Ghanaian Peanut Soup

So, I’ve been having a love affair with peanut butter. Like Franks Red Hot Sauce, I’ve been putting that S#%@ on everything.

The soup is hearty and filling but not overly rich.The chicken stock and mashed potatoes evened out the peanut butter’s thickness and kept it from being too decadent ( if there is such a thing). I really enjoyed it, especially the hint of ginger! Oh, and the chicken was sooo tender!

Rice was the perfect side dish, it balanced out the spice and thickness, and the naan was good for sopping up the sauce. It wasn’t nearly spicy enough for me or Phil, so we added the chili pepper flakes to our bowls. Next time I make it I’ll add more spice during the cooking process.

There are quiet a few steps for making this but don’t let that scare you off!! It’s actually very easy to make, and once you’ve read over the steps you’ll see this can be made in 30 minutes.

The original recipe is from Kayotic Kitchen, and I encourage you to check out the beautiful photos she’s take. She has a lot of the step-by-step photos which made it easy to figure out what to do next. My kitchen has horrible lighting so I don’t take as many “making of” photos. Happy Eating!

adapted from Kayotic Kitchen

You Will Need:

1 large boneless skinless chicken breast
1 medium onion
1 chili pepper
1 clove of garlic
1 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp fresh ginger
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 cup mashed potatoes
1/2 cup sieved tomatoes
2 cups chicken stock
2 tbps sugar
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tbsp parsley
1 green onion
salt to taste** ( The original recipe calls for 2 tbsp salt, which seems like a lot.  I used 1/4 tsp but use your own taste preferences)

What You Do:

Chop the onion and finely chop half of the chili pepper ( you’ll use the other half for garnish, so cut the chili pepper in small rings). I like spicy food so I made sure to put all the chili flakes into the sauce.

Chop the chicken breast into cubes and set aside.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large pot. Add onions and sauté on medium until slightly translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the chili pepper and crushed garlic (I used a garlic press, Kayotic Kitchen grated it) and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Finally, add you ginger and let ingredients cook another few minutes.

Next, add the 1/2 cup peanut butter, stirring it around a little to help it melt. When melted, add the mashed potatoes and sieved tomatoes. Stir until ingredients form a paste.

Slowly add your chicken stock, whisking as you go. Whisk until mixture is smooth and creamy.

Add 2 tbsp sugar, 1/2 tsp chili powder,  1/2 – 1 tbsp fresh parsley, and salt/pepper to taste.

Add chicken cubes and bring the pot to a boil. Turn the heat down to low and let it simmer for 15 -20 minutes or until chicken is tender and fully cooked.

Garnish with chili pepper, green onion, and fresh parsley (cilantro works well too). Voila!

Hearty Potato and Bean Soup with Multigrain Pita Chips

So day two of the Get Fit project is underway, and along with going for my first hour-long run I decided to make a healthy meal I could enjoy all week. I foresee the usefulness of this especially when I’m starving and need something healthy on hand to ensure I don’t devour a bag of chips. Or wedge of brie. Hey, it’s happened before.

My last roommate had this big tub of mixed beans for soups and chili and I nabbed a couple of cups before moving out. My soup turned out more like a stew because I simmered it on too high of a setting, I’m using a new gas stove and need to familiarize myself with the heating levels, but it tasted great.

I also made some multigrain pita chips to go with the soup (healthy and delicious). They are simple to make and can be enjoyed with so many dishes. I cut the pita into triangular slices, though usually I just tear it up, and sprinkled it with olive oil, one crushed clove of garlic, and Montreal Steak Spice seasoning. I usually use a medley of Italian spices but the soup was seasoned with it and I wanted  to try a new flavour. Broil to desired goldenness.

I love this soup because it is so versatile. It’s great by itself garnished with parmesan cheese or cilantro, or if it turns out thicker than expected it’s really good on toast bread. Mmmmmmm, hearty soup!

This is the recipe I followed:

• 1 cup of mixed means, soaked in cold water for 6 hours
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 an onion, chopped
• 2 stalks celery
• 1 carrot
• 5 baby potatoes, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 beef bouillon cube
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning mix
• salt, pepper, chili flakes to taste

In a large pot sauté onions, garlic, celery and carrot with olive oil until soft.

Add diced tomatoes, water, beans, potatoes, bouillon cube, bay leaf, and spices. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and simmer for 1-2 hours, until beans are soft.