Firstly, I want to say GOOD LUCK to everyone racing this weekend! There are a bunch of people doing the RW Half! Go get 'em! Also, a big fingers crossed, for Lisa, who is trying for a sub 4 marathon today! To everyone else, I hope your feet are swift and you end the race with a smile on your face. As you read this, I am currently running Broski's first half marathon with him!!!
Once again, my "meal planning" consists of making a big pot of this and a big pan of that and eating it throughout the week. This week, the challenge was to use acorn squash, but since the email regarding the challenge came after I had already gone grocery shopping, I improvised. This week's big pot meal?
Butternut Squash Veggie Chili.
The good thing about this is that even though it doesn't have any meat*, the squash gives it some oomph, so it feels really hearty and good. Like I said in my first meal planning post, it's good to have staples on hand, since this week my challenge to myself was to NOT go grocery shopping, since there are quite a few things in the fridge that did not get used up as fast as I wanted last week. So, out came the staples and into the pot they went.
As always, I make enough so that a few can go in the freezer for lunches, and a few cups can go in the fridge for this week's meals. This recipe made about 10 cups of chili.
Butternut Squash Veggie Chili
1 yellow onion, diced
2 celery ribs, diced
2 yellow peppers (fresh from the garden!)
4-5 garlic cloves, diced
1/2 butternut squash, cubed
2 cups of dried kidney beans
6 cups of water
1 packet of veggie stock
1 thai chili pepper, sliced in half
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp fennel
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
In frying pan with a little bit of olive oil, sweat the onions. Add the celery, yellow peppers and garlic and cook for another 5-10 minutes*. Put cooked veggies and remaining ingredients in a slow cooker and cook for 8-10 hours on low. OR you can put them in a pot and cook for roughly 5 hours to achieve the same effect.
*You could also add ground hamburger to the frying pan if you wanted a meat version.
_____
In order to get ready for the week ahead, I also baked some butternut squash in the oven. This will be added to either oatmeal in the morning, paired with yogurt for a fun dessert or used as a side dish for other meals during the week. I also cleaned out the freezer and found some chicken, so I cooked up a bunch of that to use during the week as well. That being said, here are this week's dinners.
Monday: Butternut Chili, Cabbage Salad (an old standby)
Tuesday: Chinese Chicken Salad (cabbage salad with chicken, nuts & Craisins)
Wednesday: Chicken Fajitas
Thursday: Roasted Chicken and Potatoes
Friday: Butternut Chili, Brussels sprouts
Saturday: Chicken Salad and Butternut Squash
Sunday: Dinner out / Left overs
What is your meal plan for the week? What's your favorite way to use winter squash?
Once again, my "meal planning" consists of making a big pot of this and a big pan of that and eating it throughout the week. This week, the challenge was to use acorn squash, but since the email regarding the challenge came after I had already gone grocery shopping, I improvised. This week's big pot meal?
Butternut Squash Veggie Chili.
The good thing about this is that even though it doesn't have any meat*, the squash gives it some oomph, so it feels really hearty and good. Like I said in my first meal planning post, it's good to have staples on hand, since this week my challenge to myself was to NOT go grocery shopping, since there are quite a few things in the fridge that did not get used up as fast as I wanted last week. So, out came the staples and into the pot they went.
As always, I make enough so that a few can go in the freezer for lunches, and a few cups can go in the fridge for this week's meals. This recipe made about 10 cups of chili.
Butternut Squash Veggie Chili
1 yellow onion, diced
2 celery ribs, diced
2 yellow peppers (fresh from the garden!)
4-5 garlic cloves, diced
1/2 butternut squash, cubed
2 cups of dried kidney beans
6 cups of water
1 packet of veggie stock
1 thai chili pepper, sliced in half
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp fennel
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
In frying pan with a little bit of olive oil, sweat the onions. Add the celery, yellow peppers and garlic and cook for another 5-10 minutes*. Put cooked veggies and remaining ingredients in a slow cooker and cook for 8-10 hours on low. OR you can put them in a pot and cook for roughly 5 hours to achieve the same effect.
*You could also add ground hamburger to the frying pan if you wanted a meat version.
_____
In order to get ready for the week ahead, I also baked some butternut squash in the oven. This will be added to either oatmeal in the morning, paired with yogurt for a fun dessert or used as a side dish for other meals during the week. I also cleaned out the freezer and found some chicken, so I cooked up a bunch of that to use during the week as well. That being said, here are this week's dinners.
Monday: Butternut Chili, Cabbage Salad (an old standby)
Tuesday: Chinese Chicken Salad (cabbage salad with chicken, nuts & Craisins)
Wednesday: Chicken Fajitas
Thursday: Roasted Chicken and Potatoes
Friday: Butternut Chili, Brussels sprouts
Saturday: Chicken Salad and Butternut Squash
Sunday: Dinner out / Left overs
What is your meal plan for the week? What's your favorite way to use winter squash?
I was eating acorn squash this weekend. I initially had big plans for it, but we were running really late Saturday so I just did a fennel saute with squash on top and added some sweet and spicy flavors. I topped it with fresh mozzarella and blue cheese for protein. It was very fall!
ReplyDeleteButternut squash chili sounds fantastic! Last week we made a huge batch of vegetarian black beans which made yummy leftovers all week. I love when we make a big batch that lasts, but with three hungry eaters it doesn't always happen. Yes- what an exciting racing weekend, can't wait to hear everyone's reports!
ReplyDeleteMine is similar only I added some quinoa for more protein.
ReplyDeleteGreat minds... :)
Hope you and the Bro had an awesome half today.
That looks awesome. I want to make chili soon and my husband sucks and doesn't like beans (or butternut squash for that matter), so this would be an excellent freezer stash for me. Yum!
ReplyDeleteIf I was only cooking for me, I'd probably make 2 big recipes and just eat that all week.
I just bought a butternut squash at the store yesterday with plans to make a soup this week. AND ... I'm going to make chili this weekend (partly for my house and partly for a family at our daycare who just had twins, in addition to their toddler!!!). So, even though I have no plans to make butternut squash chili, I'll probably think of you this week/weekend. =)
ReplyDeleteI'm totally taking this recipe and adding it to my menu plan for next week! I am just loving pumpkin/squash right now. Thanks for sharing
ReplyDeleteYum! That sounds so so good! I am home this week for a change so I am making taco chili tonight which I"ll have as leftovers for lunch this week! This weekend I want to make butternut squash risotto. And then just roast an acorn squash as I love that with a little bit of butter and s&p. Mmm.. I ADORE squash! There is this restaurant in Minneapolis that serves a squash dip and it is SO GOOD. Amber and Amber had it when they visited me last summer and we STILL talk about it!
ReplyDelete