The Three Sisters of Life
Prep Time: 0:20
Total Time: 1:30
Servings: 8
Ingredients:
2 medium winter squash - red kuri, carnival, etc.
2 cans black beans (rinsed and drained)
1/2 medium onion (chopped)
2 cloves fresh garlic (peeled and minced)
1 medium bell pepper (seeded and chopped - use a jalapeno if you dare)
1 tablespoon Organic Valley Salted Butter
2 bags frozen corn (Cascadian Farms (10-ounce size bags))
4 medium Roma tomatoes (diced)
1 cup Organic Valley Monterey Jack Cheese - Reduced Fat (or try Organic Valley Pepper Jack Cheese)
1/3 teaspoon cumin
1/3 teaspoon chili powder
salt and pepper (to taste)
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Wash the squash of your choosing, cut in half to form a bowl, and remove the seeds. Pierce squash several times with a fork and place directly on a rack in the oven (line the bottom of your oven with foil to catch the juices). Bake until tender (about 45 minutes or so). Remove from oven and allow to cool.
In a large skillet, over medium high heat, saute the onion & garlic in Organic Valley Salted Butter, until tender. Then add pre-cooked or canned black beans, chopped fresh bell pepper, roma tomatoes, Cascadian Farms Frozen Corn, and spices. Cook over medium until well incorporated, about 12-15 minutes.
Spoon the bean & corn mixture into the squash bowls. Cover with Organic Valley Pepper Jack Cheese and bake until cheese is bubbly and the Three Sisters are warm throughout. Enjoy!
Serving Suggestions:
Serve with a grateful heart, an open mind, and a warm smile.
Note:
~This recipe was a story gift given to me by three Cherokee sisters. They explained that these three sacred foods; corn, beans and squash were staples of the Native Peoples. They grow in harmony with each other and keep the soil's nitrogen in balance.
In the autumn of 1621, Capt. Miles Standish invited the families of Samoset, Squanto, and Wampanoag Chief Massasoit to a three-day harvest celebration, to give thanks for the seeds, agricultural wisdom, and assistance the Natives provided to the pilgrims. When the 90 tribal members arrived, it was obvious that there was not enough food prepared. Chief Massasiot gave the orders to fetch food. The Wampanoag tribe provided what was local, 100% organic, plentiful, and sacred: corn, beans, and squash. So it was that the guests provided the majority of the food at the very first Thanksgiving!
My beloved Cherokee sister Mary Two Hawks left me with this recipe advice: the natives ate what was around them, they ate of the earth and gave thanks to Great Spirit and Mother Earth for providing us with such an abundance. When you make the Three Sisters, make it with what you have and what's around you, and it will be different everytime. The Three Sisters will always work well together because they create balance and harmony within the earth/soil and within your body.
Side Note: Mary Two Hawks loves Organic Valley Pepper Jack Cheese. It comes from happy cows who have sisters!
Nutrition Info:
Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 301 Calories; 7g Fat (18.8% calories from fat); 21g Protein; 43g Carbohydrate; 9g Dietary Fiber; 16mg Cholesterol; 97mg Sodium. Exchanges: 2 1/2 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 0 Fat.
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