African Chickpea Stew
Makes 6 cups (1.5 L), enough for 4 servings
Peanut butter makes a wonderful creamy sauce for this nutrition-packed stew that is likely to become a family favourite. It is well loved by children and adults alike and has a good balance of protein, fat, and carbohydrate. Lemon juice, added at the end of cooking, adds a lively note to the flavour. If you like, add a dash of hot pepper sauce, fiery chipotle sauce, or Vietnamese chili sauce.
1 tablespoon (15 mL) coconut or olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups (1 L) vegetable stock or water
2 cups (500 mL) peeled, diced sweet potatoes or yams
1 cup (250 mL) cooked or canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup (125 mL) uncooked brown rice
1/4 teaspoon (1 mL) salt
1/4 cup (60 mL) peanut butter
2 cups (500 mL) thinly sliced kale or collard leaves
2 tablespoons (30 mL) freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) black pepper
Tamari
Hot chili pepper sauce
Heat the oil in a pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until translucent. Add garlic and cook for 3 more minutes. Add stock, sweet potatoes, chickpeas, rice, and salt; bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes or until the rice is cooked. In a small bowl, blend peanut butter with enough liquid from the stew to make a smooth paste. Stir this paste into the stew along with kale, lemon juice, pepper, and tamari and chili pepper sauce to taste and cook for another 5 minutes. Adjust the seasoning.
Per cup (250 mL): calories: 383, protein: 12 g, fat: 14 g, carbohydrate: 55 g (8 g from sugar), dietary fibre: 7 g, calcium: 102 mg, iron: 3 mg, magnesium: 106 mg, phosphorus: 247 mg, potassium: 661 mg, sodium: 530 mg, zinc: 2 mg, thiamin: 0.3 mg, riboflavin: 0.1 mg, niacin: 7.6 mg, vitamin B6: 0.6 mg, folate: 142 mcg, pantothenic acid: 1.7 mg, vitamin B12: 0 mcg, vitamin A: 498 mcg, vitamin C: 15 mg, vitamin E: 3 mg, omega-6 fatty acids: 3.2 g, omega-3 fatty acids: 0.1 g
Percentage of calories from protein 13%, fat 32%, carbohydrate 55%
