Easy & Delcious Butternut Squash & Coconut Chili
Content
About Me
What better time of the year to make chili than in the fall with such a plentiful bounty of squash available. Our family loves chili and we also love squash especially butternut. Coconut is a favorite too so why not combine them together and create a different version of the classic chili. This recipe can easily be adapted for vegetarian or for meat lovers. The meat of your choice can be added if desired along with the other ingredients. If I'm choosing vegetarian, I like to use chicken bone broth to add all of the healthy benefits of collagen which is so good for your body's connective tissue, skin, hair, nails and your digestive gut health but vegtable broth works very well too.
This recipe is such a time saver & so easy using your crock pot aka slow cooker. You can cook this in your instant pot as well but I like the slow cooker so when my family comes home at different times their dinner is warm & waiting for them. The leftover chili is great for lunches & dinners during your busy week. We store ours in mason jars with air tight lids and they can easily be frozen for a quick grab & go meal on the run.
We love to spice our chili up at our house and I suggest you experiment with a variety of spices. Better yet engage your family to create different combinations of their favorite spices and your chili masterpiece can become a family affair;-)
Cooking can be easy & fun as well as creative. It's your masterpiece so go for it!
Crock Pot Butternut Squash & Coconut Chili
Prep: 10-15 minutes
Cook Time 4-6 hours high heat or 8 hours low
Servings: 6-8
*Ingredients
2 Tablespoons virgin coconut oil
1 medium yellow onion finely chopped
3-4 minced garlic cloves
1 medium jalapeno seeded & minced
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
4+ cups peeled & chopped butternut squash
**1 15 oz can rinsed & drained garbanzo beans
**1 15 oz can rinsed & drained black beans
Optional 1-2 lbs chicken breasts/thighs or meat of your choice
**1 13.5 can coconut milk
**1 24 oz jar/can strained, pureed or crushed tomatoes
16 oz chicken/bone broth or vegtable broth for vegetarian version
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 Tablespoon chili powder
1/4+ teaspoon cinnamon
Salt to taste
Black pepper to taste (helps your body absorb the nutrients in turmeric)
Note
Delicious served over a bed of rice, cauliflower rice or quinoa for heartier appetites.
Garnishes
Shredded/sliced unsweetened coconut (fresh or dehyrated)
Sliced/cubed avocado
Chopped fresh cilantro or chives
Dash of chili, cayenne powder or red pepper flakes for you spicy lovers<3
Preparation
Place all the ingredients into your crockpot and cook on high for 4-5 hours. Check at 3-3.5 hours to avoid overcooking the squash so it's not mushy.
Add your choice of garnishes and enjoy!
*Please use organic ingredients as available
**Please check that cans are labeled non 'BPA lining'
Samantha McConnell
About Me
My passion about health started in my teens when I first hand saw the effects of how illness can wreck havoc in a family growing up with parents who had serious health issues. I too struggled with losing weight & developed an eating disorder that I was able to heal by educating myself on healthier habits. Itās amazing what our bodies can do when we learn to take care of them like God intended. These experiences & challenges fueled my passion to be a life long student in pursuit of learning how to create healthier lifestyles where one can thrive at their optimal best. As a mother of 3 children & a wife of a traveling husband, I quickly learned how to implement healthy habits on the go so that I could be my healthy best for my family. This has evolved into my health coaching business Thriving With Health where I coach people to integrate simple & fun healthy 'bitesā throughout their day even on their most busiest & challenging ones. You are never too busy to take care of your health & I can show you how. Everyone has busy lifestyles and living at their optimum best is not only doable but can be fun as well!
