West African Ground Nut Stew

I love trying new foods and especially foods from different countries. I first ran across a recipe for Ground Nut Stew in college when I was assigned to make a dish from west Africa. If you're looking for a hearty soup for a rainy day, definitely try this one. I sometimes make it in a crock pot, which makes it even easier. This is a great recipe to try if you still have some sweet potatoes hiding in your basement from the last CSA boxes last year!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 can chicken or several pieces leftover chicken, shredded

• 1 T oil

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 1 carrot, chopped

• 1 green pepper, chopped

• 1 tsp fresh ginger root, peeled and grated (or 1/2 tsp powdered ginger)

• 1 sweet potato, peeled & chopped

• 2 cups chopped spinach (fresh or frozen, or other greens)

• 1 clove garlic, minced or pressed

• 2 cups water or broth, divided

• 1/2 cup peanut butter

• 1 can tomato paste or tomato sauce

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1/4 tsp pepper

• cayenne powder to taste (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Add 1 cup of the water or broth, onion, carrot, green pepper, ginger, sweet potato, spinach, and garlic to crockpot. Saute chicken (if raw) in oil, then add to crockpot. In a bowl, stir together remaining cup of broth, peanut butter, tomato sauce, and spices. Add to crockpot. Cook on high 3-4 hours or on low 8 hours, until ingredients are tender. Add more broth/water to make a thinner soup. Serve over rice, and garnish with cilantro, roasted peanuts, or hot peppers.

NOTES:

• You can leave out any ingredients you don’t have or don’t like. This is a flexible recipe.

• Substitute chickpeas for chicken to make a vegan version.

Traditional Sweet Potatoes

INGREDIENTS

• 4 lbs orange sweet potatoes (about 5 medium), peeled and cubed

• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar

• 6 T butter

• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

• 3/4 tsp ground allspice

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

• 2 cups mini marshmallows

DIRECTIONS

Place cubed sweet potatoes in large pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 15-20 minutes, or until just tender. Drain. Mix together brown sugar and spices. Grease a 9x13 pan and spread half of the potatoes in the bottom. Grate or cut the butter into small pieces and spread half of it over the potatoes. Sprinkle half of the sugar/spice mixture over the potatoes. Repeat the layers with the remaining half of the ingredients. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes, or until glaze begins to form. Spread marshmallows in a single layer on top and bake another 5-10 minutes or just until marshmallows begin to puff up and brown.

Katie's Thyme Roasted Sweet Potatoes

INGREDIENTS

• 2 lbs white sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes

• 2 Tbsp olive oil

• 1 garlic clove, minced or pressed

• 2 tsp fresh thyme (can also substitute parsley, oregano, rosemary, etc.)

• salt and pepper to taste

• 1/4 cup chicken or vegetable broth

DIRECTIONS

(Optional first step: boil cubed sweet potatoes for about 15 minutes to speed roasting time. Drain.)
Place cubed sweet potatoes in a large bowl. Mix oil, garlic, herbs, and salt & pepper together, and drizzle over sweet potatoes. Mix well to coat. Spread in a 9x13 pan or rimmed baking sheet and pour over broth. Roast in a 425 degree oven for 20-30 minutes, or until tender, stirring once or twice during baking time.