Whether you use dried or canned beans and fresh or frozen tomatoes and chilies, this recipe will yield 8 delicious servings of hot spicy stew.

This spicy vegetarian stew can be made ahead of time and rewarmed, perfect for a cold winter day. Serve with crusty bread or chips and a green salad for a complete meal.

Benefits of Butternut Squash

Butternut squash is a New World vegetable known as a “winter squash.” It has deep orange flesh and a hard skin, which makes it easy to store in the pantry during the winter, unlike the summer squashes that are too tender to last in storage. Its curvy figure makes it easily recognizable as a member of the gourd family and a cousin to melons and cucumbers. Nutritionally, it is rich in anticancer carotenoids and vitamin C as well as potassium, calcium and fiber.

Black Beans for Fiber

Black beans have long been a staple on Mexican, Central American and South American tables. Also known as Mexican or black turtle beans, these legumes are a valuable source of protein, fiber, minerals and B vitamins.

Prep Time Depends on Ingredients

The preparation and cooking time for this stew varies, depending on the ingredients you use. Fresh, locally grown vegetables are difficult to find this time of year, but if you've planned ahead, you may have everything you need on hand.

Winter stew ingredients are available canned, dried, frozen, fresh. If you use dried beans, they will need to be prepared ahead of time, using 1 cup of uncooked beans for the 2 cans the recipe calls for. If you use frozen tomatoes and chilies, the cooking time will be less if they are thawed first, but they can go right from the freezer to the pot if you have the time to stir and wait.

Butternut squash are peeled most easily with a carrot peeler. Peel, cut in half, remove seeds and stringy pulp and dice into 1/2-inch chunks.

Ingredients:

• 4 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 med. butternut squash, peeled and cubed
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 3 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 28-oz can tomatoes
• 1 4-oz can green chilies, diced
• 1 cup vegetable broth (may also use water, or water and bullion)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 15-oz cans black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• sour cream

Directions:

1. In a large pot, cook the squash in 2 t. olive oil until golden.
2. While it is cooking, dice carrots and onion.
3. Set squash aside and brown carrots and onion in 2 additional teaspoons olive oil.
4. Add chili powder and stir and cook one minute more.
5. Add tomatoes and chilies (and their liquid), vegetable broth and salt.
6. Heat to boiling, then simmer, covered.
7. Stir in beans and squash. Return to boiling, cover and simmer 15 minutes.
8. Stir in cilantro.
9. Serve with a dollop of sour cream.

This recipe serves 8. Make plenty so the leftovers can be frozen in individual containers for a quick, easy, microwavable lunch. It is especially tasty served with one of these corn bread variations.