Baked Carrot and Feta Risotto and random musings

We had a conversation with Sylvia the other night about what we do that is good for the environment.  There is so much that we can do for the environment.  It is a bit like having another baby with so many needs and so many options.  My regrets on activities I didn't offer Sylvia in her preschool years are eased by knowing that I did lots of fun things with her.  Likewise I know that I have managed to do some things for the environment if not everything.  Little victories.

Here is a list of some of the things we discussed with Sylvia:

• Eating vegetarian.
• Cooking a lot of food at home to minimise packaging.
• Using leftovers as much as possible rather than throwing out food.
• Cycling, walking or taking public transport when possible.
• Looking after our plants in the backyard.
• Using our curbside rubbish collection to recycle as much paper, plastic and green waste as possible.
• We don't have a clothes dryer or a dishwasher.
• Turning off lights when not in a room.
• Buying food at farmers markets.

A lot of this sounds like common sense to me.  Yet at the same time, today as I shopped at CERES Farmers Market I felt pleased that I am shopping at farmers markets regularly, making my own sourdough bread and growing lemons and limes in my backyard.  This is the sort of lifestyle I aspired to as a young adult but just could not imagine.  And while I don't have my own water tanks, solar panels and focus on indigenous plants in our yard, I feel like I am making progress with caring for the environment.

And being environmentally aware is not all serious and grim.  Farmers markets offer lots of interesting locally grown produce.  I have recently posted about my fun cooking with purple potatoes.  Today I bring you a risotto that features both orange and yellow carrots from the farmers market.

I made it a few weeks back when I needed to make a meal in advance for a busy night.  It was also execllent when we had Sylvia's friend over for a sleepover and wanted something simple to serve.  (The girls had pasta with creamy sauce and vegies on the side.)

I had carrots and feta to use up as well as many lemons on the tree.  I really liked the sound of Joanne's risotto with carrots and feta, but Lorraine's 'forget about it three cheeses risotto' seemed a good way to give me a bit of extra time by baking rather than hovering around the stovetop.

The salty feta and sweet carrots worked together brilliantly, with just a little extra baking needed so all the water was absorbed.  At first I thought perhaps all the feta made it too salty but the final dish was so moreish that I would do it the same all over again.  And probably will.  I will also be trying different flavours in baked risottos, this promising to be the first of many.

Before I go, because I have been rambling, I will continue to digress with a few random moments from today that amused me:

• I love listening to Greg Champion of the Coodabeens on the radio when he sings his satirical songs.  Today he sang a song about FIFA corruption to the tune of the Monkees I'm a Believer and managed to rhyme "caught in Geneva" with FIFA.  It was brilliant.
• Possibly all the talk of corruption in soccer got Sylvia thinking.  She asked if you wear socks to play soccer.  Actually it seems that 'soccer' comes from the work as'soc'iation.
• Tonight I read Sylvia some of the Nancy Drew's The Secret of the Old Clock that she is reading.  At one point Nancy Drew had cinnamon cake with apple sauce.  Sylvia turned to me and said, that's just like us.  It was nice to feel that she felt akin to Nancy Drew for all the good food rather than envious.  After all we had chocolate pudding for sweets tonight!

I am sending this risotto to Jac for Meat Free Mondays, to Elizabeth's Kitchen for No Waste Food Challenge, to Cindy for Gluten Free Fridays #144, and to Vanesther (and Louise) for the Italian Challenge of the Family Foodies event.

Previously on Green Gourmet Giraffe:
One year ago: Street Art in Melbourne #8 miscellaneous
Two year ago: RR Brown butter picklets (not pikelets)
Three years ago: Chocolate macaroons and the wee rascal
Four years ago: CC Moody Blues - the juice and the colour
Five years ago: Sophie's moreish tofu - adapted
Six years ago: Blueberry Soup with Heavenly Yoghurt
Seven years ago: Promoting Promite
Eight years ago: Fruity caulifower chowder

Baked Carrot and Feta Risotto
Adapted from Not Quite Nigella and Eats Well with Others
Serves 6

2-3 tsp olive oil
1 leek, sliced
4 carrots (orange and yellow), diced
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
4 cups stock
200g feta cheese, crumbled (or less)
1-2 tbsp chopped parsley
juice of 1 lemon

Preheat oven to 180 C (or 200 C if you have a slow oven like mine).

Fry leek and carrot in oil over medium heat for about 10 to 15 minutes or until carrots are tender.  Stir in arborio rice for about 1 minute.  Scrape rice mixture into a baking dish (about 9 x 13 inch) and mix with stock, feta, parsley and lemon juice.  Cover with foil.

Bake for 40 to 60 minutes.  It is ready when the liquid has been absorbed.  (This took 60 minutes in my oven but I would advise to check at 40 minutes and decide if it needs more time at this stage.)

On the stereo:
The Basement Tapes Raw: Bob Dylan