Spiced African Peanut Stew

Soothing, lightly spiced vegan stew loaded with chickpeas, kale and peanut butter.

UPDATE: February 1, 2021 - I am revisiting this recipe and updating some content and pictures - It needed a major facelift. I would also like to include this in my list of recent soup obsessions. I have been making a new soup every weekend this winter (so far without fail). Furthermore, I love the coziness and warmth that it gives.

WOW it's been a weird weather week. Temperatures are going from warm (above 0) to -20! Today was another one of those chilly days - which calls for some warm, soul soothing stew.

This hearty stew is nutritious, satisfying and just what a cold winter day needs.

This stew is packed with everything that's yummy in the world:

• Sweet potatoes

• Peanut butter

• Fire roasted tomatoes

• Garlic and jalapeño

So creamy, and satisfying, you’ll see why peanut butter and sweet potato are a match made in HEAVEN. If you are a fan of spicy food, I HIGHLY encourage you to add the cayenne pepper and/or jalapeño to give this recipe a bit more kick.

Do you have some leftover cooked rice? This soup is fabulous with some stirred in.

If you don't have kale, then feel free to use spinach - although I find that it gets slimy. Maybe that's just me, but I'm not a huge fan of using spinach in soup, unless you're blending it. That being said, I'm sure this would also be good with some Chard leaves if you can't find either. Really, any dark leafy green will work.

I've also frozen portions of this in the past, and they're great. This makes a great lunch for work (you can take it in a thermos) or you can have some heated up for dinner after your long day.

SPICED AFRICAN PEANUT STEW

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

1. 1 tsp coconut oil

2. 1 onion

3. 3 cloves garlic, minced

4. 1 bell pepper, diced

5. 1 jalapeño, diced (optional)

6. 1 medium sweet potato, chopped into ½-inch chunks

7. 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with their juices

8. Sea salt and pepper

9. ⅓ cup natural peanut butter

10. 4 cups vegetable broth (more if needed)

11. 1½ tsp chili powder

12. ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

13. 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

14. 2 handfuls of baby spinach or torn kale leaves

15. Roasted peanuts, for serving

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for about 5 minutes (Until the onion is translucent).

2. Add the bell pepper, jalapeño (if using), sweet potato, and tomatoes (with their juices). Raise the heat to medium-high and simmer for 5 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the peanut butter and 1 cup of the vegetable broth until smooth. Stir the mixture into the vegetables along with the remaining 3 cups broth, chili powder, and the cayenne (if using).

4. Cover the pot with a lid and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 10 to 20 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are tender.

5. Stir in the chickpeas and spinach/kale and cook until the greens are wilted. Season with more salt and black pepper to taste.

6. Spoon the stew into bowls and garnish with roasted peanuts.

7. Serve and enjoy!

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