Butternut Squash Chili

In case you have never cooked with butternut squash before, here are some facts to know its nutritional benefits. Butternut squash is low in fat and delivers an ample dose of dietary fiber, making it an exceptionally heart-friendly choice. It provides significant amounts of potassium, important for bone health, and vitamin B6, essential for the proper functioning of both the nervous and immune system. The folate content adds yet another boost to its heart-healthy reputation and helps guard against brain and spinal-cord-related birth defects such as spina bifida. Like the hue of a carrot, butternut squash has and orange tent. This indicates high levels of carotenoids, shown to protect against heart disease. It boast very high levels of beta-carotene which your body automatically converts into Vitamin A. And if that weren't enough, butternut squash is high in antioxidant- rich Vitamin C and acts as an anti-inflammatory agent to reduce the risk of inflammatory related diseases, such as asthma and rheumatoid arthritis.

Beef and Butternut Squash Chili

Ingredients:

1 pound extra-lean ground beef

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 (14.5-ounce) cans Mexican-style stewed tomatoes, chopped

1 (16-ounce) can chili beans

1/2 small butternut squash, peeled and cubed (about 1 1/2 cups)

1 cup low-sodium beef broth

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder

1 cup frozen or 1 can corn kernels


Cook ground beef with bell pepper, onion, and garlic in dutch oven (large pot). Drain cooked beef mixture (If there is alot of fat to drain after cooking) and set aside for later. Add the rest of ingredients to dutch oven and bring to a boil. Cover and cook on simmer for 15 minutes. Uncover and add cooked beef mixture to the pot. Cook uncovered for another 15 minutes or until butternut squash is tender and sauce is thick. Serve with jiffy corn muffins!