This creamy, dreamy meal is sure to turn around any winter blues.

That’s what it did for me.

Yes, it is true. I am not a lover of winter. I have the winter blues. I don’t dream about being knee-deep in snow during an invigorating winter hike, or swiftly skiing down a mountain of it. I don’t even want to be outside when it is lightly flurrying! I don’t love wearing scarves and boots and jackets. I’d choose to go jacket-less every day of the year if I could. I try my hardest to enjoy being inside, looking out at snow gently falling to the ground. But even that is a stretch for me.

Escaping for a week to somewhere warm this time of the year is always an option of trying to cure the winter blues. But, when you can’t do that, eating a steaming bowl of sweet potato risotto will help. I promise.

The sweet potatoes and ricotta makes this extra creamy and the roasted brussel sprouts and sage are the perfect added flavors.

Enjoy every bite, and for all others out there dreaming of warmer weather, spring is officially 16 days away!

Method

Preheat oven to 400*.

Start with:
1 medium sweet potato
1/2 lb. brussel sprouts
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

Peel and cube the sweet potato. Slice brussel sprouts. Toss sweet potato and sprouts with olive oil and season with salt pepper. Roast in preheated oven, about 30 minutes, or until sweet potato is soft and brussel sprouts are crispy. Mash or process sweet potato until smooth, using a potato masher or food processor.

Next:
3 large shallots
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 c. arborio rice
1 c. dry white wine
4 c. vegetable stock, heated
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

Thinly slice shallots. Heat about 2 Tbs. olive oil in a pan over medium-low heat. Add shallots and minced garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until slightly caramelized, about 10 minutes.

Turn heat to medium-high and add arborio rice and cook about 2 minutes. Add wine, cooking until almost completely reduced. Add warm stock, 1/2 c. at a time, to rice, waiting until absorbed to add the next 1/2 c. Stir in between each addition. When done, rice should be full, creamy and tender. This process should take about 25 minutes.

Then:
1/2 c. + 4 tablespoons ricotta cheese
10 sage leaves

When rice is finished, gently stir in mashed sweet potato, crispy brussel sprouts and 1/2 c. ricotta cheese. Spoon into an oven-safe dish and top with 4 tablespoon-sized dollops of ricotta and sage leaves. Bake at 400* for about 15 minutes.

Enjoy!