Vegan Risotto

4 cups stock (veggie or mushroom)
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1/2 head celery, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 3/4 cups arborio rice
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups dry white wine (I use Two Buck Chuck Sauvignon Blanc)
1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp. olive oil
Fresh basil or parsley, chopped, for sprinkling on top
optional ingredients: fresh or rehydrated dried mushrooms, whole cloves of roasted garlic, chopped sauteed spinach and olives, chunks of pre-cooked pumpkin or squash, really any veggie of choice.

Makes 4-6 servings (nutrition info for 4 servings)
1. Heat stock in saucepan to near-boiling.
2. Heat 1 tbsp. olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Add onion, celery and garlic. Cook until soft, 10-15 minutes. Add rice, salt and pepper, cook one minute, or until rice is slightly translucent, stirring constantly. Turn up heat to medium high.
3. Add wine and cook until absorbed, stirring constantly. Stir in a pinch of salt.
4. Add one ladle of stock (1/3 to 1/2 cup), cook until absorbed, stirring constantly. After stock is absorbed, add another ladlefull. This process should take 15 minutes or so. If you're using any, add optional ingredients about halfway through the stock.
5. When all the stock is absorbed, turn off the heat, put on the lid and let it sit for 3 minutes. Then take off the lid and stir in the rest of the olive oil. Stir and serve with chopped fresh basil or parsley sprinkled on top.

Number of Servings: 4

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user LMO9138.