Butternut Squash & Tomato Posole

Posole is a traditional Mexican stew most often made with pork and hominy (dried corn kernels that have been treated to soften the hull) cooked in a fragrant chile-based sauce. In this quick vegetarian recipe, we rely on the meatiness of pinto beans and butternut squash combined with hand-crushed whole tomatoes to make a satisfying stew.

Ingredients

1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, preferably no-salt added
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 cups chopped red onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
3 cups diced (1/2-inch) peeled butternut squash (see Tip)
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 15-ounce can white hominy, rinsed
1 15-ounce can pinto beans, rinsed
1 ripe but firm avocado, diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation

Working over a bowl, break apart tomatoes with your fingers one at a time, letting them drop into the bowl (see Tip).
Heat oil in a large, heavy pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, until beginning to brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Add chili powder and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add squash, broth, hominy, beans and the crushed tomatoes (and juice). Bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer.
Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the squash is tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve with avocado and cilantro.

Tips & Notes

For convenience, try using butternut squash that is already peeled and cubed. Look for it near other prepared fresh vegetables in the produce department of most supermarkets.
If you only stock one type of canned tomato, opt for versatile whole plum tomatoes. Break them up for chunky stews, dice them if you want smaller pieces or puree them to use in a sauce.

Nutrition

Per serving: 335 calories; 10 g fat ( 1 g sat , 6 g mono ); 0 mg cholesterol; 57 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 9 g protein; 16 g fiber; 688 mg sodium; 1147 mg potassium.
Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (300% daily value), Vitamin C (74% dv), Potassium (33% dv), Folate (30% dv), Iron & Magnesium (23% dv), Calcium (16% dv)
Carbohydrate Servings: 3
Exchanges: 2 starch, 2 1/2 vegetable, 1 lean meat, 2 fat