Vegetable Paella

I know this won't win any authenticity awards, but I thought this was a tasty vegan take on a classic dish.

1 cup arborio rice (the kind you use for risotto)

1 TBS olive oil

4 cups vegetable broth

8 ounces of artichoke hearts, broken apart

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 yellow onion, diced

1 cup green peas

1 can fire roasted tomatoes

1 cup of carrots, cut into thin rounds

12 asparagus spears, diced

4 cloves of garlic, minced

some saffron threads (to taste/budget)

1 tsp smoked paprika

1/4 tsp cayenne (or more if you like spicy stuff)

salt to taste

Cook the pepper and onion in the oil until the onion is translucent. Add carrots and cook for another few minutes, allowing the carrot to soften. Add everything except for the peas and asparagus, and cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes, stirring often. You may need to add more broth, depending on how thirsty your rice is. Add the peas and asparagus and cook for another 10 minutes or until rice is done.

We loved it and rated it a 4.5 out of 5.

It makes 4 generous servings.

Calories: 274
Fat: 3.9 g
Carbs: 53.4 g
Fiber: 11g
Sugars: 10.3 g
Protein: 8 g
Vitamin A: 119%
Vitamin C: 116%
Calcium: 7%
Iron: 24%