Sometimes I just crack myself up – especially when cooking. Because I’ll either throw in an ingredient that isn’t on the ingredient list or forget to do something that I was supposed to do and somehow, magically, it all works out.
Take this dish for example. My friend Dana served it to me on Thursday; she sent me the recipe. I didn’t have a couple of the ingredients so I improvised. Then I almost let it burn (beans in anything on a burner often BURN!) and forgot to add the water, and somehow magically, it all worked out.
This was a recipe I knew my she-wants-to-be-a-vegetarian-until-she-realizes-she-can’t-eat-Chick-fil-A-daughter would like. She loved it. As did the rest of the fam.
Vegetarian Butternut Squash & Black Bean Chili
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or coconut oil
- 1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed (you’ll sometimes find this already done at your local grocery store)
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground red pepper
- 2 tablespoon ground cumin
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- Two 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained
- 3 tablespoons of sun-dried tomatoes with chipotle (If you can find it. I found it in a jar at Kroger with the other sun-dried tomatoes.)
- 1 tablespoon honey
- toppings: sliced avocado, goat cheese or cheddar cheese, green onions or cilantro, jalapeño, sliced radishes, tortilla chips
Directions
- First, pop the butternut squash in the microwave for about 2-3 minutes. In a dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Then put squash, the onion and bell pepper in the skillet and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the garlic, tomato paste, chile powder, and cumin. Add salt and pepper to taste and stir it all together. Add tomatoes, black beans, honey, and 2 cups of water and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook over low heat for 30 minutes, until the butternut squash is very tender.
- Check for seasoning and add more salt and chili powder as needed.
READ MORE: America in a Bowl – Soup and Chili Bucket List