Butternut Squash Soup with Black Beans, Red Peppers + Cilantro

There's nothing that says fall like some good butternut squash soup.  This was great - easy to make, unique in taste, and very hearty.  I dumped a whole small bottle of Tabasco sauce in there and it still wasn't spicy (though the jalapeno taste was there) - so go nuts on the hot sauce.

Ingredients:

1 large Butternut Squash (or 1 package cut squash), halved
1 Onion, chopped
5 Celery stalks, chopped
6 Garlic cloves
6 cups Vegetable Broth
2 tbsp Cumin
2 cans Black Beans, drained + rinsed
2 Red Bell Peppers, chopped small
1/2 cup Cilantro, chopped
1 small bottle Green Tabasco Sauce

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. Halve squash and place face-up on a baking sheet.  Sprinkle with salt + pepper and roast for 1 hour.  Let cool if whole, and scrape flesh away.

Pre-chopped squash is the greatest thing to have ever happened.  Worth it every time.

3. While squash is cooking, roughly chop onion and celery.  Put in crockpot along with garlic, cumin and broth, set slow cooker to high and start cooking.

4. Add in squash, and puree finely with a hand-held blender.

5. Drain and rise black beans, and chop peppers and cilantro.  Add to crockpot, and cook on high for 8 hours.

Deelish.

---------------------------------------
Original Recipe:

Kalyn's Kitchen

Chipotle Chorizo Chocolate Chili

I saved the best for last - this was my favorite chili.  Spicy and sweet all at once - similar to a mole - and surprisingly quick to make.  I combined two recipes to get this one, and turned it into a slow cooker affair.

This got super spicy as leftovers.  So I'll stick to two chili peppers next time, instead of three.

Serves 8

Ingredients:

1 Onion, diced
5 Garlic Cloves, diced
2 Red + Green Peppers, diced
2 Chipotle Chilies in Adobo Sauce, minced
4 Chorizo links, chopped
2 tbsp Chili Powder
1 tbsp Cumin
1 tbsp Oregano
3 tbsp Brown Sugar
1 tbsp Unsweetened Cocoa
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
3 14-oz cans Black Beans, drained + rinsed
1 14-oz can Corn, drained + rinsed
2 14-oz cans Diced Tomatoes
1 cup Water
3 tbsp Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Toppings:

Sour Cream
Cheddar Cheese, shredded
Cilantro, chopped
Green Onions, diced

1. Chop onion, garlic, peppers and chorizo.

Blenders make everything easier.

2. Add all ingredients into slow cooker, except for chocolate chips.  Cook on high for 6 hours, or until chili is unified.

3. Stir in chocolate chips to taste, a little at a time.

4.  Take off heat and serve, adding toppings.

So. Good.

-------------------------------------------------
Original Recipe:

Cooking Light: Chili with Chipotle and Chocolate

Cooking Light: Black Bean and Chorizo Chili

Turkey, Spinach + Mushroom Tacos

Ok.  This may be the least original recipe I have on this blog.  Except that I tried to make my own taco seasoning for the ground chicken, instead of using one of those packets that are usually my go-to So I wanted to throw it up here, so that I remember which recipe I used.

I put the Sauteed Spinach + Mushrooms in these tacos, which is just the best.

Ingredients:

1 package (1 lb) Ground Chicken or Turkey
2 tbsp Oregano
1 tbsp Chile Powder
1 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Garlic Powder
2 tsp Onion Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 cup Water
Canola Oil
1 can Black Beans
1 Tomato, diced
Sauteed Spinach and Mushrooms
Soft Flour Tortillas
Cheddar Cheese, grated
Salsa

I didn't have onion powder.  Oh well. I also didn't put the spices out that I needed for the chicken - so here they are:

1. Place black beans into a pan and cook on high until most of liquid is evaporated.  Stir occasionally.

2. Add ground chicken to pan and cook until thoroughly browned.  Stir constantly to break it up into small pieces. If there is a lot of liquid in the pan, CAREFULLY drain into trash can.

(Consider yourselves warned - this is difficult).

3. Add 1/2 cup water and all spices to the chicken and mix well.  Cook until water is absorbed.

4. Dice tomatoes and grate cheddar cheese. Cover tortillas in tinfoil and place in pre-heated oven or in toaster for 2 minutes.

If you don't have tinfoil, as I realized too late, you can still do it - the top one just gets a little crispy.

5. Put everything in a tortilla.  Add copious amounts of cheddar cheese and salsa, and the sauteed spinach and mushrooms.

So simple. So messy. So good.

You can also do these with just the veggies in the taco, and it's still delicious.  I'd add corn then, though.

-------------------------------------------------------

Original Seasoning Recipe:

About.com Mexican Food

Quinoa, Black Bean + Avocado Salad with Cumin-Lime Vinaigrette

This turned out to be so delicious.  These past few recipes have really been hits!  I make another similar salad without quinoa, and with corn added in - but this is much lighter and still so filling.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 cup Quinoa
1 tbsp Coconut Oil (or Olive)
1 3/4 cup Water
1 can Black Beans, drained + rinsed
1 Avocado, chopped
2 Medium Tomatoes, chopped or 1 handful Cherry Tomatoes, halved
1/2 Red Onion, diced
1 Garlic Clove, diced
1 Red Bell Pepper, chopped
1/2 cup Cilantro, chopped
2 Limes, juiced (or 4 tbsp Lime Juice)
1 tsp Cumin
1 tbsp Olive Oil
Salt + Pepper

1. Add coconut oil to pan and heat.  Add quinoa and toast for 2-3 minutes.  Add water, stir, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

2. Chop and dice all fresh ingredients.

3. Whisk lime juice, cumin, olive oil and salt in a small bowl.

I doubled the salad dressing proportions - the original didn't seem like enough (see above) and it was so tasty I wanted more of it.

4. Remove quinoa from heat and fluff with a fork.  Add black beans and toss to warm through.  Let cool for 5 minutes.

5. Combine all ingredients MINUS the avocado and pour dressing over salad.  Mix salad thoroughly, then add avocado and mix in.

Otherwise, the avocado will get mushed into the salad, instead of staying in chunks.

Delicious.

----------------------------------------------------------------
Original Website:

Eating for England