Vegan Mofo Day 21: Carrot Breakfast Risotto

Today is a cold one in Seattle. As I'm sitting here typing, little snowflakes are going by the computer room window. Fortunately, it doesn't seem to be sticking. I know that snow doesn't mean I get to miss out on making the trek into work, and I really don't want to have to mess with chains or the bus. I'd love it if the weather fit my schedule - let it snow as much as it wants next week when I have a few days off.

The pink blur is Annie in her little jacket

Cold weather doesn't make Annie slow down. She just wants to chase her ball up and down our hallway or in the backyard with Lance and Champ. Champ is a much more mellow dog and just sniffs around the yard.

About a week ago, I purchased 15 pounds of carrots. I had ambitions of soups, salads, risotto, and more. I would pick some out of the bunch during the week, but the majority of them sat in my fridge. This weekend I thought a breakfast risotto sounded really nice, so I finally got around to soaking the carrots (and an apple for the risotto) in a water and vinegar bath. It's about 1/4 cup vinegar to 1/2 a gallon of water. This bath helps get some of the bacteria, pests and residue off the surface. Apples are on the dirty dozen, the list of foods that are the most contaminated with pesticides when not organically grown. There are more than 42 recognized pesticides found on conventionally grown apples. Carrots were just recently taken off the list this year, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't purchase them from the organic section; it means the fruits and vegetables on the list this year have more than the 26 pesticides found on carrots (yikes). For more info on the dirty dozen, visit this link


I have a Jack LaLane Power Juicer I purchased around 6 years ago, well before I had ambitions of becoming a health nut and vegan. It works pretty well, but like all juicers, it's hard to clean after being assaulted with 10 pounds of carrots. It handled the carrots like a champ, and I was able to get a full cup of juice out of one Fuji apple. Not bad.


After juicing the carrots, I started food prep for the risotto and put the rest in the fridge to be used later today for a butternut carrot squash and raw vegan carrot soup.

Carrot Breakfast Risotto
serves 2 hungry people
2 Tb Olive Oil
1 cup Arborio Rice
1/3 cup Hard Apple Cider (gluten free)
2 1/2 cups Carrot Juice
1 cup Apple Juice
1 stick Cinnamon
2 generous slices fresh Ginger
1 cup Vanilla Hemp Milk
pinch salt
Maple Syrup for serving

You can use 100% pure carrot and apple juice from the grocery store if you do not have a juicer. Combine the juices in a sauce pan with the cinnamon and ginger. Increase the heat until it begins to bubble and maintain a slow bubble. This will boil over very easily, so it's important to keep it to a gentle simmer.


Once the carrots become a rich redish-orange and the cinnamon stick has begun to uncurl, heat some olive oil in a large sauce pan. When the oil is ready, add the cup of rice and stir to coat. Cook for about 2 minutes.

I have a strange sense of humor. Note the rich color of the carrot mixture.

Add the 1/3 cup of hard apple cider and cook while stirring until the rice has absorbed the cider (between 3-5 minutes).

Add the carrot and apple juice infused with ginger and cinnamon 1/2 a cup at a time, waiting for each 1/2 cup to be absorbed before adding the next.

Once the juice has been absorbed, add the Vanilla Hemp Milk, 1/2 a cup at a time.


The rice should be done. You want the rice to still be firm and have some shape to it without being the slightest bit crunchy. Serve in a bowl with a small drizzle of Maple Syrup. This is a beautiful risotto with a distinctively autumn flair.