Vegan Green Risotto with Chanterelle Bacon for Lunch ( & Dinner)
There’s something magical about cooking with ingredients that only appear for a brief moment each year. Chanterelle mushrooms, fresh garden peas, and tender asparagus are among spring’s most fleeting treasures and when paired with a creamy vegan risotto, they create a meal that’s not only nourishing but deeply connected to the rhythm of the earth
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Green for Phytonutrients
This vegan green risotto is infused with spinach for color and vitality, finished with a crunch of blanched asparagus, and topped with crispy chanterelle “bacon“, a plant-based twist that brings smoky depth and seasonal reverence. The final flourish? Freshly shelled peas, whose tender bite and subtle sweetness provide a playful and grounding contrast.
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Why Cook Seasonally
Seasonal eating isn’t just a culinary trend, it’s a return to the wisdom of eating what’s fresh, local, and aligned with your environment. Foods grown in season tend to have higher nutrient content, better flavor, and a lower environmental footprint. For spring, that means green foods like spinach, asparagus, peas, and mushrooms that thrive in the cool, damp weather.
Chanterelle mushrooms, in particular are a rare delight. Their earthy aroma and meaty texture make them ideal for plant-based dishes, but they’re only available for a few weeks in spring and again in fall. Sautéed with tamari, maple, and smoked paprika, they transform into crispy, umami-rich “bacon” with no compromise on flavor. It pairs wonderfully with a spring salad. Our market had them available this last week!
It Is All in the Texture
A good risotto is about more than just taste, it’s about texture and presence. Each bite invites you to slow down: the creamy rice, the bright green crunch of asparagus, and the pop of peas offer contrast and delight. This is a dish that encourages mindfulness, grounding you in the act of eating.
Whether you’re preparing a dinner party centerpiece or simply celebrating your weekly trip to the farmer’s market, this vegan risotto recipe embodies the heart of culinary medicine food as nourishment for the mind, body, and spirit.
Please help me get the word out about plant-based healthy living so that doctors know the value of lifestyle changes by sharing this post on your social media.
1cup spinach, blanched and blended with fresh chives if you have them and 1/2 cup broth
1cup asparagus tips, blanched and chopped
1 tbsp olive oil (for finishing)
Salt to taste
Optional: fresh thyme or lemon zest or preserved lemon
Stovetop Chanterelle Bacon
1cup chanterelle mushrooms, torn
1 tsp tamari
dash smoked paprika
splash of olive oil
Instructions
Instructions 1. In a pan, sauté leek in a bit of broth until softened. 2. Add arborio rice and stir gently until slightly translucent. 3. Add warm broth in ½-cup increments, stirring slowly and often. 4. When rice is nearly al dente, stir in the spinach purée. 5. Add blanched asparagus and cook just until rice is tender and creamy. 6. Remove from heat, finish with olive oil and a pinch of salt. Garnish with lemon zest or thyme if desired.
To Make Chanterelle Bacon (Stovetop): Heat a skillet over medium. Add chanterelles with a splash of oil. Once they release moisture and begin to crisp, stir in tamari, smoked paprika, and maple syrup. Sauté until deeply browned and just crisp.
You could use any mushroom you have access to though for this.
To Serve: Spoon risotto into bowls. Top with chanterelle bacon and extra asparagus. Let each bite remind you of spring’s green promise.
Click on the image to grab the ingredients from Instacart from a list I have personally selected. The app will let you pick the store and provide a basis for the shopping and ingredient list. Then you can choose what you need. It has worked great for us.
Also, if you select the “pick up” option, which you can do on your way home from work, you may even receive a small credit on your purchases for your next visit.
To sum up, if you are a busy professional, look into Instacart to eat healthier when your schedule is hectic, either as a delivery or pick-up option.
Learning about Plant-Based Eating
Having the right resources to learn about plant-based vegan principles is important for everyone.
These books are some of my tried-and-true resources that I have repeatedly referred to over the years. Let me know if you pick any of them up and what you learn.
Join me in community!
Looking to make a positive change in your life and community clinically? Dr. SiriChand is a board-certified physician in Internal Medicine, Integrative Medicine, Lifestyle Medicine, and Hospice/Palliative Medicine. She has dedicated her career to promoting long-term vitality through the choices we make every day and is an expert in Ayurveda and plant-based nutrition.
She works with physicians to explore how to create time for self-care and how to learn to innovate in their integrative medicine careers. Take the first step towards an aligned, happier future and contact Dr. Siri Chand Khalsa today.
Let’s create a better world for female physicians through intentional, mindful living.
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Dr. Siri Chand
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May your life be nourished and vital!
*Please note as an affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases which means I will receive a small fee if you purchase them. I have only included things I truly use. This post is for educational and informational purposes only and solely as a self-help tool for your own use. I am not providing medical, psychological, or nutrition therapy advice. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting your own medical practitioner. Always seek the advice of your own medical practitioner and/or mental health provider about your specific health situation. For my full Disclaimer, please go here.
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