Photo courtesy of Elena Veselova/shutterstock.com.
By Janee Williams
Need a healthy and delicious meal that will feed a pack of people? Well the African Sweet Potato and Peanut Stew by Amy Fanning of The Delicious Dish will hit the spot.
Modified from from the cookbook “Vegan Planet” by Robin Robertson, Fanning said this stew packs the perfect combination of protein, fiber and healthy fat.
“If you are looking for a crowd-pleasing recipe that will satisfy everyone — the health nuts, the vegans, vegetarians, gluten-free, even the meat-eaters — and provide a substantial and flavorful meal, then my modified version of African Peanut Stew will be the perfect addition.” Fanning says.
African Sweet Potato and Peanut Stew
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil or Organic Safflower Oil
1 Medium Yellow Onion
2 Cups Thinly Sliced Kale, Dinosaur is my favorite
2 Cups Green Beans
1 Large Clove Garlic
1 Teaspoon Peeled and Grated Ginger
1/2 Teaspoon Cumin
1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon
1/2 Teaspoon Sriracha Sauce (optional — but a great way to add a light punch)
1 1/2 Pounds Sweet Potatoes, Peeled, Cubed into 1/2 inch pieces
1 1/2 Cups Vegetable Stock — Low or No Salt, reserving 1/4 Cup to mix with Peanut Butter
Salt to Taste
15-Ounce Can Dark Red Kidney Beans, Drained and Rinsed
3 Tablespoons Smooth Natural Organic Peanut Butter
1/2 Cup Chopped Unsalted Dry-Roasted Peanuts
Instructions:
-Heat the oil in a large sauce pan or dutch oven over medium heat.
-Add the onion and cook until softened and translucent approximately five minutes. Add the garlic and stir so as not to burn for approximately two minutes.
-Stir in the brown sugar, ginger, cumin, cinnamon and Sriracha sauce and cook, stirring for a minute or two.
-Add the sweet potatoes and stir to coat. Add the tomatoes, vegetable stock and a pinch of salt.
-Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until the potatoes are soft — approximately 25 to 30 minutes. Ten minutes before the sweet potatoes are done, add in the green beans and kidney beans. Three minutes before the sweet potatoes are softened, stir in the kale.
-While waiting for the sweet potatoes to softened, start your rice, following the directions on rice packaging. The rule of thumb is 2:1 ratio of Water to Rice. So 1 Cup of Rice to 2 Cups of Water. For this recipe’s serving size, make 2 Cups Rice with 4 Cups water.
-Place the peanut butter in a small bowl and add in about 1/4 Cup of the vegetable stock — mix with a fork until smooth, then stir into stew. To make the stew thicker, puree about one cup of the sweet potato mixture in a blender and add back into stew. Taste to adjust the seasoning, adding more salt or more Sriracha as desired.
-Place Stew on a bed of Rice, sprinkling chopped peanuts on top and serve.