Hey hey hey and happy Tuesday. I mentioned on our last What's for Dinner (Lemony Kale Pasta) that we were attempting to hoist ourselves out of our dinner rut by trying some of the new recipes that float around on the Internet, from friends or even - gasp - books! Today's a Pinterest find, suggested by my sister, and boy oh boy is it good. Cheap, warming, and customizable with your favorite hot sauce. I followed the recipe, by Cookie + Kate, pretty closely, deviating only in the color of my onion, the strength of my veggie stock, and the garnish, where I went with cilantro and pistachios. (Bret and I got an absurdedly large bag of shelled pistachios at Cosco, and they are our new favorite snack. Their saltiness was really good here). The flavors might be new to you, but I really recommend trying it - it's a treat. There's no meat here, of course, but a lot of the commenters on Cookie + Kate added shredded chicken to the mix.

(Vegetarian) West African Peanut Soup with Kale

Recipe by Cookie + Kate

Ingredients

• 6 cups low sodium veggie broth (I used 2 cups of homemade I had on hand, and 4 cups water. Still tasty)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons ginger, minced (I used probably 2.5 tablespoons. Yummy)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 bunch kale or collard greens, rinsed well, stems removed and leaves torn or chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 3/4 cups natural peanut butter (chunky or smooth. I used salted; I just recommend staying away from sugary varieties)
• 1/2 cup tomato paste
• hot sauce, like Sriracha, to taste (I started with half a tablespoon or so in the soup, to keep it tame for Lou; then we garnished with more at the table)
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped peanuts or pistachios for garnish
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, for garnish (optional)

Directions

1. In a large, heavy duty pot bring stock to a boil. Add garlic, ginger, salt and onion and cook on medium low heat for 15-20 minutes.

2. In a medium heat-safe bowl, add the tomato paste and peanut butter. Whisk in one to two cups of hot stock until combined and smooth, and then add back to the pot of remaining stock. Stir in collard greens or kale (I used kale) and cook for at least 15 minutes more, or until kale/greens are wilted. We let cook for 20 or so minutes at this stage.

The soup is not super thick, but when served over brown rice, the texture is great and the meal is filling. This will for sure make our rotation of go-tos. Let us know if you try it and enjoy!