If you know me at all, then you know that I am VERY diligent about my schedules and routines. Schedules and routines keep me sane, and without them, I feel lost.
That’s why it’s so important for me to keep up with my Monday/Wednesday/Friday posting schedule. Alas, Friday went by, and no post.
I am not exaggerating when I tell you it was on my mind all night and day. In reality, I know the world can live without my scheduled post, but my little routine-oriented brain could barely take it. Friday was a bit of a hectic day, and Saturday, well, I just didn’t feel like writing.
But, I have a delicious recipe to share with you, and it just couldn’t wait until next Friday’s recipe post. So, lucky you, here comes a recipe on Monday. This Black Bean Squash Soup is just what you need as the days grow shorter and colder. I’ve made it twice in the last week, and on Halloween, we enjoyed two heaping bowls with some red wine as our little puppy barked non-stop from 5:30 to 9:00 PM.
I don’t think anyone hates Halloween more than Mr. Witch 1) Because his mommy dresses him in a ridiculous costume 2) Because the evil doorbell dungeons ring non-stop. It’s been a tough week for this guy between the vet and Halloween, so we’ve been giving him lots of extra love in the form of long runs and doggie treats.
Enough about the doggie, though – let’s talk about that filling, flavor-packed Black Bean Squash Soup. If you’re a veggie-lover, then this soup is for you, because the black beans and quinoa provide you all the protein you need. The adobe chiles kick up the flavor, and the tomatoes with diced chiles pull it all together. The best part is that it’s all done in, you guessed it, just under 30 minutes.
I’m not a spice-loving girl (I always order mild guac and salsa in Mexican restaurants), but the adobe chiles truly give this dish the perfect amount of spice, without overshadowing the taste of any other ingredients.
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small butternut squash, peeled and cubed (about 2 cups)
- Sea salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped (about 1 ½ cups)
- 1 yellow and 1 orange bell pepper, roughly chopped (about 1 cup each)
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 medium cloves garlic, minced or grated with a microplane grater
- 3 1/2 ounces (1/2 small can) chipotle chilies in adobo
- 2 cups homemade or store-bought low-sodium vegetable broth
- 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cans diced tomatoes with green chiles
- 2 tbsps corn starch
- 1 cup shredded cheddar or white cheddar cheese
- 1 avocado, diced
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat and add butternut squash; season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes; add the onion and peppers, stirring and cooking until softened, about 3 minutes; add the cumin, oregano and garlic and cook until aromatic, about 1 minute.
- Add the chipotle peppers, stock, beans, quinoa and tomatoes; mix 2 tbsps of corn starch with 2 tbsps water until formed into a smooth paste - stir into soup; cook until the squash has finished cooking and the quinoa is fully cooked, about 15-20 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper and ladle into bowls, topping with grated cheese and avocado.
- For the meat-eaters in your household, serve over pulled chicken. Pour 2 cups chicken stock into crockpot, along with spices, including garlic salt and basil and about 1.25 lbs chicken breasts. Cook on high for 4-5 hours and pull.
If you’re feeling saucy, you can do what I did last week and serve it up in a “faux bread bowl” baked acorn squash.