Three Sisters Chili

I was inspired recently when reading this article on Companion Planning your Garden on Lylah’s blog. As a novice gardener, I’ve learned a lot this season and am already planning ahead for next and love Lylah’s blog and this particular article for information and inspiration! In the article, the authors discuss plants that benefit each other when planted near or in companion to each other, and also discuss the trinity of squash, corn and beans that the native Americans called the “Three Sisters.” Not only are they companion plants, but together create a perfect protein and were major sources of Native American menus, in all parts of the country.

As one of three girls (the original Three Sisters, above – I’m in the middle), I loved the name in and of itself! As I had planned on making up a batch of chili, and had corn and tomatoes and pattypan squash in my fridge that needed cleaning out and using up, I decided to just wing it and came up with this inspired dish. It was fantastic! The squash soaked up the flavors of the chili and added a welcome texture (make sure that you cut up the squash into about bean size so it doesn’t overwhelm your bites), the corn added a sweetness that curbed the fat and spice of a traditional chili and altogether it made a great one pot dinner, full of extra vegetable goodness and a great way to stretch a few pounds of meat!

I loved this with cheddar cheese and sour cream.

• 2 pounds ground beef (I use ground chuck which has about an 80-85% lean content. Since you are sauteeing a large quantity of vegetables without any additional fat, I prefer ground chuck over ground round, which is leaner and typically more expensive.)
• 1 large onion, diced
• 6 cloves garlic, diced
• 1 large bell pepper, chopped
• 4 cups cooked pinto beans (the equivalent of about 1-1/2 cups dry beans, cooked, or 3 cans of beans)
• 3 cups summer squash, chopped in about 1/4-1/2″ dice
• 3 ears of corn, kernels cut off (about 2 cups)
• 1 quart of canned diced tomatoes
• 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 Tablespoon cumin
• 1-1/2 Tablespoon chili powder
• 1/2 Tablespoon cayenne powder
• 1/2 Tablespoon ground black pepper
• 1 Tablespoon sea salt

In a large pan, brown ground beef with onions and bell pepper. Once browned and vegetables are soft, add garlic, beans and squash. Stir in spices and corn. Add tomatoes and tomato paste and up to 2 cups of water, if needed, for consistency.

Allow to simmer for an hour. Taste for seasoning, adjust and then enjoy!