Fall is here and I couldn’t be happier. It is hands down, my favorite season.  The changing of the leaves, the cooler crisp air, and long lazy Sundays make me incredibly happy.

I love Sundays in the fall. My husband becomes very preoccupied with football and I focus more on cooking. Slow cooking soups, stews and chili become my favorite Sunday afternoon challenge. It is a great way to take advantage of the fall harvest.  The colors and smells at the market absolutely scream fall! They are now full of potatoes, apples and my favorite, squash.

The following recipe is a great fall dish. It takes a bit of time since you are using dried beans, but it’s not active time. It’s perfect for a Sunday! You can easily get a book read, take the dog for a stroll or watch a game of football in the time your chili is cooking.

I would highly advise against substituting canned black beans. They would get mushy quick. One thing I really liked about this dish is that the beans held their shape and actually gave you something to chew. The bulgur really thickens it up and gives it a nice texture. And the  squash? It brings a needed sweetness to the bowl.

This chili is super tasty and a satisfying meal that won’t leave you feeling heavy. The leftovers are just as amazing.

Black Bean Chili with Butternut Squash

Makes 8-10 servings

Note: This makes a lot of chili. We found it keeps well in the fridge (at least 5 days) and it freezes well too.

• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 8 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 2 14.5-ounce cans fire-roasted tomatoes
• 1 pound dried black beans, rinsed
• 2 chipotle chiles from canned chipotle chiles in adobo, minced (if you are super sensitive to spice, just use one. I used two and thought it had a decent but not crazy amount of spice.)
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• Coarse kosher salt
• 1 2 1/4-pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 3 cups)
• 1/2 cup quick-cooking bulgur

Topping ideas:

• Sour cream (or tofu cream) or greek yogurt
• Coarsely grated hot pepper
• Monterey jack, cheddar or mozzarella cheese (or soy cheese)
• Diced red onion chopped
• Fresh cilantro
• Pickled jalapeño rings
• Cornbread

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until soft and beginning to brown, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Add garlic; stir 1 minute. Sprinkle chili powder and coriander over; stir 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes with juice, beans, chipotles, and oregano. Add 10 cups water. Bring to boil, reduce heat to low, cover with lid slightly ajar, and simmer until beans are tender, stirring occasionally, about 2 hours (time will vary depending on freshness of beans). Season to taste with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Stir squash and bulgur into chili. Simmer uncovered over medium-low heat until squash and bulgur are tender, about 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Enjoy!