Battle blood pressure with creamy carrot risotto

Just because you're trying to manage your blood pressure, doesn't mean you have to say goodbye to rich and creamy foods. Try this sunny risotto with carrots recipe when you're craving something savoury and satisfying.

Preparation time 15 minutes; Cooking time 35 minutes; Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 10 ml (2 tsp) olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 large carrots, cut into 0.5-cm (1/4-in) dice
• 250 g (1 c) arborio rice
• 125 ml (1/2 c) dry white wine
• 1 can (400 ml/14 1/2 oz) reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 250 ml (1 c) carrot juice
• Salt to taste
• 50 g (1/4 c) grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 ml (1/4 tsp) pepper

Instructions:

1. In medium nonstick pot, heat oil over moderate heat. Add onion and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add carrots and sauté until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Add rice, stirring to coat
2. Add wine and cook, stirring occasionally, until evaporated by half, about 2 minutes
3. In medium bowl, combine broth, carrot juice, 125 millilitres (1/2 cup) water and salt. Add broth mixture, 125 millilitres (1/2 cup) at a time, to rice and cook, stirring, until absorbed, before adding the next 125 millilitres (1/2 cup). Total time will be about 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in Parmesan cheese and pepper

• For a deeper colour and more Spanish flavour, add a pinch of saffron threads to the broth mixture in Step 3
• To cut calories even more without sacrifice, substitute 30 millilitres (2 tablespoons) of a stronger cheese, such as Romano, for the Parmesan
• This is a good dish to make when you have friends or family in the kitchen with you. Have one of them do the stirring!

• The beta-carotene in carrots that is so good for vision is equally important for healthy skin and hair. One cup of cooked carrots provides three times the recommended intake of beta-carotene
• Carrots were known to the Greeks and Romans, although they were not widely used in Europe until the Middle Ages. Early varieties were red, purple or black; the familiar orange variety was developed in Holland in the 17th century

Each serving provides:

Key nutrients:

• 320 Calories
• 45 Calories from Fat
• 5 g Fat
• 2 g Saturated Fat
• 0 g Trans Fat
• 9 g Protein
• 65 g Carb
• 3 g Fibre
• 135 mg Sodium

Blood pressure nutrients: 

• 10 mg Vitamin C
• 19 mg Magnesium
• 403 mg Potassium
• 73 mg Calcium

Eating healthy doesn't have to mean eating boring. The moment you take a bite of this rich-tasting, aromatic risotto you'll forget how healthy it is.

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