African Sweet Potato Stew

By OhApril

This tasty stew is satisfying and packed with nutrition to help boost your immune system and give you energy that lasts all day.

Mmmmm...hearty, filling, with chunks of sweet potato & chickpeas bathed in a rich, creamy coconut milk gravy that’s infused with a variety of spices & the mineral-rich addition of collards.
The list of ingredients may seem long, but so much of this is spice that the actual prep time isn’t as much as you’d think. The recipe makes a huge vat of stew, so you can package and freeze it for later consumption, too.
This recipe is a nutritional powerhouse:
Chickpeas/Garbanzo Beans are very low in fat, a great source of folate, protein, and dietary fiber, and also a significant source of Calcium (nearly = to yogurt or milk). They are also rich in minerals like magnesium, iron, zinc, and phosphorous.

Collard Greens are packed with nutrition! Like other veggies in the cruciferous family, collards provide anticancer properties. They offer an excellent source of vitamins B6 & C, carotenes, chlorophyll, & manganese. One cup of collard greens provides more than 70% of the RDA for Vitamin C. Collards are also a very good source of fiber & several minerals including iron, copper, & calcium. They are also plentiful in Vitamins B1, B2, & E.

Sweet Potatoes are a nutritional All-Star; simply one of the healthiest vegetables you can eat! They're loaded with carotenoids, Vitamin C, potassium, & fiber. They're tops for complex carbs, helping you to feel satisfied longer with no sugar crash.

Almonds are a unique package of nutrients: a great source of protein (6 grams per one ounce) along with dietary fiber, phosphorus, calcium, potassium, magnesium, manganese, copper, zinc, iron and vitamin E. In fact, one ounce of almonds provides about 7.4 grams of alpha-tocopherol vitamin E, 50 percent of the RDA. Almonds are the only good source of protein that is also an excellent source of vitamin E.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon coconut or extra virgin olive oil, preferably organic
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 thumb-sized piece ginger, peeled and chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/2 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, cored and chopped
• 1 small jalapeño pepper, minced or 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon whole mustard seeds, brown or yellow
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 (19-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained (reserve the juice)
• 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1-inch cubes
• 2 to 3 medium white potatoes, chopped into 1-inch cubes
• 1 (12-ounce) can coconut milk
• 1/3 cup natural smooth almond or peanut butter (use almond for ACD)
• 1 pound collard greens, midribs removed and shredded
• 2 cups cooked chickpeas

Preparation

Step 1

Heat the oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat; add the onion, ginger, garlic and cilantro and sauté until the onion is translucent, about 7 minutes. Add the red pepper, jalapeño, cumin, mustard seeds, coriander, turmeric, paprika and cayenne and cook a couple more minutes. Add the tomatoes, sweet potatoes, potatoes and coconut milk; cover and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, until the potatoes are soft, about 15 minutes.

Place the almond butter in a small bowl or glass measuring cup and scoop about 1/2 cup of the liquid from the stew, adding it to the nut butter; mix well, until smooth. Pour the mixture back into the pot and blend it in. Add the collards and chickpeas and continue to cook until the greens are soft, another 5-10 minutes. If the sauce is too thin, allow to simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until desired thickness is reached. Serve over rice or cooked quinoa.