Vegetarian Butternut Squash Chili

What do you do when you have a bunch of veggies and don’t know what to make for dinner? Well, if you’re me, you start tossing a bunch of stuff in a pot to create a chili or soup. Tonight, I decided to go with a chili as I wanted something a bit hearty to eat. You could easily add meat to this chili, if desired, but it’s filling without the meat. It’s a great way to use up fall/winter squash. Because this is what I call a “dump” recipe, the measurements are approximate.

Vegetarian Butternut Squash Chili Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 medium onion (optional), diced
• 1 red, green, or yellow pepper (optional), diced
• 1 medium butternut squash, cubed
• 1 large zucchini, cubed
• 2 cans mixed beans, drained
• 2 cans diced tomatoes with juice
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. pepper
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/8 – 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp. cumin

Directions:

1. If you want to use onions and/or peppers in your chili, you’ll want to saute them in a large pot with a little vegetable broth until they are soft.
2. Add all of the vegetable broth to the pot and bring to a rolling boil.
3. Add beans, diced tomatoes with juice, butternut squash, and zucchini.
4. Bring back up to a rolling boil and reduce to a simmer.
5. Stir in seasonings.
6. Cook for 20 to 30 minutes.
7. Serve with tortillas or tortilla chips, if desired.