spicy sister stew

Chunks of sweet butternut and kernels of corn mingle with savory black beans in a thick broth that has hints of smoky chipotle chilis. This is the third time I've made this dish  in less than a month. That usually means it's a keeper.
Besides being delicious, it contains my three biggest criteria for family recipes:

1. packs a powerful nutritional punch 
2. fairly quick to throw together
3. satisfies all of our dietary preferences and sensitivities 

Because we have a vegetarian, a gluten free diner and a very selective eater (not all one person) at our dinner table, I like meals that act as a foundation for fun condiments and add ins. In other words, we eat the same meal but get to personalize it when we sit down. So Spicy Sister Stew is quite mild for one, but another (my wild son) gets to kick it up to a scorcher if he pleases.

Spicy Sister Stew

 Ingredients:

• 1 onion
•  several cloves of garlic
• olive oil
•  dried oregano
• 1 medium butternut squash peeled and cubed
• 1 cup corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
• 3 cup black beans (left overs are perfectly used here, but 2 cans are just fine)
• tomatoes chopped ( I sometimes eliminate these if I want to go easy on nightshade veggies)
• salt and pepper
• dash of cumin
• a tiny spoonful of adobo sauce

Bowls of options for the table:

• fresh cilantro
• chipotle chilis in adobo sauce
• creme fraiche or thick yogurt optional
• tomatoes chopped
• freshly grated cheese or a soft goat cheese

Make:

1. Saute onions and garlic in olive oil for 5 minutes in a heavy bottomed pot. Add squash and just enough water to cover it. Simmer for 15 minutes.
2. Add beans, corn and tomatoes. Then pour in another couple of cups of water or vegetable stock. How thick it is will be depends on your preference and how much water you add. Stir in salt, pepper, oregano and a little spoonful of adobo sauce.
3. Simmer until tender and flavors have melded. A minimum of 20 more minutes if you need to get dinner on the table... but longer will enhance the stew.
4. Set the table with bowls of any or all of the options above at the ready for your diners.

We enjoy this with brown rice or quinoa and a nice bed of greens. Leftovers are delicious and satisfying when put in a cast iron skillet, topped with cornbread batter and baked until golden.

Note: This stew was named after the Three Sisters: corn, beans and squash. Various Native American tribes grew them as companion plants and referred to them as the sisters.