squash that thought

i found a hearty, fall recipe that i have been dying to try.

chickpea. red lentil. carrots.

and squash. 

this girl happens to love squash.

squash soup. squash ravioli. squash any which way.

delicious.

my lovie... not so much.

he made up his mind years ago that he does not, will not, cannot eat squash.

forget about liking it. 

this may be breaking the rules

{i asked for forgiveness}

today i was dishonest by omission. 

"lovie, whats in this stew for dinner?"

"oh, you know... lentils, carrots, chickpeas. you're going to love it."

i did not like doing this,

but i had to. 

i did it for him.

purely for him. 

he really should eat more veg. 

so the moment he left for his morning gym session,

i grabbed that giant butternut squash and got to work. 

peeling. seeding. cutting. cubing. 

and literally throwing the squash from the counter into the slow cooker. 

i was working as fast as my little hands would go. 

this is just 1/4 of the whole squash.

these babies are not the easiest to cut.

phew. the squash was done.

lovie got home just as i was throwing in the chickpeas, lentils, and carrots. 

the perfect little cover-up for that yucky squash. 

next came the onions & chicken broth.

organic and low sodium, naturally. 

the spices are what make this great stew even greater.

salt. pep. cumin. ginger. turmeric.

{i added a little heat by throwing in a pinch of cayenne} 

my all clad slow cooker cooked this to absolute perfection.

the consistency was divine. the flavors were melded. 

my house smelled like spice&fall. 

a bike ride, picnic, and two dozen baked cookies later...

i could hardly stand it. 

the anticipation was killing me. 

i felt like i was in on a juicy secret & could not hold it in one more moment. 

there were about 43 minutes left on the slow cooker, but i just gave in. 

"lovie, dinner is ready."

 first bite. oh man!

YIPPEEE!

when he made his way back to the table with helping #2 i gently broke the news to him. 

"oh, lovie. i forgot to tell you the main ingredient..."

his eyes narrowed and he knew i had just got him good. real good. 

he has always promised that he will never, ever, ever like squash.

... looks like he better squash that thought. 

i just giggled and planted a big kiss on his cheek.

every ounce of guilt in my heart is now gone.

i know that i did something really good for him. 

but i do have to admit...

the stubborn woman in me wanted to be able to convince him that he 

could, in fact, love squash. 

this recipe truly was fantastic. it was hot, hearty, and healthy. 

i did add more salt and pepper than the recipe called for.

i find that you can never have too much salt.

 and the cayenne added a great kick. 

i topped it off with sour cream and a pinch of cheese and a few flax chips. 

Better Homes & Garden 

Squash, Chickpea, and Red Lentil Stew 

1 lb butternut squash, or pumpkin

1   15 ounce can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained

3 medium carrots, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup red lentils

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon tumeric

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

4 cups chicken or veg broth

Throw all ingredients into the slow cooker. Cook on low for 8 hours. 

Enjoy each and every bite! 

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***just in case you may have a man in your life who is squash intolerant.

 after the first bite my little skeptic said, and i quote, 

"i love this. absolutely a repeat recipe." 

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