You know when you’re at the hair salon and they’re shampooing your hair and they give you a scalp massage and you feel like your brain is melting?
Well, I was at the salon a couple weeks ago and I got thinking about what a real full-body massage would be like. Have you ever had a real full-body massage? I hadn’t. I know. So I looked up a nearby reputable massage studio and booked one pronto.
Let me tell you – I don’t understand why I’d waited 29 years to have a massage. They are amazing. AMAZING. I left feeling like jelly – the best, most wobbly, melted jelly in the whole entire world. And now I’m hooked. A version of this African Sweet Potato Peanut Soup was posted on my massage studio’s blog a while ago – out of a cookbook from a vegetarian restaurant in my hometown, Victoria, BC.
This soup is a medley of unexpected flavours that combine together into one bright, warm soup. Bonus points that it’s vegan too. I highly recommend making this African Sweet Potato Peanut soup to shake up your soup routine – I ate it for lunch today while relaxing over the latest edition of Marie Claire magazine. I also highly recommend getting a massage before the holidays – you will not regret it.
Can we also talk about how it’s now finally December? I am in love with the fact that our Christmas tree is up already and I am in love with the holidays! Happy soup-making!
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 3 tablespoons minced ginger
- 1/2 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon coriander
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or 1/8 teaspoon if you'd like it very mild)
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 red pepper, diced (I used yellow this time, and it was also great!)
- 2 medium-size sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped (you can also use yams instead)
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 7 oz pineapple with juice (see note!)
- 2 medium-size tomatoes, chopped
- 2 tablespoons peanut butter (I used crunchy, but smooth will work too)
- In a large pot over low-medium heat, saute onion in melted coconut oil for 10 minutes, or until golden. Add garlic, ginger, spices, and salt, and stir until fragrant. Add red pepper and sweet potato and stir until coated with spices.
- Pour in all the vegetable broth, add the pineapple, tomatoes, and peanut butter and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Test for doneness. If veggies are soft, turn off heat and puree with an immersion blender or by small quantities in a blender.
- Season with salt and pepper and serve hot.
- Instead of the pineapple, you can use 1 peeled pear, cut into small chunks. I have used both to great success - the pineapple makes for a brighter flavour and the pear is more mellow.
January 12, 2015
Hey!! I came across your website on the BlogHer Facebook page and I was instantly drawn to your site because you are located in neighboring Vancouver! (I live in Vic) This recipe caught my eye because I more recently had the pleasure of tasting an African Peanut Butter Soup which I never would have cooked for myself but it was so amazing I can’t believe it has been missing from my life. And now I see that you are actually from Victoria. And that my favourite cookbook in the world houses this recipe and I never took notice. Crazy!!! I am very much looking forward to hearing more from you! Rachel
January 12, 2015
It’s not often that I get such a lovely comment! You’ve made my day – thanks for stopping by! Yes I grew up in Victoria and am now living across the water – Rebar is such a delish restaurant and so is their cookbook! You should really try cooking up a batch of this soup – it’s so healthy and warming. I’ve just followed your blog and look forward to checking it out more from you as well!