baked for a while so that your knife slices through it like butter – soft and almost creamy. Such a decadent way to enjoy a carrot.

Carrot "Rice" Leek Risotto with Bacon

This carrot rice is spring-friendly with the fresh leeks and hearty with the bacon. The bacon allows us not to have to use added oil – the fats from the bacon are enough to cook the rice with.

Side note: lately, I’ve been going light on the olive oil and preferring vegetable or chicken broth instead. It saves some calories and feels better on the tummy (I get an upset stomach from eating too much oil!)

The rice doesn’t taste too carrot-like, it’s strange. It’s almost tough to explain, because it’s light we’re creating new types of foods with veggies!

Carrot "Rice" Leek Risotto with Bacon

I enjoyed this as leftovers, too! It keeps its flavor and doesn’t get soggy. I actually tried some with breakfast (alongside some eggs) and I was in heaven. Veggies for breakfast? That’s kinda my jam.

You can find this recipe over at SkinnyTaste.com!

 

Carrot "Rice" Leek Risotto with Bacon

Carrot "Rice" Leek Risotto with Bacon

Carrot "Rice" Leek Risotto with Bacon

with love, Ali

leave a comment

comments

  • I'm eagerly awaiting arrival of my machine - but I can't see how you turned the spirals into rice?
  • Was looking for a side for Easter.. and now I have it! Thanks!
  • You're going to laugh, but I love carrots so much that I eat them with breakfast! Raw sliced carrots next to my toast + avocado. I would love a dish like this that made them the star!
  • Looks delicious! I wish I could get my boyfriend to eat more spiralized veggies. He seems to have a mini panic attack when he realizes we're having a dish without pasta, rice or potatoes in it lol!!
  • This looks delicious! I read through the recipe a couple of times, but I couldn't figure out how to prep the leeks. I assume I just throw them in the pan with a little oil?
    • ETA: Duh, I found the part where you throw in the leeks! This is what happens when you comment on a post after having woken up at 3 something in the morning! LOL
  • I can't wait to try this recipe. I'm doing Dr Wahl's paleo and your website has been so helpful! I was wondering. Is it possible to make a carrot 'rice' pudding? So many of us doing AI Paleo struggle with breakfast. This seems like it would be a perfect compromise.
    • I have a rice pudding using plantains, you can find that recipe here http://www.inspiralized.com/2014/04/06/coconut-plantain-rice-pudding/ - it's Paleo friendly :)
  • That looks amazing! What a fun recipe. I've had a spirilizer in my cart over at WS for weeks just staring at me.
  • have made this twice ....absolutely delicious!!! Thank you for all these wonderful recipes!
  • I am new to spiralizing, I wasn't sure I would use the machine often enough to justify the purchase but I may be falling into the trance. Anything with bacon gets my attention so I made this recipe to test something with carrots, my husband ate most of it so I had to go to the store for MORE carrots so I could have some, I didn;'t chop the spirals into rice bits, my carrots were small and mostly made "C's", then I got lazy and didn't want to wash a food processor. (Remember, I'm the one who had to go get more carrots!) I also chopped the bacon before I cooked it, added more garlic, used chicken stock as I didn't have veg stock, then added the bacon back in with the 1/2 cup stock. It was YUMMY!!!!!
  • OMGosh! I almost swooned at the first bite! What a delectable dish! Just wish I had tripled the recipe......next time for sure.