Zucchini Risotto

I found this risotto recipe in one of the Martha Stewart cookbooks but didn't like how she did it so I made a bunch of changes.  The original recipe is in, "Food Everyday From the Kitchen of Martha Stewart Living, Great Food Fast, page 70".  This is now one of Kirks and my favorite recipes because its so light and healthy but super filling.

Here is my version:

1 large can of reduced- sodium chicken broth (i think its 22 ounces or something like that)
2.5 C water
1 T butter (when I make it for my parents I use alot more butter because my Dad likes the risotto really really creamy)
a little bit of fat free half and half (again, just depends how creamy you want the risotto)
3 large zucchini cut into cubes
lemon pepper seasoning (i use the no sodium Mrs. Dash one)
salt and pepper
1 medium size onion chopped
1 whole garlic chopped
1.5 C arborio rice
1/2 C dry white wine
shredded Parmesan cheese that you get in the deli section
1-1.5 bs ground turkey meat
garlic and onion powder
ravens powder (i get it in the land of poop at Savemart in the meat section.  If anyone needs it, I will get it for you guys because this stuff is amaze-balls!)

1. Heat the broth and 2.5 C water in a saucepan over low heat; keep warm. 

2. In a pan, saute some of the garlic.  Add the ground turkey meat and season with the garlic powder, onion powder, and ravens powder.

3.  Spray a 3 qt sauce pan with Pam.  Add the zucchini and season with salt, pepper, and lemon pepper seasoning.  I cook it until it's not quite done because the zucchini will be over the heat again and will finish cooking later.

4.  Transfer the zucchini into a bowl or plate and set aside.  In that same pan, add the onion, more garlic, and more salt and pepper.  Saute for about 5 min on low-medium heat. 

5.  Raise the heat to medium and add the rice.  Cook until the rice is translucent around the edges (make sure you stir constantly); this will take about 3-5 minutes.  Add the wine and cook until absorbed

6.  Cook the rice, adding 1 C hot broth at a time (stir lots and wait until mostly all the liquid is absorbed before adding more hot broth).  This whole process takes about 30 min.

7.  Add the meat to the rice mixture and let simmer for a couple minutes.  Add the zucchini back to the mixture and a little bit of fat free half and half (just add enough to get the creamy texture you want.  When I make this for my parents, instead of half and half, i use butter).

8.  Plate the dish and top with Parmesan.

I feel like this is a recipe that you can play around alot with and switch it up.  The next time I make it, instead of using ground turkey meat, I am going to try using shrimp.