White Wine Mushroom Cauliflower “Rice” Risotto with Lemon Pesto

For the Chickpeas: 

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a sheet tray with parchment paper and place the chickpeas that have been strained and patted dry onto the tray. Season with olive oil, salt, pepper, and any seasoning you want (I like curry powder and smoked paprika). Bake for about 25 minutes until golden brown and crispy, stirring once halfway through. 

For the Bowl: 

Heat a medium pot over medium high heat. Add a tbsp of olive oil and the sliced mushrooms. Sauté for about 10 minutes until beginning to brown, stirring every few minutes. Meanwhile, snap the ends off of the asparagus and then cut the asparagus into 1 inch pieces. Add the asparagus after the mushrooms have browned, stirring often, and cook for about 5-7 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for one minute. Add the white wine to deglaze the pan. Cook for 1 minute, then add the frozen cauliflower rice. Sauté until the cauliflower has thawed and softened slightly (about 5-7 minutes). Next, add in the cheeses. Season with salt and pepper. Add in a few spoonfuls of the herb sauce, saving some for garnish. 

For the Sauce: 

In a food processor, combine all the ingredients for the basil sauce *I add an ice cube to emulsify the mixture and solidify the chlorophyll*. If the mixture looks too thick you can add more olive oil. Taste for seasoning and add more salt/pepper/honey if need be. 

Serve each plate with a spoonful herb sauce and crispy chickpeas, enjoy!