GFVeg Soup

African Sweet Potato Soup with Peanut Butter and Beans

One of my friends has a gluten intolerance so for a baby shower for one of my other friends, I decided to make a gluten free dish. I'm really hoping I succeeded otherwise Amber's stomach is going to hate me. I found a recipe on a blog called Gluten Free Goddess for a African stew. I added a few things to it but for the most part followed her recipe.

African Sweet Potato Soup with Peanut Butter, Black-Eyed Peas & Beans

1 tablespoon light olive oil or peanut oil

1 tablespoon red or green Thai Kitchen curry paste- hot or mild, to taste (start with less if you prefer it mild)

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 medium red onion, peeled, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium sweet potato or yam, peeled, diced

1 large yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded, diced

1 jalapeño or other hot chile pepper, seeded, diced fine

1 14-oz. can black-eyed peas, rinsed, drained

1 14-oz. can white beans, rinsed, drained

1 14-oz. can black beans, rinsed, drained

1 quart light broth

1/2 cup 100% natural peanut butter or Sunbutter melted in a half cup of boiled water

1/2 teaspoon crushed hot red pepper flakes, or more, to taste

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Juice from 1 big juicy lime

2-3 teaspoons organic brown sugar or raw agave nectar, to taste

Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

For garnish:

Chopped fresh cilantro or parsley

Heat the light olive oil in large soup pot. Add the curry paste and cinnamon; stir for a minute to infuse the oil with spice. Add the onion, garlic, sweet potato, yellow pepper and jalapeño. Stir and cook the veggies for 5-7 minutes, until softened.

Add the black-eyed peas, white and black beans, broth, peanut butter, red pepper flakes and cilantro.

Bring the soup to a high simmer, cover, and lower the heat; keep the soup on simmer and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 25 to 30 minutes.

Stir in the lime juice and brown sugar or agave. Season with sea salt and ground pepper, to taste. Warm through and taste for seasoning adjustments.

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The changes I made were that I didn't use black-eyed peas. Instead I just used another can of black beans. I used a green pepper instead of a yellow pepper because that's what I had. I also added a couple splashes of vinegar,  2 chopped celery sticks, ground cumin, white pepper, dash of cocoa powder, minced dehydrated onions, and some ancho-chili powder.

In Pictures

Most of the ingredients

Produce!

Canola oil, curry paste, and cinnamon

Sweet Potato, onions, green peppers, garlic, jalapeno

Beans rinsed and drained

Peanut butter!!

Added it to the soup pot along with broth, beans, cilantro, chili flakes.

 I then let it simmer for 35 min or so and then added the lime juice, brown sugar, sea salt, ground pepper, cumin, extra cilantro, ancho chili powder, cocoa powder, white pepper, vinegar, celery, and dehydrated onions.

And Voila!

 

What I learned:

• Making sure everything is gluten free is very time consuming; and I'm glad I don't have to do that every meal.
• Always remember to thoroughly wash your hands before washing your face after cutting ingredients with capsaicin.
• I need some prettier bowls to display my food in.
• Things always take longer than you think they will.
• Catching up with old friends is fun.