African Sweet Potato Stew

After making the Moroccan Lamb Stew (below), I had several leftover ingredients I needed to use--red bell pepper, ginger, and broth. I found this recipe on Cooking Light. I usually keep a variety of canned beans in my pantry as well as peanut butter, sweet potatoes, onion, and tomatoes. I didn't even have to go to the store! However, I did make the following changes:

Substituted Chicken Broth
Substituted Red Kidney Beans
Used Chunky Natural Peanut Butter

This recipe was a quick and easy crock-pot meal. I served it with some crusty grain bread. It was not as flavorful as I expected it to be, so next time I may up the garlic and spices. I may also add an extra can of beans. The peanut butter and lime (even though it sounds weird) are a must!

Note: I froze leftover individual portions and reheated the following week. It is definitely one of those dishes that gets better after a night in the fridge! I served it over quinoa the second time. Delicious.

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 4 cups (1/2-inch) cubed peeled sweet potato (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• 1 1/2 cups cooked small red beans
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained
• 3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
• 3 tablespoons chopped dry-roasted peanuts
• 6 lime wedges

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cover and cook 5 minutes or until tender.
2. Place onion mixture in a 5-quart electric slow cooker. Add sweet potato and next 10 ingredients (through chiles). Cover and cook on low 8 hours or until vegetables are tender.
3. Spoon 1 cup cooking liquid into a small bowl. Add peanut butter; stir well with a whisk. Stir peanut butter mixture into stew. Top with peanuts; serve with lime wedges.