Trying Something New – West African Peanut Soup

As I’ve mentioned before, I love to try new recipes in my kitchen! This week I tried a West African Peanut Soup filled with sweet potato, kale, and chickpeas. This recipe comes from the cookbook, Love Real Food by Kathryne Taylor, from the cooking blog, Cookie + Kate.

I wouldn’t say I’m an adventurous eater – I’m not a fan of a lot of textures and dislike (almost) all seafood. But I’m always willing to try something new and love to cook! My partner and I aren’t vegetarian, but we’re making a point of eating less meat to reduce our carbon footprint. This recipe combines peanut butter, tomato paste, and vegetable broth to form the base had me a little wary. But, when you add red onion, jalapeño pepper, garlic, and ginger, it’s a must-have in my world.

This recipe is available on Kate’s blog, but a revised edition can be found in her cookbook which is what I followed for my soup. I think the cookbook version is a better version! If you’re not ready to purchase the cookbook for your own library, check to see if your local library has it – we have an extensive cookbook collection that makes the whole staffs’ mouths water as we flip through the recipes.

My partner loved the West African Peanut soup and I did too – it was a little spicy, yet smooth with a little sweetness too! Plus, the chickpeas added great protein, while the peanuts on top added just the right amount of crunch. I totally forgot to cook the brown rice as a base, but even without it, the soup was delicious! And I’m definitely looking forward to leftovers.

If you’re interested to learn more about where I find my great meals, check out my Menu Planning & Food Prep post.