Sweet Potato and Pumpkin Soup with Peanuts

A Southern take on a West African peanut soup, this soup has a savory yet still sweet and nutty flavor.  Peanuts are a great source of heart-healthy fats and plant-based protein.  This dish calls for fresh pumpkin, but you can use additive-free canned pumpkin for a similar taste.

Serves 8-10 [3/4 cup each]

Ingredients:

3 cups Vegetable Broth or store-bought low-sodium vegetable broth, divided

1 celery stalk, roughly chopped

1 cup roughly chopped tomato

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 2-inch cubes

1 small pumpkin, peeled and cut into 2-inch cubes

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon paprika

2 cups roasted unsalted peanuts

Baby sage leaves (optional)

1. In a large Dutch oven, bring 1 cup of broth to a simmer over medium heat
2. Add the celery, tomato and bell pepper and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, or until softened
3. Add the sweet potato, pumpkin, bay leaf, paprika and the remaining 2 cups of broth.  Cover and cook for 30 minutes, or until the sweet potato and pumpkin are soft.
4. Add the peanuts and cook for 5 minutes, or until the peanuts become less crunchy.  Discard the bay leaf.
5. Transfer to a heat-safe blender and pulse until the soup has a batter-like consistency.
6. Serve with a grilled hearts of romain with buttermilk dressing [found in my Southern Comfort Food Diabetes cookbook] and protein of your choice.  If using, garnish with baby sage leaves.

Prep tip:  If you prefer a less nutty flavor, reduce the quantity of peanuts or simply use 1/2 cup as garnish and divide it between each serving.

Enjoy!

Recipe excerpted from The Southern Comfort Food Diabetic Cookbook: Over 100 Recipes for a Healthy Life, by Maya Feller, MS RD CDN, published by Rockridge Press. Copyright © 2019 by Callisto Media, Inc. All rights reserved.
and link that to: https://www.amazon.com/Southern-Comfort-Food-Diabetes-Cookbook/dp/1641527005