African Peanut Stew (with Sweet Potatoes)

My love for sweet potatoes is well-known. I think my obsession may be at a point where I'd eat them for every meal if it were nutritionally feasible. I'm becoming notorious in my office for consuming a large roasted sweet potato, split and stuffed with a generous portion of goat cheese, for lunch nearly every day. It's my go-to favorite meal.

It doesn't hurt that in addition to being crazy-delicious, sweet potatoes are chock-full of Vitamins A and C, beta-carotene, and are an excellent source of potassium.

But as they say (or as I say, anyway), there's more than one way to eat a sweet potato. If roasted sweet potatoes with goat cheese are my favorite preparation, my second-favorite is African Peanut Stew. I don't know why, but the sweetness of the sweet potatoes and the creamy, nutty richness of the peanut butter is a winning combination. For extra creaminess and substantially more protein, I also like to add black-eyed peas. In these cold Boston winters, this recipe is comfort in a bowl.

You can serve this as a traditional stew, by itself, or over a bed of your favorite grains. I recommend either Trader Joe's Harvest Blend (with Israeli couscous, red quinoa, and vegetable orzo) or millet.

Query: Does soup taste better out of an extra-pretty bowl that has crows and a moon painted on it? I think it does.

Ingredients

• 1 t coconut oil or olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 T fresh grated ginger
• 1 to 2 large sweet potatoes, diced (the exact amount is up to you, but always err on the side of more sweet potato)
• cayenne pepper, to taste
• 1 T cumin
• 1 t coriander
• 1/4 t cinnamon
• 1/4 t ground cardamom
• 1/4 t turmeric
• 1/2 cup dried black-eyed peas, soaked overnight and cooked 1 1/2 hours (or 1 can black-eyed peas)
• 2 cups chopped green cabbage
• 1 can petite cut diced tomatoes
• 1 cup apple juice
•  1/4 cup natural unsalted peanut butter (almond butter also works beautifully here)
• chicken or vegetable stock, as needed
• salt and pepper, to taste

 Instructions

Prepare ahead: Rinse and soak dried black-eyed peas, if using, according to instructions on the bag.

1. Melt the coconut oil (or pour the olive oil) into a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onions and sauté about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
2. Add the ginger, sweet potatoes, and spices. Sauté for 5 more minutes.
3. Add beans, cabbage, tomatoes, and apple juice. Stir until all ingredients are well incorporated.
4. Add in the peanut butter. Stir thoroughly. If stew seems too thick, add chicken or vegetable stock until you achieve the desired consistency.
5. Cover and let simmer 30 minutes.
6. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Divide into bowls, inhale the sweet-spicy-nutty aroma, and try not to swoon too hard.

Serves 4-5