Family-friendly Recipe for Savory African Peanut Stew

Posted on 30-10-2020 , by: Nancy Clark , in , , , 2 Comments

Looking for a family-friendly meal (assuming no peanut allergies) that happens to be gluten-free and can easily be made in a vegan version? This stew is creamy, savory, and just plain yummy. This is a good recipe to cook with teens because there’s a bit of chopping and dicing for everyone.

You can easily make this recipe vegan or vegetarian by eliminating the chicken or pork, and enjoying the stew as is, or by adding tofu or chickpeas.  You could also use white potato or cauliflower in place of the sweet potato; and kale, collard greens, asparagus tips, or green beans in place of the spinach. For a thin broth, use 1/2 cup (130 g) peanut butter; the 3/4 cup (175 g) makes the broth thick and creamy.

If you are preparing the meal on your own and want to make the process easier, simply use frozen diced peppers and onions, minced garlic (from a jar) or garlic powder, and ground ginger (instead of fresh—although fresh is really worth the effort). I had to buy coriander just for this recipe, but because this stew is so yummy, I frequently make the recipe. I’m happy to have that spice on my shelf.

This stwe is one of many yummy recipes in Nancy Clark’s Sports Nutrition Guidebook, 6th Edition (2020). It was contributed by busy mom, food blogger (www.jugglingwithjulia.com) and registered dietitian Julia Robarts, RD.

 Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium sweet bell pepper, diced (about 1 cup, or 150 g)
1 medium onion (yellow or Vidalia), diced (about 1 cup, or 160 g)
1 pound (480 g) chicken or pork tenderloin, cut in bite-sized pieces
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic, or 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, diced
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 can (15 oz, or 450 g) diced tomatoes, undrained
2 large sweet potatoes (about 2 lb, or 900 g), peeled and chopped
3 cups (720 ml) chicken (or vegetable) broth
1/2 to 3/4 cup (130 to 175 g) natural peanut butter

Optional: 1 to 2 cups (65 to 135 g) baby spinach, 1 to 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (brightens the flavors), 1/2 cup (60 g) peanuts for topping

  1. In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the diced peppers and onions and saute until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. While that is cooking, sprinkle the salt and pepper over the chicken (or pork) pieces.
    2. Add the chicken to the pot and brown the meat on all sides, about 2 minutes. Drop in the garlic, ginger, coriander, and cayenne, and saute for 1 minute more.
    3. Pour in the canned tomatoes; add the sweet potatoes and broth.
    4. Cover and bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to a gentle boil for 15 to 18 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are softened.
    5. Add the peanut butter, and whisk until smooth. Add the spinach. Cover and cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat; (stir in the vinegar).
    6. Taste, and adjust seasonings (salt, cayenne, pepper) as desired.

Yield: 6 servings

Nutrition information: 2,600 total calories; 430 calories per serving, 28 g carbohydrate, 32 g protein; 21 g fat

From Nancy Clark’s Sports Nutrition Guidebook, 6th Edition

2 Comments found

  1. Nancy, this sounds REALLY good. Thanks.

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