Roasted Tomato Quinoa Risotto with Homemade Pesto

I have a big day ahead of me and I decided that a great way to start my big day would be with a nice blog post about an amazing dinner.  But first, let me tell you about my big day!  I have a lunch at Due's (the famous pizza place) downtown and then Bri and I are gonna enjoy a day of walking around Chicago.  FOr dinner, I am making reservations for us at Hutch, which sounds like an amazing place to have dinner.  After all that, we are getting ready for a big birthday bash out on the town for our friend, Justin.  I am very excited about all these plans and I can't wait to spend a great day with Bri!

I love being able to spend the morning writing this post, eating some breakfast, and going for a short run.  I have been doing a lot of catching up on sleep and working out since it is my winter break.  It has been wonderful!

I have also been catching up with my cooking (and blogging!).  This recipe was a great find.  Bri chose some potential dinner ideas, and this was a huge hit.  I love cooking risotto and this is just risotto with quinoa instead of arborio rice.  It is gluten free, healthy, and absolutely delicious.  Plus, you make a homemade pesto to go with it.  What can be better than that?  Sorry, I am a huge fan of homemade dips and spreads :)

Roasted Tomato Quinoa Risotto with Homemade Pesto
(adapted from Delicieux)

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups whole cherry tomatoes
3 cloves garlic, paper on
1 tbsp olive oil
4 cups vegetable stock
1 tbsp butter
1/2 sweet onion, diced
1 1/2 cups quinoa
1/3 cup white wine
salt and pepper
Basil Pesto:
1/2 cup basil leaves, packed
2 tbsp cashews
2 tbsp parmesan cheese
2 garlic cloves
olive oil
salt and pepper

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350, place the tomatoes and whole garlic on a baking tray and toss in olive oil.  Roast for 20 minutes.
2. While tomatoes are roasting, place basil, cashews, parmesan cheese and garlic cloves for pesto in a food processor.  Process until well crushed.  Slowly pour in some olive oil until pesto comes together.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. In a pot, heat vegetable stock until simmering.
4. In another pot, melt butter over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook until translucent, about five minutes.  Take the garlic from the roasted tomatoes and squeeze the cloves from the paper.  Add them to the pot and crush them with a spoon.  Add the quinoa and cook for about 5 minutes.
5.  Add the white wine and cook until it is absorbed.  Add in 1/4 cup of vegetable stock at a time and cook until absorbed.  Continue this until quinoa is cooked all the way.  Add in the tomatoes and crush them so that juices are absorbed.  Serve topped with some pesto.

Enjoy :)