Healthy Holiday Recipe: AFRICAN ALMOND STEW

Soups and stews can be a healthy addition to any holiday celebration. Be sure to use plenty of plant-based foods to maximize the nutrition of your meal. Soups and stews are a great way to increase your vegetable, starchy vegetable, legume, and even grain intake. Any mediocre soup or stew can become an amazing one with the addition of a simple thickener. Thicken soups/stews with nut/seed/peanut butter, pureed beans, or even pureed orange starchy vegetable such as pumpkin/butternut squash. Try this delicious stew which is thickened with almond butter. If avoiding nuts, use any of the other aforementioned foods as an alternative.

African Almond Stew

Recipe by Eric C. Sharer, MPH, RD, CSO, CDN

Yield: 8-10 servings

Ingredients:

2 each medium onions, chopped
6 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
¼ cup water or vegetable broth

4 cups water or vegetable broth (use 5-6 cups for a soup consistency) 5 cups chopped or canned diced tomatoes (canned = 1 28oz. can & 1 14oz. can diced tomatoes)

2 each 14 oz. cans garbanzo beans 12-14 oz. tomato sauce (approx. ½ 28 oz. jar)
½ cup fresh mint leaves, minced, divided Optional
1 tbsp. chili powder
1 tbsp. ground cumin
1.5 tsp. salt or soy sauce
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper or to taste Optional

3 cups finely chopped greens collard greens, kales, Swiss chard
¾ cup natural almond butter or cashew butter

¼ cup nuts, chopped and roasted/toasted (almonds, pecans, or walnuts) Optional

Directions:

  1. Heat ¼ cup liquid in large stock pot over medium high heat. Once liquid starts to simmer, add garlic and onions. Gradually stir mixture and add small amounts of liquid as necessary to prevent the mixture from sticking to the pan. Cook for about 5 minutes or until onions are translucent.
  2. Add the water, tomatoes, beans, tomato sauce, 4 tablespoons of the mint leaves, chili powder, cumin, salt, and red pepper. Bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer for 10 to 12 minutes.
  3. Add the greens and nut butter and cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly to distribute the nut butter. The soup will thicken slightly. * To equally distribute the nut butter mix the nut butter with a 1-2 cups of the stew in a separate bowl using a whisk. Once completely distributed, add the mixture into the pot of soup.
  4. Serve soup in a bowl garnished with toasted nuts and mint if using.


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