African Sweet Potato Stew with Red Beans-CL-10/04

[Terrytx]

YUM! This is great. I put it together this morning (not in a slow cooker) to have around for lunches this week. I just tasted it and I can hardly wait for a big ole bowl. I didn't have lime with my taste, but will try it for lunch. I used canned red beans (drained and rinsed). I can hear it calling me from the kitchen right now

[muriel3002]

I've been waiting for a review on this. It is on my must-make list from October's CL, but I haven't been able to get around to it yet.

Thanks for posting!

[dlaboriel]

I made this last week and we enjoyed it very much. I used small red beans called adzuki (spelling may be wrong) that worked very well in this dish. Didn't use peanuts.

African Sweet Potato Stew with Red Beans
From Cooking Light

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
4 cups (1/2-inch) cubed peeled sweet potato (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 1/2 cups cooked small red beans
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained
3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
3 tablespoons chopped dry-roasted peanuts
6 lime wedges

Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cover and cook 5 minutes or until tender.
Place onion mixture in a 5-quart electric slow cooker. Add sweet potato and next 10 ingredients (through chiles). Cover and cook on low 8 hours or until vegetables are tender.

Spoon 1 cup cooking liquid into a small bowl. Add peanut butter; stir well with a whisk. Stir peanut butter mixture into stew. Top with peanuts; serve with lime wedges.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 1/3 cups stew, 1 1/2 teaspoons peanuts, and 1 lime wedge)

[zackaboo]

Glad to see the good reviews. I bought the ingredients (minus the peanuts) and plan to make this one this week. Thanks.

[EmilyK]

Thanks for the reviews! This one is going to be dinner tomorrow night!

[Tally]

I made this a few days ago. It was quite tasty, and reminded me of the African Chicken Peanut Stew reader recipe from a few years ago, minus the chicken, of course.
I was pressed for time and did not saute the onions and garlic before putting them in the crockpot. I didn't notice a difference in the final result.

[Kat67]

very glad to hear about not needing a slow cooker as this was my must-make until I saw that part. also about adzuki beans; they are my fave and I think the most nutricious bean around! will be making it in mere hours!

[blazedog]

Did you use cooked adzuki beans? I've never seen them canned. If not, did you soak and then cook separately and then add.

What are canned red beans -- I don't thnk I've seen those -- running down the canned beans in my head now -- kidney, navy, black, RED?

[Terrytx]

Originally posted by blazedog
What are canned red beans -- I don't thnk I've seen those -- running down the canned beans in my head now -- kidney, navy, black, RED?

Yep, the can says very simply Red Beans. They are Green Gaint brand

[Karen92157]

For those of you who have made this - What type of meat could you add to this or what type of meat could you serve with it on the side? My husband would want meat. I could eat it as is but want to make it so my husband would eat it. Thanks!

[Tally]

IMy DH and I bought a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken from a local supermarket and added shredded pieces of it to the soup before serving

[Kat67]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by blazedog
[B]Did you use cooked adzuki beans?

you can get canned adzuki beans in any health food store. I know Eden Foods makes them... organic even!

[blazedog]

Kat - Thanks. I never would have thought of canned adzuki beans. I'm due for a trip to Whole Foods anyway.

Haven't had adzukis since my stint as a macrobiotic in college and they sure didn't have canned one then.

[susan_foster]

I put this into my mastercook last night with canned adzuki beans - and it shot the calories up! Just a warning - I double-checked against the web, and it looks like canned adzuki are very high in calories for some reason - if the standard is sweetened ones. If you are using unsweetened, you should be fine.

As for red beans - I have been using Westbrae organic beans for my recent recipes - and they have canned red beans that are not kidney. They describe them as a smaller, rounder relative of the kidney bean.

And yes - I am going to try this tomorrow in my slow cooker. First try with my new slow cooker - we'll see how it goes.

Susan

[LaurenP]

Saw this recipe this AM and decided to make it for dinner tonight. My only changes are that I had no red pepper so I just did with out and I used black beans instead of red. Also I thought I add just a little bit of chipotle pepper, but as usual I over did it a bit. DH will like it though. Now I haven't put the peanutbutter in yet. I really like this stew as is. Worried about the peanutbutter. Any comments.
I have about an hour.

[Tess]

Terrytx-
How did you cook it if you didn't use a slow cooker? Mine is old and unreliable.
Tess

[Terrytx]

I sauteed the onion and garlic like it said, in a Dutch oven. Added the next 10 ingredients and simmer it until the potatoes were tender, then went on as the directions said. I cooked probably about 45 minutes or so.

[deniseannsc]

I made this today and all I can say is WOW!!! Even my teenage daughter who snubbed her nose at it tried it after her friend did. They both loved it and kept coming back for more. A definate repeater. I wasn't sure about adding the peanut butter because I liked it fine without, but I did add it and glad I did. The lime is a great finishing touch and really brings out the flavors. I didn't have "red" beans though, so I used light red kidney beans instead. Awesome dish!!

denise

[susan_foster]

I made this last night - first time using new slow-cooker - and it was definitely a nice recipe to break it in with! Used aduki beans - after checking that the nutritional stats were around the same as regular beans (which they were). Used white sweet potatoes - which at first I wasn't sure were really sweet potatoes, but they were very nice in the stew. The peanut butter gave it a nice flavor - but I can't wait to see how it reheats for lunch!

Susan

[LaurenP]

I forgot to mention that I did mine stove top also. Just sauted garlic and onion added the rest and simmerer a couple of hours. It thickened up nicely. Also I tried 1/2 with the peanut butter and half with out. Liked it both ways. This is a keeper

[dlaboriel]

Originally posted by blazedog
Kat - Thanks. I never would have thought of canned adzuki beans. I'm due for a trip to Whole Foods anyway.

Haven't had adzukis since my stint as a macrobiotic in college and they sure didn't have canned one then.

Blaze, I used the dry beans, presoaked and cooked separately. Glad to know the adzuki comes in cans, though I have never seen them.

[greysangel]

do you think kidney would work here? I have a lb of cooked kidneys I need to use up. Of course I could do a chili, but this looks good

[swquilts]

I'm going to use kidney beans since I doubt I can find adzuki or small red beans.

[Terrytx]

Yes, kidney beans would do fine. That's what I was going to use until I found the red beans.

[zackaboo]

Another very enthusiastic thumbs-up for this one. I will be making this frequently! The peanut butter pulled the entire thing together for me. I used canned red beans. They are actually just called "small red beans" and are located in the Mexican food section in my grocery store.

[EllenL]

This is truly wonderful! Made it last night, not in a slow cooker, just on the range for about 45 minutes. Easy and delicious.
My changes were roasted soy butter instead of peanut butter and adding some hot sauce. Don't know that I would spring for the more expensive aduki beans next time---kidney beans would seem to work just as well.

[angelamaria]

goya makes canned small red beans. you can also find them as dry beans. glad to hear this is good as it is on my list for tomorrow!

[donleyk]

Had this last night and DH raved. I liked it too. Subbed butternut squash for the sweet potato. Used chopped fresh jalapenos instead of the green chilis. Kidney beans also. I only had chunky PB so I used that and skipped the dry roasted. Very good.

Editing to say that Emily reminded me. I did this on the stove top.

I also used natural PB. Trader Joes to be exact.

[browneye]

Question-
I would like to make this and I wondered what kind of peanut butter y'all used. I only have Adams natural style on hand, and I have found that sometimes in recipes it is better to go with a more mainstream brand such as Jif or Skippy, the natural style doesn't incorporate as well or something. I am curious which kind you used and if anyone used the "natural style" or not...?

Thanks!

[Terrytx]

I used reduced-fat natural