Maafe is a rich and comforting West African peanut stew that balances earthy flavors with a slight tangy kick. It is a traditional home-style meal often shared with family during lunch or dinner, served over fluffy grains.
Vegan Vegetarian Pescetarian Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Egg-Free Soy-Free
Nutrient score: Very good
Goodness for its calories, 25 to 100.
How is this worked out?
The nutrient score shows how much goodness a recipe gives for its calories, from 25 to 100. Every recipe gets at least 25. It is the same for everyone.
It adds up how much of 11 nutrients people need the recipe gives for its calories: protein, fibre, vitamins A, C and E, calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, folate and zinc. Each counts up to a full day’s worth for the calories. It then takes points off for saturated fat, added sugar and sodium above a fair share for the calories.
75 and over: Excellent. 60 to 74: Very good. 45 to 59: Good. 35 to 44: Fair. 25 to 34: Low.
The formula (from the recipe’s values per 100 g):
- Share of the day: the recipe’s kcal per 100 g ÷ 2,000 (under 40 kcal per 100 g, such as a herb or tea, counts as 40 kcal).
- 11 nutrients to encourage: protein (50 g), fibre (28 g), vitamin A (900 mcg), vitamin C (90 mg), vitamin E (15 mg), calcium (1,300 mg), iron (18 mg), potassium (4,700 mg), magnesium (420 mg), folate (400 mcg) and zinc (11 mg). For each: amount ÷ (Daily Value × share), at most 1. Add them up.
- 3 nutrients to limit: saturated fat (20 g), added sugar (50 g) and sodium (2,300 mg). For each: amount ÷ (limit × share) − 1, only when above 0 and at most 3. Add them up.
- Result = 100 × (step 2 − 2 × step 3) ÷ 11, kept between 0 and 100.
- Score = 25 + 0.75 × result, rounded. The scale runs from 25 to 100 instead of 0 to 100: every edible recipe gets at least 25, and the order doesn’t change.
It follows the Nutrient Rich Foods index (NRF 9.3) with the U.S. FDA Daily Values for a 2,000 kcal day. Different from the published index: folate and zinc are added (11 nutrients instead of 9), the nutrients to limit count double and each at most three times its share, the 40 kcal floor, and the 25 to 100 scale. When some of the values it needs are unknown, the score is shown as “about”.
A recipe’s values are worked out from its ingredients, whose values are estimates.
Sources: Drewnowski A. Defining nutrient density: development and validation of the Nutrient Rich Foods index. J Am Coll Nutr. 2009;28(4):421S-426S; U.S. FDA, Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels.
A low score doesn’t make a recipe bad: treats and festive dishes have their place. Use the score to compare similar recipes. In the GapPlate app you also see how much of the gaps in your day a serving fills.
Units:
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Vegetable oil (27 g)
- 1 medium Onion (150 g)
- 3 cloves Garlic (15 g)
- 1 inch Ginger (15 g)
- 3 tbsp Tomato paste (49 g)
- 3 cups Vegetable broth (724 g)
- 1 cup Peanut butter (272 g)
- 2 medium Sweet potato (400 g)
- 2 medium Carrot (120 g)
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- 1 handful Fresh Coriander (15 g)
- Ingredients in total: 1.79 kg
- Weight lost in cooking: 187 g (mostly water boiling off)
- Net weight (cooked): 1.6 kg · 4 servings of about 400 g
Method
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large heavy-based pot over medium heat.
- Add the finely chopped onion and sauté for about 5 minutes until soft and translucent.
- Stir in the minced garlic and grated ginger, cooking for another minute until fragrant.
- Add the tomato paste and stir constantly for 2 minutes to cook out the raw acidity.
- Pour in the vegetable broth and whisk in the peanut butter until the mixture is smooth and combined.
- Add the peeled and cubed sweet potatoes and sliced carrots to the pot.
- Bring the stew to a gentle simmer, then cover the pot and cook over low heat for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
- Season the stew with salt and pepper to taste, adjusting the consistency with a little extra broth if it is too thick.
- Serve hot in bowls, garnished with a handful of freshly chopped coriander leaves.
Nutrition
| Nutrient | Per serving (400 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 602 kcal | 150 kcal |
| Protein | 20.6 g | 5.14 g |
| Water | 288 mL | 72 mL |
| Sodium | 1,033 mg | 258 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 46.2 g | 11.6 g |
| Total Fat | 41.3 g | 10.3 g |
| Sugar | 13.7 g | 3.43 g |
61 more nutrients
Carbohydrates
| Nutrient | Per serving (400 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Added Sugar | 2.04 g | 0.51 g |
Minerals
| Nutrient | Per serving (400 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Iron | 3.15 mg | 0.79 mg |
| Calcium | 109 mg | 27.2 mg |
| Magnesium | 175 mg | 43.7 mg |
| Potassium | 1,256 mg | 314 mg |
| Iodine | 0 mcg | 0 mcg |
| Phosphorus | 382 mg | 95.5 mg |
| Zinc | 2.56 mg | 0.64 mg |
| Chloride | 1,209 mg | 302 mg |
| Selenium | 9.68 mcg | 2.42 mcg |
| Copper | 0.64 mg | 0.16 mg |
| Fluoride | 0.06 mg | 0.015 mg |
| Manganese | 1.61 mg | 0.4 mg |
| Molybdenum | 89.3 mcg | 22.3 mcg |
| Chromium | 13.3 mcg | 3.34 mcg |
Fats
| Nutrient | Per serving (400 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Trans Fat | 0 g | 0 g |
| Saturated Fat | 7.79 g | 1.95 g |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 19.3 g | 4.83 g |
| Omega-3 Fatty Acids | 0.14 g | 0.035 g |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 13 g | 3.24 g |
| Omega-6 Fatty Acids | 12.8 g | 3.19 g |
| DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid) | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid) | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| ALA (Alpha-Linolenic Acid) | 0.087 g | 0.022 g |
| Arachidonic Acid | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Medium-Chain Triglycerides | 0 g | 0 g |
| Omega-9 Fatty Acids | 18.4 g | 4.61 g |
Fibre
| Nutrient | Per serving (400 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Fiber | 9.68 g | 2.42 g |
| Soluble Fiber | 2.31 g | 0.58 g |
| Insoluble Fiber | 6.88 g | 1.72 g |
Vitamins
| Nutrient | Per serving (400 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin B12 | 0 mcg | 0 mcg |
| Vitamin D | 0 mcg | 0 mcg |
| Vitamin C | 12.9 mg | 3.22 mg |
| Folate (B9) | 80.8 mcg | 20.2 mcg |
| Niacin (B3) | 10.3 mg | 2.58 mg |
| Vitamin A | 997 mcg RAE | 249 mcg RAE |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.22 mg | 0.056 mg |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.8 mg | 0.2 mg |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.21 mg | 0.053 mg |
| Pantothenic Acid (B5) | 2.36 mg | 0.59 mg |
| Vitamin E | 8.29 mg | 2.07 mg |
| Vitamin K | 24 mcg | 6 mcg |
| Biotin (B7) | 20.7 mcg | 5.17 mcg |
| Beta-Carotene | 12,453 mcg | 3,113 mcg |
Others
| Nutrient | Per serving (400 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Choline | 68.8 mg | 17.2 mg |
| Leucine | 1,421 mg | 355 mg |
| Lysine | 912 mg | 228 mg |
| Polyphenols | 589 mg | 147 mg |
| Methionine | 235 mg | 58.8 mg |
| Oxalates | 70.9 mg | 17.7 mg |
| Threonine | 631 mg | 158 mg |
| Tryptophan | 241 mg | 60.1 mg |
| Valine | 983 mg | 246 mg |
| Flavonoids | 130 mg | 32.5 mg |
| Histidine | 666 mg | 167 mg |
| Lutein / Zeaxanthin | 0.79 mg | 0.2 mg |
| Lycopene | 5.58 mg | 1.4 mg |
| Phenylalanine | 1,092 mg | 273 mg |
| Purines | 63.4 mg | 15.8 mg |
Proteins
| Nutrient | Per serving (400 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Isoleucine | 813 mg | 203 mg |
Worked out from the ingredients with the GapPlate food library, per 100 g of the cooked dish. Estimates, not medical advice.
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