These three combined foods (corn, beans, and squash) have a very long history and have sustained popularity for thousands of years for excellent reasons.

When the three sisters are cooked together they offer complex carbohydrates, essential fatty acids, and amino acids that make up a complete protein. Eating corn, squash, and beans as the ancient Indians did in a dish once known as succotash– increases the nutritional benefits of each.

Indigenous cultures from all across the Americas have their myths and stories about them.

One legend from the Iroquois people who considered the three sisters the physical and spiritual sustainers of life, tells that after Sky womans’ daughter gave birth to twins, these three precious plants sprouted from the ground, granting the gift of agriculture to the Iroquois people. 

The cultural legends vary but the techniques for planting the three sisters spread from Mesoamerica northward over many many generations.

Planted together, the corn stalks created a trellis for the beans to climb and the squashes planted below provided ground cover that could help act as a weed barrier. These three plants in a symbiotic triad would enhance soil fertility and plant growth as well as provide sound nutrition to sustain the people.

Now that we are in the fall season, it only makes sense to try incorporating these foods into our recipes and fully appreciate how the three sisters tie us back to a long line of our ancestors.

Fall and Winter squashes are particularly fun now, with so many to choose from. Butternut, pumpkin, acorn, spaghetti, delicata, and kabocha, are just a few of them.

And whether you decide to roast, bake, sautee, or use squashes in soups or casseroles, these nutritious beauties provide tons of fiber, vitamins, and minerals, and when combined with beans and corn, give you an extraordinary power meal all in one go.

Butternut squash fries? Pumpkin curry?  Scalloped delicata? Let your imagination go wild!

Of course, you don’t have to limit yourself to just the three sisters. Feel free to add nuts, potatoes, peppers, beets, and other root veggies to them if you like.

And herbs and spices!!!  This is another way goddesses like to add even more nutrition and flavor to meals.

 Try cumin, cinnamon, curry, pepper, star anise, parsley, paprika, or whatever spices and herbs you love.

The three sisters may have once been known as a “peasant” meal, but nutrition-wise is certainly fit for the Goddess today.