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Healthy Vegetarian Paella with Artichoke Hearts
Paella is a dish which lends itself to an endless number of variations. This classic rice dish from the Valencia region of Spain can be made with virtually any seafood, meat or vegetables you happen to have on hand and it will be equally delicious. It is relatively easy make, although it can be a little time consuming to do so.
This vegetarian recipe is a case in point. It packs a lot of nutrition and a lot of flavor into a single dish meal which will be loved even by the most hardcore of carnivores - such is the magic of paella, it seems. Unless you have a serious aversion to rice in general, this is a dish you will love and it is a great way to get children to eat their vegetables as well.
This makes a wonderful main dish for a leisurely weekend lunch or dinner, but you can make it any night of the week. Served with a vegetable or a salad on the side, it is a full meal; not that this vegetarian paella is not a satisfying meal all by itself.
Vegetarian Paella
Ingredients -
1 cup white rice
2 cups boiling water
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 tomato, diced
1 cup peas
1 cup artichoke hearts, quartered (fresh is best, but canned will do fine if you don't have time to cook artichokes before making this dish)
2 cups vegetable broth
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp paprika
A pinch of saffron
Preparation:
Begin by boiling water - mix this with the rice and set aside, covered, for 20 minutes. In the meantime, you can prepare your vegetables. Pour off the water from the rice after 20 minutes.
Next, sauté the onion and garlic until they turn translucent, stirring regularly to avoid burning. Add the tomato and peppers and sauté for another few minutes until the peppers are tender.
Add the rice and vegetable broth along with the paprika, salt and saffron and bring the paella to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover, adding the peas and artichoke hearts before covering.
Cook for 20 minutes, or until the rice is tender and has absorbed all of the broth. Let stand for a few minutes and serve hot with lemon wedges.
(Serves 2)
Photo Description:
Maybe you do not love vegetables. Not everyone does. However, even if you don't this is one recipe where you definitely won't mind them being around; in fact, this vegetarian paella recipe is so good that it could start to change your mind about vegetables overall. Easy to make, delicious and dare we say it, healthy, this is a paella recipe which is well worth making in your own kitchen. Your family will love it, even if they are not the biggest fans of vegetables either. Once you have tried it, you will want to make it again, guaranteed.
