By Kathryn Reed

I love eating butternut squash. It’s peeling and cutting the raw squash that I don’t really like. But the effort, it’s so worth it.

This stew is fabulous on a cold winter night. It’s hearty, filling and blends southwestern flavors into a delightful meal. It’s also fairly healthy. It would be easy to skip the cheese and yogurt to make it even more nutritious. But only a small amount of both are called for, so it’s not adding that much fat and calories.

Just don’t skip the salsa. The tanginess of the lime adds so much.

I was thrilled to have leftovers for a couple days. It didn’t last long enough to know if it freezes well.

            Southwestern Squash Stew

Stew:

2 T olive oil

1 butternut squash, cubed

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

2 tsp dried oregano

1 quart vegetable broth

2 dried red New Mexican or guajillo chile, seeded and torn into bits

1 T smoked paprika

½ tsp kosher salt

1 tsp red pepper flakes

2 (15.5-ounce) cans chick peas, drained

Salsa:

1 avocado, diced

½ C cilantro, minced

1 jalapeño pepper, minced

1½ tsp grated lime rind

1½ T fresh lime juice

¼ C Monterey Jack cheese, grated

¼ C Greek yogurt, reduced fat

In sauce pan over medium heat add oil, squash, onion, oregano, and chile. Cook until onion and squash begin to brown, stirring frequently. Add broth, paprika, salt, red pepper flakes and chickpeas; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until squash is tender.

Combine avocado, cilantro, jalapeño, lime rind and lime juice.

Ladle stew into bowls. Top with salsa, cheese and yogurt.