West African Peanut Soup

This dish was first introduced to me by my sister, who would make it all the time. It's so delicious, and it scores high in terms of health. At first thought, the some of the ingredients may seem like an odd combination--peanut butter with ginger, mixed with tomatoes, but trust me, the results are delectable!

Serves: 6

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

6 cups low sodium vegetable broth
1 medium red onion, chopped
2 tablespoons peeled and minced fresh ginger
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 bunch collard greens (or kale), ribs removed and leaves chopped into 1-inch strips
¾ cup unsalted peanut butter (chunky or smooth)
½ cup tomato paste*
¼ cup roughly chopped peanuts, for garnish

In a medium Dutch oven or stock pot, bring the broth to a boil. Add the onion, ginger, garlic and salt. Cook on medium-low heat for 20 minutes.
In a medium-sized, heat-safe mixing bowl, combine the peanut butter and tomato paste, then transfer 1 to 2 cups of the hot stock to the bowl. Whisk the mixture together until smooth, then pour the peanut mixture back into the soup and mix well. Stir in the collard greens and season the soup with hot sauce to taste. Simmer for about 15 more minutes on medium-low heat, stirring often. Serve over cooked rice if you'd like, and top with a sprinkle of chopped peanuts.