Glorious Soup

My husband and I argue about will power.  What we could or would give up or how long we could endure not having something we love... and we're constantly testing ourselves... on and on, we go at it.  As for me, I can give up almost anything for a month, except soup.  He tells me that if he took away my soups, I would be a shell of a person, and it's probably true.

"Soups puts the heart at ease, 

Calms down the violence of hunger, 

Eliminates the tension of the day, and

Awakens and refines the appetite"

-Auguste Escoffier

One of my favorite soup is the West African Peanut Soup, I first had it at a local McMenamins. Our kids hate the place, limited menu and really slow service, but my husband and I love the small batch craft beers and the peanut soup...  Here's a vegetarian version.  

 Sauté diced 1/2 white or red onion (whatever you have) about 4 minutes, give it a turn or two and add minced 3 or more cloves of garlic.  Stir in spices 1/2 tsp curry powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper and   1 tbsp or more chili powder (you can make your own - 1 tbsp ground cumin, 2 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp cayenne pepper, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp ground oregano).  

Add 3 tbsp of tomato paste, or a couple of big squeezes out of the tube and 1/2 cup of chopped tomatoes and give it a stir and cook for about 3-4 minutes, add 3 cups of vegetable broth, turn the heat to med-high and let it come to a boil.  Add 2 big spoonfuls of peanut butter (chunky or creamy), taste and add more 1 tbsp at a time to your taste.  Add cubed 1/2 yam or sweet potato and 2 small or 1 large yukon gold potato (you can add carrots, turnips, parsnips, etc).  Bring back to a boil, turn heat to medium-low and cook for about 20 minutes, check to see if the potatoes are soft and if the soup is too thick, thin it by adding a little water, add salt as needed.

Garnish with chopped peanuts, green onions and cilantro and feel the glory of soup!