Serves 8-10

 

Ingredients:

4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 lbs butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes

½ cup barley

3 onions, diced

3 stalks of celery, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced or finely grated

1 red pepper, diced

1 green pepper, diced

1 jalapeno, seeded and minced

2 Tablespoons chili powder

1 Tablespoon cumin

¼ teaspoon Tabasco

½ teaspoon sweet smoked paprika

2 cups vegetable stock

1 can coconut milk

3 cans cannellini beans or Great Northern Beans

1 can Kidney beans

1 ½ teaspoon salt

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Method:

Preheat oven to 357F.

Toss squash and 2 Tablespoons together and spread onto a baking sheet.

Bake for 30 minutes, until just cooked through, but not too mushy.

Cook barley in a pot of boiling water until tender.

Drain and rinse in cold water to stop the cooking.

In the meantime, saute onion in olive oil in a large pot until soft but not colored.

Add celery and garlic and continue to cook until celery starts to soften.

Add peppers and jalapeno and continue to cook for 4-5 minutes.

Add chili powder, cumin, Tabasco and paprika to pot and stir over heat for 1 minute to gently toast the spices.

Add in stock and coconut milk and stir well.

Drain and rinse one can of cannellini beans.

Puree until smooth in food processor, adding a little water if necessary.

Add pureed beans to pot.

Drain and rinse remaining 2 cans of cannellini beans and 1 can of Kidney beans.

Add to pot and simmer on low heat for 10-15 minutes.

Add in roasted squash and cooked barley and stir gently.

Season with salt and pepper.