White bean and winter squash stew

This is a stew I have made over and over since I've been married. It's quite different than any of the other run-of-the-mill stew recipes I've come across, and the cumin, cinnamon, and cilantro give it a little taste of India. I like how it uses only vegetables and beans. I've adapted my version from the Fix It and Forget It Cookbook so that it's no longer a crockpot recipe -- I find I need to pre-cook the squash to dice it easily, so at that point I might as well just make it on the stove.

• 1 winter squash
  
• 1 large onion, diced
  
• 1-2 T. butter or olive oil
  
• 3-4 c. chicken broth
  
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
  
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
  
• 1/4 tsp. salt
  
• 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
  
• 1 lb. bag of dried Great Northern beans (or other white beans such as Navy or Cannellini), soaked and cooked according to directions on bag
  
• 14-1/2 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained
  
• chopped fresh cilantro

Pre-heat the oven to 350. Split the winter squash in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds and stringy flesh, and place each half face down on a rimmed baking sheet. Pour 1-2 cups of water into the baking sheet and place in oven for 30-45 minutes, until the squash is fork-tender. Remove squash from sheet and place face-up to cool.

While the squash is cooling, dice up a large onion and saute over medium heat in a little butter or olive oil in the bottom of a large stock pot. Once the onion is translucent, add the minced garlic and continue cooking for another minute or so, until the garlic is fragrant. Add the chicken broth, spices, cooked beans, and diced tomatoes. Chop up the cooled squash into bite-sized chunks (being sure to cut off the skin) and add to the stew, then simmer 10-15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Serve garnished with fresh chopped cilantro.