This is one of our all-time-favorites…Roasted Butternut Squash Vegetarian Chili!    It is another ‘healthy…but oh-so-yummy‘ meal!  I cannot tell you how many moving parties we have showed up to with a crockpot of veggie chili.  Spring, summer, fall, winter—this fits the bill.  You can feed quite a crowd with this recipe.  I already have this recipe in the rotation for the week prior to Christmas; maybe that will be the day I wrap presents.

Fill out the menu with a simple tossed salad and cornbread. *Be sure to check back tomorrow for Shauna Jared’s recipe for cornbread…it was passed down to her from her daddy!*

1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, chopped (about 1″x1″)
3-5 tablespoons olive oil, divided as needed
½ teaspoon cinammon and ½ teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated if possible
½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil, additional as needed
1 large onion, chopped * these veggies should be chopped fairly large, about 1″ x 1″
1 red bell pepper, chopped *
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped *
1 green bell pepper, chopped *
6-8 baby bella mushrooms, chopped *
1 medium zucchini, chopped *

1 (15-ounce) cans black beans
1 (15-ounce) can dark red kidney beans
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans
1 bag frozen white&yellow corn
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1+1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 (29 ounce) can of crushed tomatoes, undrained
1-2 cups of vegetable broth (start with 1 cup; can always add more)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400.  Line medium-sized,rimmed baking sheet with foil (for easy clean-up). Mix chopped butternut squash with 1 tablespoon olive oil, cinammon and nutmeg.  Pour onto foil-lined baking sheet.  Bake for 15 minutes.  Remove from oven and set aside.

Turn crockpot on HIGH.  In a large saute pan, lightly brown the veggies (peppers, onion, mushrooms, zucchini), approximately 4 minutes per batch. As the veggies get done, they can be poured into the crockpot.  Don’t overcrowd the saute pan; put only as much as will cover the bottom of the pan.  The veggies can be cooked together in any combination.  Add additional olive oil as needed.

In the meanwhile, open the cans of beans, pour into a colander, rinse with warm water and set aside to drain. Also, the frozen corn can be place in a microwave-safe bowl and warmed for 3-4 minutes.

Once the veggies are sauteed and in the crockpot, stir in the seasonings (garlic through black pepper).  Then add the crushed tomatoes and broth; mixing well. Finally, gently stir in the butternut squash.  Cover crockpot and walk away for 2 hours.  Reduce heat to low and give a good,  quick stir; cook on low for an additional 2-3 hours.

* Note: the veggies for this recipe should be chopped fairly large, about 1″ x 1.”

There are lots of ideas for topping chili (when I asked Robert what his favorite topping was, he said “How many can I have?”)  Usually, I will put out a tray of small bowls filled with a variety of the following.  Let me know if you can think of others!  And because this recipe is made from scratch, has natural ingredients, and little fat , keeping it healthy…but oh-so-yummy the toppings are where you can splurge just a little bit!

• sour cream
• shredded cheddar or jack cheese
• diced jalapenos
• slices of avocado
• salsa
• corn chips
• chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

God loves you!  and I do, too!

Coleen <3