I swear, this time of year is actually conspiring against me. There are so many wonderful holiday treats about and yummy (heavy!) meals. Add that to the fact that it's dark by late afternoon and the walk from the car to the gym induces shivers, and you have one entirely unmotivated me. Do you feel that way too?
If you've been craving some cozy comfort food but feeling like you need to behave now and then, this recipe is it! Tasty? Oh my, yes. Healthy? At a little over 300 calories per serving, you better believe it. Aroma? I’d say it gets a “15” on a scale of 1 to 10.
It all started with the butternut squash I had lounging on my counter and my deep love for stew when there's a chill in the air. Even though it's low in calories and fat, a bowlful of this hearty stew easily satisfies my craving for comfort food. Also, butternut squash is high in Vitamins A and C, and quinoa gives it an extra punch of protein and fiber, so you know you're getting a well-rounded meal. The kicker was a burst of freshness from a handful of chopped parsley. For us, it is a cold-weather favorite!
FYI, this stew keeps really well, so if you want some leftovers for the week, go crazy and double the recipe! :-)
Ingredients
1½ lb. butternut squash, peeled, seeded and chopped into ½-inch pieces
3½ cups chicken stock
1½ lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts (or use a rotisserie chicken!)
1 tbsp olive oil
2 medium yellow onions, finely chopped
½ tsp kosher salt
4 cloves garlic, minced
1½ tsp dried oregano
1 can (14 oz) petite diced tomatoes
⅔ cup uncooked quinoa
1 can (15 oz) red kidney beans
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
¼ cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
Instructions
Steam the butternut squash until barely tender, about 10 minutes. Remove half of the squash pieces and set aside.
Steam the remaining squash until very tender, an additional 4 to 6 minutes. Mash this squash with the back of a fork. Set aside.
In a large saucepan set over medium-high heat, bring the chicken broth to a simmer.
Add chicken thighs, cover, and cook until chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes (if you are using rotisserie chicken, you can skip this step!).
Transfer the chicken thighs to a plate and allow to cool. Pour broth into a medium-sized bowl.
Return the saucepan to the stovetop and lower heat to medium. Add olive oil.
Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is starting to turn brown, 8 to 10 minutes.
Add the salt, minced garlic and oregano. Cook, stirring, for 1 additional minute.
Drain and rinse kidney beans.
To the saucepan, add tomatoes, kidney beans, butternut squash pieces, mashed butternut squash. Stir to combine.
Stir in reserved chicken broth and quinoa. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook until the quinoa turns translucent, about 15 minutes.
Shred the chicken with your fingers or a fork.
Stir the chicken, olives and pepper into the stew and simmer, uncovered, to heat, about 5 minutes.
Stir in parsley and serve.
Enjoy, my friends (and let me know, what are your cold weather favorites?!).
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