Get Your Soup Bowls Out.

That's right boys and girls.

Soup Season.

Yes, indeed, it is the best time of year.

I admit. I am usually not a recipe user when it comes to soups. I am typically the type of person that grabs all the veggies that I have and immediately cook them all together, maybe process one half of the soup and make it spicy, add some crushed tomatoes...voila! Soup!

This season will be different. This is the season for something different.
This season I do the nerding-out with Soup.

For my first recipe, I introduce to you African Sweet Potato and Peanut Stew.

Holy crap.

This is awesome. Here is the recipe.

Here's what you need:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 med sized yellow onion, chopped
1 med sized green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp light brown sugar
1 tsp peeled and grated fresh ginger
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp cayenne (although I always add more.)
1 1/2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes.
1 14.5 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 1/2 c vegetable stock
salt
1 15 oz can dark red kidney beans
2 tbsp smooth natural peanut butter
1/2 c chopped unsalted dry-roasted peanuts

Here's how you make it:
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, cover and cook until softened, about 5 min. Add the bell pepper and garlic, cover and cook until softened, about 5 min. Stir in the brown sugar, ginger, cumin, cinnamon, and cayenne and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the sweet potatoes and stir to coat. Stir in the tomatoes, stock, and salt to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until the vegetables are soft, about 30 min. About ten min before the end of the cooking time, stir in the kidney beans and simmer until heated through. Place the peanut butter in a small bowl and blend in about 1/4 c of the broth, stirring until smooth, then stir into the stew. If a thicker consistency is desired, puree one cup of the stew in a blender or food processor and stick back into the pot. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Sprinkle with the chopped peanuts.

Okay, now go make it!