Mushroom risotto

150g chestnut mushrooms

1 onion

2 cloves garlic

1 x 15ml spoon olive oil

250g risotto rice

1 x 5ml spoon vegetable stock powder or 1 stock cube

1-1.5 litres water, boiling

1 x 15ml spoon parmesan

1 x 10ml spoon thyme

Chopping board, knife, garlic press, weighing scales, measuring spoons, frying pan, wooden spoon, kettle, measuring jug.

1. Prepare the ingredients:

• peel and chop the onion;
• slice the mushrooms;
• peel and crush the garlic;
• grate the cheese;
• chop the thyme.

2. Fry the onion and garlic in the oil until softened.
3. Add the mushrooms, and fry for another 2 minutes.
4. Stir in the rice.
5. Mix the stock powder with the water.
6. Add a little of the stock to the rice - a little at a time. Wait for the stock to be absorbed, stirring constantly.
7. Continue adding the stock until the rice cooks – this will take 20-25 minutes. The rice should be soft, but still retain a nutty bite.
8. Stir in the parmesan and thyme into the rice.

• Try using different ingredients, such as chicken, prawns or Mediterranean vegetables.
• Use different herbs and spices e.g. basil, parsley or chilli.

Why not use the Explore Food calculator, the British Nutrition Foundation's free online nutritional analysis programme, to calculate the nutritional information for this and other Food - a fact of life recipes?