The Rainbow Risotto is is much loved recipe from the Village for Mama book and the Thermomix is the most loved piece of equipment in my kitchen. I will be sharing a few of the Village for Mama recipes adapted for your Thermomix starting with the Rainbow Risotto.

This colourful risotto is a wonderful, filling, postpartum dish. Combining a variety of colourful vegetables, wholesome brown rice and a healing bone broth base and this Thermomix version makes it even easier to prepare. A delicious family dinner or nourishing rainbow delivery for a new mama.

Thermomix, worth the investment?

I so often get asked if I think the Thermomix is worth it. I also constantly get messages saying ‘I don’t know how you do it’ and honestly the Thermomix falls into the top three answers to this (along with a helpful family close by and our robot vaccum!)

I feel like motherhood leaves me half way through countless tasks throughout the day and in a constant state of forgetfulness and a Thermomix is that ‘I’ve got your back’ in the kitchen. It can multitask (cook rice while steaming chicken and veg), it’s by far the most efficient blender I’ve ever used and being able to heat and blend at the same time is a game changer.

You will never burn your porridge while trying to get kids dressed in the morning and it makes following a recipe fool proof if you’re other family members aren’t so savvy in the kitchen. I’ll be honest, it was a glorified blender in our house for a long time, but now I use it 4-5 times a day and I still don’t use all the features. So if you have been weighing it up for a while, I’d say it’s absolutely worth it. I would however wait for a month where they offer a bonus jug for a heavily discounted rate or free because that’s been my only regret since investing in a Thermomix.

Now for that recipe. Enjoy mama.

Village for Mama Rainbow Risotto

A Thermomix Edition

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp ghee or coconut oil
• 1 brown onion 
• 2 cups organic brown rice (soured overnight – soak in filtered water and a tbsp apple cider vinegar)
• 3 cups chicken bone broth or vegetable stock
• 3 cups of water or more bone broth
• 100g beetroot
• 200g butternut pumpkin
• 200g sweet potato
• 2 zucchinis, grated
• 1 cup parsley, finely chopped
• 50g grass-fed butter
• 50g parmesan (optional)
• 2 tsp salt or to your taste

Thermomix Method

1. Peel and quarter the brown onion, pumpkin, sweet potato and beetroot. Quarter the zucchini.
2. Add beetroot to thermomix bowl, chop for 5 seconds, speed five. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
3. Rinse and dry jug. 
4. Add pumpkin, chop for 5 seconds, speed five. Transfer to a seperate bowl and repeat with sweet potato and zucchini without rinsing the bowl in between.
5. Add the onion, chop for 5 seconds speed five. Scrape down sides of bowl with spatula.
6. Add ghee to onion, and sauté for 5 minutes, 120°C, speed 1, until caramelised.
7. Insert the butterfly whisk attachment. Add the brown rice, chicken bone broth or vegetable stock, water, and salt to the mixing bowl. Cook for 20 minutes, 100°C, reverse speed 1.
8. After 10 minutes of cooking, add the grated butternut pumpkin, sweet potato and zucchinis through the hole in the lid. Continue cooking until the rice has absorbed all liquid.
9. Remove the butterfly whisk attachment. Add the grass-fed butter and parmesan (if using) to the mixing bowl. Mix for 1 minute, reverse speed 1, until well combined.
10. Finally, add the grated beetroot and chopped parsley. Mix gently for 30 seconds, reverse speed 1.
11. Transfer the risotto to a heat-proof jar or container and serve warm.

Recipe Notes

Can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days. To heat, add desired amount to small saucepan over low heat, stir until warm. You can also reheat in the Thermomix.

Supercharge: Stir through shredded chicken for added protein.

Sensitivity Notes: For a vegan or vegetarian, use coconut oil and swap bone broth for vegetable stock. You can replace parmesan with 3 tbsp nutritional yeast. Remove onion or replace with leek if amama is sensitive or baby has colic.