Stew Again!!

Food thought of the day...

If you are not hungry enough to eat an apple you are not hungry. North America is an overfed, under nourished population.
Credit i'm sure goes to Micheal Pollan of whom I love.




In the winter we eat alot of stews and soups. Mostly it is paired with bread saved in the freezer for such an occasion from the Big Dipper or the Bakery. If I am slumming it I will get Ace bakery bread from the grocery. On occasion, we pair i will tortilla chips- and tonight was that night.


BLACK BEAN + BUTTERNUT SOUP
 1 Tbsp. coconut or extra virgin olive oil Coconut if you have it- smells divine.
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 a small head of cabbage, chopped (heaping 2 cups)
3 cups cubed butternut squash (sweet potato would be good too)
3 cups low sodium vegetable broth
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. cocoa powder Apparently I am out so I used some 60% dark chocolate bar. I think the cocoa would be a reall2w1y nice contrast to the hot peppers- too bad I didn't have any. pinch of chipotle powder or cayenne pepper I used some dried hot pepper from the CSA
2 cups cooked, black beans (about one can, rinsed and drained)
salt to taste


In a heavy bottomed pot, warm the coconut oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and saute until just beginning to brown, about 6-8 minutes. Add the garlic, cabbage, squash and broth. Turn the heat down to a gentle simmer, cover the pot and cook for about 15-20 minutes for the vegetables to cook. I shut if off for an hour at this point to take Maya to dance. Add the spices and the beans and stir. Let everything continue to cook another ten minutes for the flavors to blend. Salt to taste. At this point, I did a few pulses with my immersion blender through the soup, because I wanted to thicken up the broth a bit. This is optional, but makes it seem a bit thicker. You could alternatively, run just a bit of the soup through a blender or food processor, and add it back in to the pot. OR a sprinkle of cornmeal will help thicken it as well.
I used the immersion blender for the count of 10