Who loves Chili?
The Birds certainly do! It’s an all-time family favorite in my home! I really have to laugh when I think about the evolution of this dish over my lifetime. Growing up in a large family chili always included lots of spice, lots of ground beef and lots of pasta!
The first time I made chili for my husband he asked me why we were having spaghetti. Needless to say, pasta left the chili bowl pretty fast! We fast forward to today, and both the pasta and the ground beef are missing!
Now our chili has evolved into a savory soup filled with lots of butternut squash, black beans, tomatoes, onions and spice! (I have to be careful about the spice! I love it but Mr. Bird…not so much.) I think you’ll love it, and it cost just under 5.5 Steem!
Cheap and Cheerful Butternut Ancho Chili!
Prep time: ½ hours
Cooking time: 1 hour
Serves: 4
I used
- Butternut Squash (1/2 of 1)
- Fresh Tomatoes (2 medium)
- Fresh Onion (1 medium)
- Black Beans (3 cups soaked)
- Bay Leaf (1)
- Cumin (1 tsp)
- Small Sweet Peppers (5)
- Fresh Garlic (4 cloves)
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil (1tbsp)
- Ancho Chili Powder (1 tablespoon)
- Chipotle Powder (1/2 teaspoon)
- Fresh Avocado (1/2)
- Vegan Sour Cream (garnish)
Prep
1.We start by washing, peeling and chopping the Butternut squash. (Don’t forget…discard the seeds. Or better yet, dry them and plant them in your garden!). Wash and chop the peppers as well as the onions.
2.Sauté these veggies in your favorite saucepan or Dutch oven along with Olive Oil until the onions begin to look a bit translucent. Now add all of the spices except the bay leaf and continue to sauté for another minute or so. The fragrance will be wonderful!
3.While the squash is sautéing, chop the tomatoes and mince the garlic. If you’re using canned black beans make sure you wash and drain them before using them. Note: (I like to buy dry black beans and soak them overnight. Then cook them and freeze them for future dishes.)
4.Add the black beans, tomatoes, garlic and bay leaf to the squash mixture. Stir and cover. Let this simmer for about an hour. Taste periodically and add salt or additional Chili or Chipotle as desired.
Top with a dollop of sour cream and sliced avocado.
Such a savory, satisfying bowl of goodness! Enjoy!
Even though we live in a warm climate, this soup is always welcome. It’s inexpensive to make, filling and easy to make. I do hope you’ll try it and let me know what you think! Thanks @steemkitchen for hosting this fun contest! Good luck to everyone! Looking forward to seeing amazing recipes from my fellow foodies.
Thanks for stopping by!
And as always, blessings to you all!
