Ingredients:

2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 onion, finely chopped
4 carrots, chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 celery stalks, chopped
8 cups vegetable broth (see tip below for homemade option)
1 butternut squash, peeled & cubed (see Tip below), or 5 cups frozen, cubed squash
1 can (341 ml) corn (or 1 1/2 cup frozen corn)
2 cans (540 ml each) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon ground pepper

Instructions:

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add in onion. Cook and stir for 2 minutes.
2. Add carrots, garlic and celery and cook for another 8 minutes, or until softened.
3. Add vegetable broth and turn heat up to high to bring to a boil.
4. Turn down heat to medium and stir in cubed squash. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.
5. Add beans, corn, thyme and pepper. Stir and cook for another few minutes, until squash is soft when you poke a fork in it.  Enjoy now, or store in fridge for 2-3 day.

Serves 8.

Tips:

-To cut butternut squash easily and safely: poke holes all over the skin of the squash with a sharp knife. Put squash on a plate and microwave for 4 minutes. Cut in half and remove seeds and pulp. Peel the skin with a vegetable peeler. Chop into cubes.

-Visit hsmm.ca/recipes for a “Quick & Easy Vegetable Broth” recipe