If you're in southern Wisconsin like us, you probably woke up to five to eight inches of fresh snow with drifts well over a foot in areas.  After spending a considerable amount of time shoveling with temps in the single digits and gusts making it feel like it was below zero, we were both craving a warm and filling lunch to help us thaw out.  We came across this recipe and it seemed to be exactly what we were looking for.

You might be familiar with a similar sounding soup on our blog, but this soup was truly its own thing.  There was plenty of texture from the veggies, a nice warmth from the chili powder, as well as a creaminess from the blended portion of the soup, which oddly reminded us of a variation of the classic tomato soup.

We can't wait for leftovers, as it's only supposed to get colder tomorrow!

INGREDIENTS:

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 red bell pepper, diced

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and 1/2" diced

28-ounces canned diced tomatoes

1/3 cup peanut butter

4 cups vegetable broth

1-1/2 teaspoons chili powder

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2 teaspoons organic brown sugar

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Kosher salt, to taste

Fresh cilantro, for garnish (optional)

Roasted peanuts, chopped, for garnish (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat and add the olive oil and diced onion.  Stir for 5 minutes, and then add the garlic.  After an additional minute, add the bell pepper, sweet potatoes, and canned tomatoes.  Season with salt and pepper, and simmer for a few minutes.

In a medium bowl, add the peanut butter and 1 cup of the vegetable broth.  Whisk until dissolved.  Add to the Dutch oven, along with the remaining 3 cups of vegetable broth and the chili powder.    Bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat to low and simmer covered for 20 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are fully cooked.  Add the chickpeas and brown sugar, and taste once more to check for additional seasoning.

Transfer 2 to 3 cups (depending on how smooth you like your soup) to a blender, and blend until smooth.  Return the smooth soup back to the Dutch oven and stir to combine.

Serve, and top with fresh cilantro and/or roasted peanuts.