Recipe: 'Oh She Glows' Soul-Soothing African Peanut Stew

Although peanut butter is often thought of in conjunction with sweets, this recipe from Angela Liddon’s The Oh She Glows Cookbook makes a strong case for enjoying peanuts in a savoury dish. This hearty stew is nutritious, satisfying and just what a cold winter day needs.

Soul-Soothing African Peanut Stew

By Angela Liddon

Creamy, satisfying, and lightly spicy, you’ll soon see why soul-soothing peanut butter and sweet potato are a match made in vegan heaven. If you are a fan of spicy food, I encourage you to add the optional cayenne pepper to give this recipe a bit more kick.

Ingredients

• 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium sweet onion
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 jalapeño, seeded, if desired, and diced (optional)
• 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and chopped into ½-inch pieces
• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with their juices
• Fine-grain sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ⅓ cup natural peanut butter
• 4 cups vegetable broth, plus more as needed
• 1½ tsp chili powder
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 2 handfuls baby spinach or destemmed, torn kale leaves
• Fresh cilantro or parsley leaves, for serving
• Roasted peanuts, for serving

Preparation

1. In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for about 5 minutes, or 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 the vegetables with salt and black pepper.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the peanut butter and 1 cup of the vegetable broth until no clumps remain. Stir the mixture into the vegetables along with the remaining 3 cups broth, chili powder, and the cayenne (if using).

4. Cover the pan with a lid and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 10 to 20 minutes, or until the sweet potato is fork-tender.

5. Stir in the chickpeas and spinach and cook until the spinach is wilted. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

6. Ladle the stew into bowls and garnish with cilantro and roasted peanuts.

Tip:

Have some leftover cooked rice? This soup is fabulous with some stirred in.

Excerpted from The Oh She Glows Cookbook: Vegan Recipes to Glow from the Inside Out by Angela Liddon. Copyright © 2014 Glo Bakery Corporation. Published by Penguin Canada, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.