Harissa is a smoky North African chili paste made from smoked chiles, olive oil, spices, and sometimes tomatoes. Heat and flavor vary from brand to brand. This recipe was made with our Harissa infused olive oil.

• 2 Tbs. Harissa olive oil
• 2 medium leeks, white and light green parts thinly sliced (2 cups)
• 3 Tbs. tomato paste
• 3 Tbs. creamy peanut butter
• 1 ½ Tbs. chili paste
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
• 1 tsp. ground turmeric
• ¾ tsp. ground cumin
• 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced ¼-inch thick (5 cups)
• 3 ½ cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 3 oz. spinach leaves, thinly sliced (2 packed cups)
• Lemon wedges, for garnish

Directions:

1. Heat your skillet to medium-high heat. Add in oil, garlic, leeks & sweet potatoes. Sauté 5 to 7 minutes.
2. Add all into your slow cooker. Stir in tomato paste, peanut butter, chili paste, garlic, turmeric, and cumin; Add broth, and 1 1/2 cups water, and simmer over medium-low heat for 2-4 hrs, or until sweet potatoes are tender.
3. Blend mixture with an immersion blender, adding more water if soup is too thick. Bring soup back to a simmer, and stir in spinach leaves. Serve with lemon wedges.

The spice responsible for curry powder’s golden color, turmeric is an ancient Indian treatment for digestive disorders and arthritis. Turmeric boasts extraordinarily potent anti-inflammatory properties. Because inflammation is a problem in virtually every disease process, including arthritis, cancer, and heart disease, curcumin is the subject of extensive cutting-edge research.