African Peanut Stew


1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium red onion, finely chopped (about 1½ cups)
1 medium green bell pepper, finely chopped (about 1¼ cups)
½ cup chopped carrot (2 small)
½ cup chopped celery (1 rib)
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons minced, peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 (14½-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 bay leaf
4 cups fat-free chicken or vegetable broth
1 (12-ounce) sweet potato, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
1½ cups shelled edamame
¼ cup creamy or crunchy natural peanut butter or almond butter
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 (5-ounce) bag baby spinach leaves, torn into bite-size pieces
½ teaspoon salt
Coarsely ground black pepper


1. Heat olive oil in a 4-quart saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, carrot and celery; sauté until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.

2. Add garlic, ginger and curry powder and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute; do not brown garlic. Add tomatoes and bay leaf; cook, uncovered, until tomatoes are slightly reduced, about 3 minutes.

3. Add broth and sweet potatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer about 8 minutes. Stir in edamame and peanut butter until combined. Cook until thoroughly heated, about 2 minutes. Stir in cilantro and spinach until spinach wilts. Season with salt and pepper.

Serves 8.

This popular African dish is usually prepared with chicken, but we’ve used super nutritious edamame instead. In addition, canned tomatoes, sweet potatoes and spinach infuse it with fiber, protein and antioxidants. Serve on rice for a hearty main dish.

Recipe by Cheryl Forberg, Relish the Healthy Table, “The Biggest Loser’s Plan to Win,” Jan. 2008. Forberg is the author of Positively Ageless: A 28-Day Plan for a Younger, Slimmer, Sexier You (Rodale, April 2008) and Stop the Clock! Cooking (Avery, 2003). Recipe adapted from Stop the Clock! Cooking. Visit her website at cherylforberg.com

Nutritional Information
Per (1-cup) serving: 190 calories, 8g fat, 11g prot., 21g carbs., 5g fiber, 560mg sodium.

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