We had a power outage last night ... and I admit that I used it to a stealthy food advantage. It's amazing what people will gobble up when they can't see what they're eating. My veggie-adverse husband requested seconds of this stew not knowing it features both butternut squash and garbanzo beans, both of which figure prominently on his "yuck" list. Just goes to show you how our eyes play tricks on our taste buds. He said it tasted delicious, and actually wondered which foods made the sweet, smooth texture play against the crunchy textures. He never did guess!
Ingredients:
2 cups butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2" cubes
1 cup red pepper, chopped
2 tsp olive oil
1 cup onion, chopped
1 tsp garlic, minced
1/2 cup low sodium chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 cup white wine
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2 cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
2 cans Mexican style tomatoes, chopped
cilantro or grated yellow cheese as a topping
Preheat oven to 425F. Toss butternut squash and red pepper pieces with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil. Place on a cooking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, until the squash is tender. Heat the other teaspoon of olive oil in a heavy bottomed stock pot. Add the onion and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes, until the onion turns translucent. Add the chicken stock, wine, jalapeno, and spices and cook an additional minute or so. Add the garbanzo beans and tomatoes and continue to cook over low heat. Add the squash and peppers to the stew. Mix and serve with a topping of your choice.
Serves 4
Stealthy Cooking Tip: OK, the power outage was advantageous, but it's not something I can use every day (thank goodness). However, low lighting can certainly give equally good results. Think candle light or eating outside at past dusk. Who knows?
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