Squash & Bean Chili

Delightfulness! Have I ever cooked squash before? No. Did I buy a squash because it was on special? Yes. Wait, I have "cooked squash", just haven't cut, peeled and seeded one before.. I'm semi-lazy so usually would buy pre-cut and packaged and ready to go! Sad? Anyway... I found a recipe for "Black bean & Squash Chili" in the slow cooker but didn't have enough black beans... I did though have a can of lima beans! So I adjusted and tweaked a few different things and here's what I used and came up with!

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1/2 onion

• 2 large cloves garlic, minced

• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

• 1 15 oz can of black beans

• 1 15 oz can of lima beans

• 28 oz can of diced tomatoes

• 3 tablespoons chili powder

• 2 tablespoons cumin

• 1 tablespoon dried oregano

• 4 cups butternut squash (about 2 lb.), peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

• Salt and pepper

Preparation

1. Warm oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté onions until tender, about 3 minutes. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add bell peppers and jalapeños; sauté until tender, about 3 minutes.

2. Transfer pepper mixture to slow cooker. Stir in beans, tomatoes, chili powder, cumin and oregano. Arrange squash on top. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours.

3. Season chili with salt and pepper. Serve with sour cream, salsa and other accompaniments, if desired. (I used some Daiya shredded cheddar cheese on top). This was soooo good! :) A great cozy, warm, healthy & hearty meal on a cool fall day!

#healthymeals #vegan