Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Lentil Chili

It finally snowed. I have lived in Utah my entire life with the exception of 1 year in Colorado and I have never seen a year with this late of a first snow. Our ski resorts should all be open right now and until today, they were bone dry. Not a speck of snow. And for being a desert with the driest snow on earth, we need a LOT of snow to make enough water to support everybody all spring, summer, and fall next year. Yikes. I fear this drought is getting worse and worse.

But snowed. Just a little dust. The roads are just wet, which is great because I didn't have to get up and shovel the driveway. But I guarantee the commutes are awful. Somehow, everybody in Utah forgets how to drive in the snow over the summer. By the end of the snow season everybody is driving 80 mph in a blizzard, but the first storm, even when the roads are the equivalent of having just rained, is awful.

But there are more ups than downs to our first snow, even though it's late.

1. Fingers crossed it isn't just a teaser and that this will be the norm

2. Fingers crossed for it to snow a LOT so I can go skiing SOON. With a newborn + a terrible snow year, I only skied 2x last year. And with being pregnant + another bad snow year I only skied 2 or 3x the year before. I am pining to ski.

3. Although my son has "seen" snow before, it was from the Ergo on hikes with us. But this year, he is loving the snow. I took him out this morning. He resembled a mismatched, cyclops version of the younger brother from A Christmas Story. (Very grateful for awesome hand-me-downs) He was really hesitant to walk on the snow at first, but once he got in, he didn't want to go back inside.

4. Soup. Soup is so much more satisfying and tasty when it is cold outside. So I am glad that I was already planning to make this soup tonight. Actually, I made it early this morning because my philosophy with soup is the longer it cooks, the better it tastes. So I just leave this one in the crock pot all day long and it is everything wonderful.

There is one element of this recipe that is not "mine." When I first created it, I had some leftover avocado tomatillo sauce from a taco salad meal I made earlier that week and thought, 'This will be yummy,' so I added it. That sauce is bomber and it is from selfproclaimedfoodie.com I will include the ingredients you need, but the directions are on her website.

Last of all, I want to remind people to head over to my Healthy Holidays Challenge and sign up. The challenge started a few days ago, but it is never too late to sign up and start making healthy choices and habits today.

Ingredients

Olive Oil

1 Yellow Onion, finely diced

4 Large Cloves Garlic, finely minced

1 Green Bell Pepper, diced

1/2 Butternut Squash, peeled and diced

1 Sweet potato, washed, peeled, and diced

1/2 c quinoa, uncooked

1 c red lentils, washed and uncooked

1 can diced tomatoes, or 4 Roma tomatoes chopped

1/2 c frozen corn

1 tsp Chili Powder

2.5 tsp Cumin

Paprika, to taste

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 c Tomatillo Sauce

-4 tomatillos, husked and rinsed

-1/2 -1 jalapeno, stem and seeds removed

-1 avocado, peeled and seeded

-1 clove garlic

-1 small handful cilantro

-1/2 tsp salt

1/4 c Taco Sauce

1 can Vegetable Broth

1 can Water

Avocado, optional garnish

Directions

1. Dice onion, bell pepper, and garlic and saute in a little bit of olive oil.

2. Skin and chop squash and sweet potato. Put in the crock-pot along with onions, bell pepper, and garlic.

3. Add lentils, quinoa, diced tomatoes, spices, vegetable broth, tomatillo sauce, and taco sauce. Stir to combine.

4. Save tomato can. Cook on low 2 hours. Fill tomato can with water and stir into chili. Cook on low 4 more hours.

5. Taste and add any additional spices and/or salt

6. Serve with avocado, corn bread, chips, or over baked potatoes

7. ENJOY

*Directions for tomatillo sauce*

1. In saucepan, fill water to 2 inches and boil. Add husked tomatillos and jalapeno. Cover and steam 5-7 minutes.

2. Add tomatillos, jalapeno, and 2 T of cooking liquid to a food processor or blender. Add avocado, garlic, cilantro, and salt. Blend until smooth. Add more cooking liquid to thin sauce if desired.

3. Cool to room temperature to serve, or store in refrigerator up to two days.

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