African Sweet Potato Stew with Red Beans

From Laurie Freivogel

Laurie thought her soup was “ugly” – but all I could see in the bowl were gobs of flavor and protein packed into one vegan package. In smaller batches, says Laurie, this recipe (adapted from Cooking Light) produced a spicier and more vibrantly colored soup, but when multiplied it mellowed and became more easygoing. Much like love over time

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

Preparation
Heat oil in a stock pot over medium heat.

Add onion and garlic; cover and cook 5 minutes or until tender. Add cumin, cook for just about a minute then add sweet potato and next 9 ingredients (through chiles). Bring liquid to a boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer until potatoes are tender.

Spoon 1 cup cooking liquid into a small bowl. Add peanut butter; stir well with a whisk. Stir peanut butter mixture into stew. At this point, I mash about ½-3/4 of the ingredients, leaving some chunks.

To serve, top with peanuts and a squeeze of lime