Black Bean and Butternut Squash Chili

Chili always reminds me of fall.  My mom used to always make chili in the fall and I remember having it on Halloween before going out trick or treating.  Chili is a great dish because it is a complete meal that can feed a crowd without slaving over a 4 course meal.  You can make a couple different versions to serve at a party that will please everybody without breaking the bank.

This version will please carnivores and vegans alike.  This chili is filled with protein even though it does not contain any meat.  The black beans and quinoa provide complete protein and fiber.  The butternut squash adds beta carotene without a lot of calories.  Beta carotene has amazing disease-preventing functions against cancer, heart disease, and macular degeneration.  The starches in butternut squash have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and insulin-regulating properties.  The tomato sauce contains a better source of lycopene than fresh tomatoes.  Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant.  Everything about this chili provides beneficial nutrients.  That is what food is for after all…to provide our bodies with what we need to be our healthiest.

I have talked about soaking before and love to soak my nuts and grains but beans is another great ingredient that should be soaked.  Dried beans are cheaper than buying them in a can and this is a great way to make eating organic possible for you and your family if you are concerned about a budget.  There are great advantages to soaking beans.  Soaking your beans means getting rid of some of the phytates and tannins that can lower the amount of nutrients that are available to your body.  Did you know that you can also reduce flatulence by soaking beans?  Soaking beans can also reduce the amount of total carbohydrate and the carbohydrates that are left can support healthy bacteria in the large intestine.  Have you dried soaking yet?

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Course and Entrees, Soups, Stews

Cook Time 45 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Servings 8

Author Sara

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 Cups Dried Black Beans
• 3 Cups Water
• 1/2 tsp baking soda helps the beans get softer
• 1 Tbsp Coconut Oil
• 1 Large Onion Diced
• 2 Large Garlic Cloves minced
• 1 Tbsp Chili Powder
• 1/2 Tbsp Coriander dried
• 1/2 Tbsp Cumin
• 1 tsp Cayenne Pepper more or less depending how spicy you like it
• 1 Large Butternut Squash peeled, seeded, and diced (about 6 cups)
• 2 Bell Peppers seeded and diced
• 4 Cups Broth homemade preferred (vegetable or beef will work)
• 24 oz Diced Tomatoes jarred or BPA free can
• 1 1/2 Tbsp Sea Salt
• 1 tsp Black Pepper
• Cooked Quinoa optional

Instructions

1. Soak the dried black beans in the water and baking soda overnight.
2. Drain and rinse the soaked black beans.
3. In a large soup pot heat the coconut oil over medium heat.
4. Add the diced onion and bell pepper and saute about 5 minutes until onions are translucent.
5. Add the minced garlic and saute another minute.
6. Add the chili powder, coriander, cumin, and cayenne pepper and stir into the onion mixture.
7. Immediately add the rest of the ingredients.
8. Cover the chili and cook on low for about 30 minutes until the beans are cooked and the squash is soft.
9. Serve with cooked quinoa on the side or you can mix it into the chili.

Recipe Notes

If you do not want to use dried black beans you could not use the soaking method and just use 2-3 cans of drained black beans. My dried black beans made 3 1/2 cups after soaking.

This would also be great to make in the crock pot!

*Please use organic ingredients when possible.