New year means trying some new recipes. My resolution is to blog more, my puppy has taken over and I’ve been making more doggie food than human!! I wanted to make some comfort food with a twist, this recipe hit the spot. If you want meat, you could add some beef or even turkey mince to this – I’d fry it first before adding to the slow cooker. And vice versa if you fancy making this completely veggie then swap out the chicken stock for veggie stock.

Ingredients 

• 1 onion 
• 1 red pepper 
• 2 cloves crushed garlic 
• 2 cans black beans 
• 1 butternut squash (approx 450g)
• 1 cup quinoa 
• 1 can chopped tomatoes 
• 1 1/2 cups passata 
• 3 tbsp chilli powder
• 3 tsp cumin
• 3 tsp paprika 
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper 
• 1/2 tsp oregano 
• 2 tsp salt 
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 
• 1.5L chicken stock 

Directions 

1. Fry the onion, pepper in garlic on a medium heat for about 5 minutes until soft and set aside.
2. Rinse the quinoa and chop the butternut squash. Place into a slow cooker with the black beans, cooked onion and pepper. 
3. Add in all the remaining ingredients to the slow cooker and put on a high heat for 4 hours, give it a stir every hour. 
4. It’s that easy – enjoy!! I served this with some cheese and spring onion as garnish. 

This recipe is so easy and it tasted great, slow cookers are a godsend!!!