Lentil and Butternut Squash Chili

This chili is so much lighter than most chili’s I’ve tasted and definitely lighter than my usual go to the Sweet Potato Chili. Cutting down on the beans by adding lentils instead makes it that it is still rich in protein without the heaviness of too many beans. And switching out the sweet potato for some butternut squash really sealed the deal for me. In my husbands words “this one’s a winner”.

One pot meals like these make me so happy. I make a huge batch, either freeze some for later use, or just have leftovers for a few days. And this method guarantees my kids will get a good dose nutritious delicious vegetables in one meal. As with most one pot meals, I find that it tastes better the next day, although my family had no problem eating more than half of it as soon as it came off the stove.

Ingredients:

2 TBS olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 TBS cacao powder
1 TBS cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
1 TBS chili powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 cups butternut squash, chopped
1 cup dry french lentils
5 cups water
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
1 large zucchini, chopped
1/2 jalapeño, seeds removed
zest of 1 lime
28 oz can of diced organic tomatoes
2 cups cooked beans (I mixed white and black)
1 tsp salt

Steps:

In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat, add onions and sautee until they become slightly transluscent
add all the spices and keep cooking until the aroma has come out, 2 minutes about
add butternut squash, lentils, and water and bring to a boil (this is usually when I chop the rest of my veggies)
reduce heat, add all other ingredients except for beans
simmer on low for about 30-40 minutes or until lentils are fully cooked
add the beans 10 minutes before done
taste and adjust spices and salt according to preference.

I ate mine with cilantro and avocado, because avocado makes everything taste better 🙂