Dining with an Ostomate - Butternut squash and sage risotto

Debbie, our resident ‘chef to the Ostomates’, is back this month with another tasty and nutritious recipe she’s been making following an ileostomy earlier this year. This week’s recipe is a tasty looking butternut squash and sage risotto.

“Squash is easily digested from early on as an Ostomate, and makes a nice change from carrot or parsnip!”

Debbie

The health benefits of butternut squash are pretty well documented – they’re rich in fibre, vitamins (including A, B, C and E) and minerals such as calcium, magnesium and zinc. Just 3 tablespoons will count as one of your 5-a-day.

As well as also being good for your immune system and bone health, butternut squash is great for digestion – on account of all that fibre!

Butternut squash and sage risotto 

Serves 4, easily halved

Ingredients 

1kg butternut squash, peeled and cut into bite size chunks

3 tbsp. olive oil

1 small bunch sage, leaves picked, half chopped and half left whole

1.5 litres vegetable stock

50g butter

1 onion, finely chopped

300g risotto rice

1 small glass white wine

50g parmesan cheese (or a vegan alternative)

Method

1. Before you make the risotto, heat the oven to 220 degrees celsius (fan 200 /gas mark 7). Toss the squash in 1 tbsp. of the oil together with the chopped sage. Scatter into a shallow roasting tin and roast for 30 mins until it is brown and soft.
2. While the squash is roasting, prepare the risotto. Bring the stock to the boil, and keep it on a low simmer. In a separate pan, melt half the butter over a medium heat. Stir in the onions and sweat gently for 8 to 10 mins until soft but not coloured, stirring occasionally. Stir the rice into the onions until completely coated in the butter, then stir continuously until the rice is shiny and the edges of the grain start to look transparent.
3. Pour in the wine and simmer until totally evaporated. Add the stock, a ladleful at a time and stirring the rice over a low heat for 25 to 30 mins, until the rice is cooked ‘al dente’. The risotto should be creamy and slightly soupy. When you draw a wooden spoon through it, there should be a wake that holds for a few minutes but not longer.
4. At the same time, gently fry the whole sage leaves in a little oil ‘til crisp, then set aside on a kitchen paper. When the squash is cooked, mash half to a rough puree and leave half whole. When the risotto is just done, stir through the puree, then add the cheese and butter and leave to rest for a few mins. Serve the risotto scattered with the whole chunks of squash and the crisp sage leaves.

Thoughts on food and cancer? Perhaps a recipe you wish to share? Go ahead and do so using the comments section below. You might also like to join our Ileostomy, colostomy and stoma support group to talk to other Ostomates.