FOOD! African Beans + Potatoes

African beans and potatoes

Another feature from The Tropical Vegan Kitchen, tonight's dinner was a special genre request from my hubby for AFRICAN food...

Meat-free, egg-free and dairy-free, African Beans and Potatoes paired with a pile of baby spinach leaves + a piece of fresh homemade bread made for one well rounded plant-based meal. In the main dish alone, there is plenty (18 grams!) of protein, 11 grams of fiber, 52 grams carbs, and approximately 9 grams of total fat per delicious serving. I absolutely love meals like this--so full of flavor and character (YES, food has character!) without an ounce of cholesterol or less-than-appetizing animal-derived ingredients. Ben and I call this kind of food "damn good vegan food" and this is pretty much all we eat at home. We've even considered opening a restaurant! Even my mom has hopped onto the vegan train and is feeding my dad vegan versions of the foods he loves! Every time Ben's parents come over for dinner, we love to bless them with a vegan dining experience that tantalizes their taste buds and teaches them, little by little, that vegan food is NOT gross or bland or boring. And so far, I'm succeeding!

So without further ado, here is the recipe for tonight's dinner!

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 large red onion, thinly sliced
2 stalks celery, chopped (I HATE celery so I left this out)
2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped (I used three... and I peeled them with my E-Z Rol!!)
2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 pound round red or white potatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped (the recipe suggests swapping out for sweet potatoes... which I gladly did!)
1/2 tsp salt
1 15-oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 cup rinsed, drained pinto beans
2 tbs tomato paste
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup chopped peanuts or pumpkin seeds (I used peanuts)
Hot pepper sauce (optional... but we sprinkled Tabasco!! yum!)

Directions:
In a medium deep-sided skillet with a lid, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until lightly browned, 7-10 minutes, adding the [celery and] garlic the last few minutes of cooking. Add the broth, potatoes, and salt, bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer briskly, partially covered, until the potatoes are tender, approximately 10 minutes. Stir in the chickpeas, pinto beans, tomato paste and red pepper flakes; simmer, uncovered, stirring often from the bottom to prevent sticking, until the mixture is thickened, about 8 minutes. Serve warm, garnished with the peanuts and sprinkle with hot pepper sauce (if using).

ENJOY!