Southwestern Quinoa Stew

I've had a total change of meal plans this week. We ended up having a lot of leftovers to use up, so we ate those on Tuesday. Then last night we ate baked chicken and potatoes at my parents' house. Tonight I tried another new meatless recipe that I came across in one of my new cookbooks - Whole Grains for Busy People: Fast, Flavor-Packed Meals and More for Everyone - for a southwestern quinoa stew. It was pretty good. Kevin liked it, which kind of surprised me, honestly, but that's a good thing! I found myself wishing it had more veggies, so next time I'd add more veggies. I'd also tone down the spice a bit - my mouth was burning a little by the time I finished my bowl. It had a really good flavor, though. It was the first time either one of us had tried quinoa. We both liked it alright, so I'll be trying out more recipes with this whole grain in the future. The quinoa, black beans, corn, chicken broth, shallot, garlic, and winter squash were all organic.

Southwestern Quinoa Stew with Squash, Black Beans, and Corn

1 Tablespoon olive oil (I just used a little spray)
2 teaspoons minced dried onion (I used a fresh shallot)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic (I used fresh garlic)
1 quart low-sodium chicken or veggie stock
1 cup quinoa (don't forget to rinse it)
1 teaspoon chipotle in adobo, mashed or chopped
1 package (10 ounces) frozen winter squash
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn (I added a whole bag b/c we like corn)
1/3 cup diced fire-roasted red bell pepper (I left this out)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (I left this out)
salt

In a heavy 3-quart Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Stir in the onion, oregano, and garlic, and cook for 10 seconds.

Add the broth and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add the quinoa and boil uncovered over medium-high heat for 10 minutes.

Stir in chipotle in adobo, and add the block of squash. Turn the heat to high, cover, and continue cooking until you can break up the squash and stir it into the stew, 3-4 minutes.

Stir in the beans. Reduce the heat to medium. Continue cooking until there is no solid white dot of starch at the center of the quinoa, 1-3 minutes longer. Stir in the corn, roasted red pepper, cilantro, and salt to taste. Cook uncovered, just until the corn is defrosted, another minute or so.

Ladle into soup bowls.

Serves 4-6