Kitchen Magic: Spicy African Peanut & Veggie Soup

My husband and I have a tradition of homemade soup and 60 Minutes on Sunday evenings. In the four and a half years we've been married I've come up with some pretty good soups, but this one wins hands down. It was about 5:00 PM when I realized that it was Sunday and the soup wasn't on! I looked in the fridge and what did I find? A bit of a yam and a piece of broccoli we had with the Honey Dijon Pork Chops Friday night (There were no remnants of the pork chops.) Some limp celery. Half a bag of spinach in the early stages of sliminess. A zucchini and yellow squash that needed to be eaten or put in the garbage. "So what can I make out of these lovely ingredients?" I asked myself.

I got online and started looking for soups with yam as the main ingredient and came up with several versions of Spicy African Yam Soup. I pulled together various ingredients that I had in the house and magic did happen!!




Spicy African Peanut and Veggie Soup

In a big soup pot heat:

1 T. olive oil

Sauté:

1 small onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 small zucchini, chopped
1 small yellow squash, chopped
1 yam, chopped
Any other veggies you have hanging around. If they are already cooked, add them at the end with the spinach.

When onion is translucent add and cook for 1-2 minutes:

½ cup brown/wild rice mix
2 t. chopped garlic
1 t. cumin
2-3 t. curry powder
Red pepper flakes, to taste
1 t. salt

Stir in:

4 cups vegetable broth
1 can diced tomatoes

Simmer until rice is cooked, about 30-40 minutes.

Stir in:

1 can lite coconut milk
1/3 cup peanut butter
2 cups fresh spinach, chopped

Cook until heated through and spinach is wilted.

Adjust seasonings and add a splash or two of lime juice and a bit of sugar, if desired, to give it a little more pizzazz. Serve with chopped peanuts as garnish.

Makes about 8 servings.