Three Sisters Stew

After watching the Netflix show How to Live to 100, which explores the various Blue Zones across the world and why people in those zones are living to or beyond 100 years old, I was inspired to make a Three Sisters diet recipe. The Three Sisters diet (squash, beans and corn) has been used for thousands of years by many cultures. I found a recipe for Three Sisters Stew from this site, and modified it slightly. Don’t miss the homemade cornbread recipe below.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoons oil (I used avocado oil)

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 medium onion, diced

• 1 medium green pepper, chopped roughly

• 2-3 cups pumpkin or winter squash cubes (I used organic cubed butternut squash)

• 1 can (14.5 to 16 ounces) diced tomatoes with juice (or about 1 quart fresh)

• 1 can (4 ounces) chopped mild green chiles (or 1-2 finely chopped jalapeño peppers) (I used 1 jalapeño)

• 2 cups cooked black beans (if using canned, rinse and drain)

• 2 cups corn kernels (2-3 ears of fresh corn) (I used one can of organic corn)

• 2 teaspoons ground cumin

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

• 1 teaspoons salt

• 1 teaspoon pepper

• 2 cups vegetable stock (or chicken stock) (I used veggie stock)

• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

1. In a large pot, heat oil. Add garlic, onion, green pepper and squash and sauté a few minutes over medium heat. Stir in tomatoes, chiles, beans, corn, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper and cook until hot.

2. Add stock and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and simmer 30 minutes.

3. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired (you can also add extra broth if it is very thick). Add a spoonful of cilantro to individual bowls just before serving.

Homemade Cornbread Muffins

I made cornbread muffins to accompany this stew, which were delicious. If you don’t want to make muffins, you could cook this same recipe in a 9”x9” pan or pyrex dish.

Ingredients

• 1 cup cornmeal

• 1 cup flour

• 1/3 cup sugar

• 1 tsp salt

• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 2 eggs

• 1/3 cup oil (I used avocado oil)

• 1 cup milk

Instructions

Sift dry ingredients, stir in corn meal. Blend eggs, oil and milk and add to dry ingredients. Stire well. Pour into muffin tins (lined) or a well greased 9”x9” pan. Bake at 425 for about 18 minutes.

The verdict!

This dish was delicious! So delicious that my 6 year old brought it to school in a thermos the next day for lunch. Enjoy!

Drop a comment here if you try this recipe.