African Peanut Soup

George Washington Carver shattered many stereotypes about African-Americans in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Among his many notable achievements, Carver helped popularize agricultural crops such as peanuts, legumes, and sweet potatoes. These crops could be grown in rotation with cotton, the dominant crop at the time, which helped improve soil quality and crop yields. He also developed hundreds of new products and uses for these alternative crops.

Celebrate African-American history and Carver's important contributions to American culture by making peanut soup with your child, a dish that originated in Africa and has deep roots in African-American culture. This tasty dish will earn your child culinary kudos and help her connect to an important era of history.

What You Need:

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 yellow onion, peeled and finely diced
• 2-3 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, finely minced
• 3/4 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2-1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup natural crunchy peanut butter
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Hot cooked rice (to accompany the soup)
• Green onions, sliced