Pinto Bean Chili with Corn and Winter Squash

Here's another slow cooker recipe - probably my last for a while - resulting in a hearty and delicious chili. This dish calls for 3 cups cooked pinto beans - as always, you can buy them canned, but make sure to cook them ahead if you use the slow method (8 hours soaking, then about 4-5 hours in your slow cooker on HIGH with 6 cups water).

To make the chili, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 and 1/2 cups chopped onion, 1 and 1/2 cups chopped red bell pepper and 1 minced garlic clove; cover and cook for 5 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons chili powder and 1/2 tsp. cumin; continue cooking for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Add the onion mixture to a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, along with: 4 cups (1/2-inch) cubed butternut squash, 3 cups cooked (or canned) pinto beans, 1 and 1/2 cups water, 1 cup frozen corn, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1 and 3/4 cups canned crushed tomatoes, and 1 (4.5-ounce) can of chopped green chiles, undrained.

Put on the lid, set the slow cooker to LOW and cook for 8 hours.

At serving time, ladle 1 and 1/2 cups chili into each of 6 bowls. Sprinkle the tops of each serving with about 2 tablespoons crumbled vegan feta (in place of queso fresco) and serve each bowl with a lime wedge. Each serving is 300 calories.

Cost:
onion $0.35
red bell pepper $2.00
butternut squash $5.04
pinto beans $2.15
frozen corn $2.99
canned crushed tomato $3.39
canned chopped green chiles $0.99
vegan feta $3.69
lime $0.50