Porotos Granads With Polenta Dumplings

• 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
• 8 ounces Slab Bacon
• 1 Medium Yellow Onion, medium dice
• 2 Carrots, small dice
• 2 Celery Stalks, small dice
• 4 Garlic Cloves, minced
• 1 14.5-oz Can Diced Tomatoes, strained - juice reserved
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 1 tablespoon Paprika
• 1/2 cup Red Wine
• 1 1/2 pounds Butternut Squash, cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
• 32 ounces Low Sodium Chicken Broth
• 1 cup Red Quinoa
• 2 15-oz Cans of Pinto Beans, do not strain or rinse
• 3 tablespoons Fresh Basil, chopped
• 2 cups Water
• 1 cup Polenta *Do not use quick cooking polenta
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt

1. Heat large heavy bottom soup pot (a Dutch oven works well) over medium high heat, add olive oil. Saute bacon until brown and crispy. Remove bacon with slotted spoon and set aside on a paper towel to drain excess fat.
2. Saute onions and carrots in the bacon fat until well caramelized. Add the garlic, celery and tomatoes, saute until all the moister has evaporated and the tomatoes have taken on a dark red almost rusty color (approx 7-10 minutes). Add paprika and bay leaf.
3. Deglaze the plan with red wine and reduce until almost dry. Add reserved tomato juice and broth. Bring stew to a boil and add butter nut squash. Reduce heat to low and cover. Let simmer for 20 minutes. Add quinoa and simmer covered for an additional 10 minutes.
4. While the quinoa cooks, brings 2 cups of water and 1/2 tsp salt to a boil in a small saucepan. Turn of the heat and whisk in polenta. Using two spoons form polenta into 2 inch dumplings.
5. Return the stew in a simmer and gently drop the dumplings on top (do not stir). Cover and let dumplings steam for an additional 10 minutes over low heat.
6. Garnish with the crispy bacon and fresh basil. *Garnish with the crispy bacon and fresh basil.
7. QUINOA FUN FACT: Quinoa is native to Chile and completes the stew's already well rounded nutritional profile. It is great source of protein (12-18%) and is the only plant based food source that contains all 8 essential amino acids.

olive oil, bacon, yellow onion, carrots, celery, garlic, tomatoes, bay leaf, paprika, red wine, butternut, chicken broth, red quinoa, pinto beans, fresh basil, water, polenta, salt

Taken from food52.com/recipes/2046-porotos-granads-with-polenta-dumplings (may not work)