Vegan African Peanut Stew

Breaking news internet world: Target is withdrawing from Canada. Here are 3 reasons why this is good, 3 reasons why this is bad, and 1 reason why I'm even mentioning it.

The good:

• Support local businesses! Shopping local diversifies our products (so we don't all have the same everything like those creepy GAP commercials from the '90s) and helps humans support themselves who actually live in our communities.
• Serves 'em right! 133 new stores in less than 18 months. Are you cah-razy!?!? No one should expand into a new market that quickly. It was cocky and now you've lost a billion dollars. 
• I'm just not a fan of the big box world. So there.

The bad:

• Where the crap am I going to get a half decent sports bra and a cute bathing suit for less than $20!?
• This whole debacle just made me mention my bra... I'm sorry. It was probably weird.
• So long cheap peanut butter
• *note there are also approximately 17,000 jobs disappearing, this also bad. Right up there with the sports bra and peanut butter.

Why I'm even mentioning it:

• The peanut butter. It gets consumed quickly in this household, and is a key ingredient in my new favourite meal - African Peanut Stew. And now I have to buy it at a regular priced store!?

I have been wanting to make this recipe for years. About 5 years, in fact. It was first and only other time I've eaten it, a friend shared some she had made and I thought it was the most delicious stew I'd ever tasted. Mostly because it doesn't really taste like stew. I don't have anything against stew, but it doesn't feature sweet potatoes and collard greens and peanut butter like this one does, so it obviously wins hands down.

I always had the notion that it would be difficult to make with lots of ingredients that I probably didn't have in my already fairly well stocked pantry. So every few months I would see some peanuts and think, hmmm I should make that stew. And then I wouldn't because I'd be concerned about the effort and the ingredients.

I'm laughing at my old self now because oh-boy-oh-boy is this a snap! It uses totally normal ingredients and it's really simple. It is also hearty and fresh and a touch sweet and savoury and just so, soooooo good.

Go stock up on peanut butter before all the Targets close and then make this!

Keep reading for the recipe!

African Peanut Stew
adapted from: Budget Bytes

Coconut oil for frying
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch fresh ginger, finely chopped, or about 1 Tbsp of jarred if fresh is unavailable
2 small sweet potatoes, cubed
1 medium onion, diced
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chipotle hot sauce

1 can tomato paste
½ cup natural style smooth or chunky peanut butter
4 cups vegetable broth
3-4 large collard greens leaves, destemmed and cut into thin strips

Salt and pepper, to taste
¼ cup chopped cilantro (optional) 

¼ cup chopped peanuts (optional)

Directions

1. In a large pot, sauté the ginger and garlic in coconut oil over medium heat for about 1 minute, or until the mixture becomes fragrant but not overly brown
2. Add the onion, and continue to sauté until the onion is tender, about 3 minutes
3. Add the sweet potato and continue to sauté until the onion is soft and the sweet potato takes on a darker colour - approximately 5 minutes
4. Stir in the cumin and hot sauce
5. Add the tomato paste and peanut butter, and stir until everything is evenly mixed
6. Pour in the vegetable broth and stir until the tomato paste-peanut butter combination is dissolved 
7. Cover with a lid and allow to come to a boil
8. Once the stew has started to boil, add the greens and remove the lid. Allow to simmer for about 15 minutes. 
9. Check that your sweet potatoes are very soft, if so, you're done!
10. Season to taste with salt and pepper (I used about 1/8 tsp of each)
11. Serve with rice and garnish with cilantro and peanuts
12. Enjoy!