December 22, 2024

GCH: What’s on Your Plate? – Butternut Squash Vegetarian Chili

November 26, 2012 by

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

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GCH: What’s on Your Plate? – Moroccan Vegetable Stew

November 8, 2012 by

Let me start off by saying, I have NO idea if this stew actually has anything to do with Morocco. That’s what my Mom called it, and since I never saw the recipe written down, I took her word on it and the name stuck. Apologies if you are of Moroccan descent and you don’t recognize this as something you would ever eat!

Whatever you end up calling this, the fact remains that a simple vegetable stew is always a welcome dinner at our house, especially in the fall. The combination of lentils and butternut squash gets all soft and earthy-sweet, while the green beans add texture. The only things besides veggies are chicken broth (or vegetable broth, if you are vegan) and Madras curry paste.

A quick note about curry (and next week I’ll get into more depth): curry comes from the Indian word “kari”, which simply means “sauce”. There is no one kind of curry – rather, there are hundreds of variations, and you can buy prepared curry in powder, paste, or sauce form. In this recipe, I use Madras curry paste, which is pretty mellow and has a good balance of tangy, spicy, and a little sour. Feel free to use any curry powder or paste you like, but not Thai curry, since most of that is coconut-based.

As far as the veggies you use, feel free to add, subtract, or substitute here. I think diced carrots or tiny cauliflower florets would be good, and you could double up on the tomatoes if you wanted to. If you don’t like lentils, try it with a can of chickpeas instead. Have fun with it!

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Moroccan Vegetable Stew

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 small butternut squash, or 1 pound fresh butternut squash chunks, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1 cup lentils, any kind (I used red, but brown or french green work well too)
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 large potato, any kind, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1 14-oz. can tomatoes (I like fire-roasted, but any diced tomatoes work)
  • 1 32-oz. carton chicken broth
  • 1 heaping tablespoon Madras curry paste (if using curry powder, use 2 tablespoons)
  • 12 oz. fresh green beans (or frozen) cut into 1-inch pieces
  • salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Prepare the squash: cut off the peel, remove the seeds, and chop into bite-sized pieces. In a large pot with a lid, heat the vegetable oil, then sauté the squash, onion, and potato for 5 minutes.
  2. Add the lentils and stir to combine, then stir in the tomatoes. Cover with chicken broth – about 1 – 2 cups, just level with the top of the vegetables. Turn the heat to low and let simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  3. Stir in the curry paste and green beans. Make sure the curry gets broken up and doesn’t sink to the bottom of the pot! Add more broth if you need to. Cover and let cook until green beans are just done – you want them to be al dente – about 15 – 25 minutes. If you are using frozen green beans, stir them in frozen, but only cook for 5 or 10 minutes – they shouldn’t be mushy.
  4. Taste for salt and pepper. Add more curry if you like!

If you are a vegetarian, or are making this for Meatless Mondays, serve it with bread and some sliced fruit. You could also make it a side dish, with grilled chicken and a salad. And like most stews, this is even better the next day!

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— Dana Kim (also blogs as the Maven of Make-Do at http://frugalgirlmet.blogspot.com)

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