Birthday Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches

My mouth instantly started to water as this stew began to rumble on my
stovetop.  Smells of garlic, ginger, cumin, and cinnamon filled my house
and I could hardly wait for dinner (I made it early in the day and had to fight
the urge not to eat it for lunch).  There is something about a big pot of
stew that speaks to the comfort food girl inside of me.  (It also
speaks to leftover girl inside me...I love good leftovers for lunch and this
makes really, really great leftovers.)

Spicy Peanut Stew with Butternut Squash and Chickpeas





3 tablespoons canola oil



2 medium red onion, finely diced



3 garlic cloves, minced



1 Serrano pepper, seeded and finely chopped



2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger



1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin


1 teaspoon ground turmeric



1 teaspoon ground cinnamon



1 can (14.5 ounces) crushed fire roasted tomatoes



1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste



1 cup creamy natural peanut butter



4 cups vegetable stock



1 butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2" chunks (about 1 pound 4
ounces of cubed squash)



2 cups cooked chickpeas



1/2 cup spicy peanuts, roughly chopped (recipe follows)





To Serve





Grain of choice



Finely chopped kale or roughly chopped baby spinach



Cherry tomatoes, sliced



Cilantro, roughly chopped



Spicy Peanuts





Add the oil to a large soup pot set over medium heat.  Heat oil until
it just starts to sizzle then add the chopped onions and sauté until
transparent; about 5-6 minutes.  Add the garlic, Serrano pepper, and ginger
and sauté for 1-2 minutes.  Next, add the cumin, turmeric, and cinnamon
and stir until everything is combined and the spices are fragrant.





Add the fire roasted tomatoes, tomato paste, peanut butter, and vegetable
stock to the pot and stir to combine.  Stir in the squash, chickpeas,
and chopped spicy peanuts.  Bring the stew to a low rumble and
reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 35-40 minutes or until the
squash is just tender.





Serve the stew in bowls and top with a scoop of your favorite
grain, finely chopped kale (or spinach), sliced cherry tomatoes,
cilantro, and spicy peanuts.





*I actually like to put my greens in the bowl first and pour the hot
stew over the top.  This helps soften the greens especially if you’re
using kale.





Spicy Peanuts





1 1/2 teaspoons canola oil



1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper



1/4 teaspoon ground cumin



1/8 teaspoon garlic powder



A generous pinch of fine sea salt



1 cup dry roasted unsalted peanuts





In a small bowl, stir together the oil and spices.  Add peanuts to the
bowl and toss to evenly coat.  Heat a small skillet over medium heat; add
peanuts and cook for 3-5 minutes or until the peanuts are hot and just barely
toasted.  Remove from skillet and let cool.





Recipe slightly adapted from Oh,
Ladycakes