Although Americans don’t think of them as such, peanuts are vegetables. And boy are they delicious! Grown underground as a legume and not actually a nut, this commonplace superfood is half fat, quarter protein, and quarter sugar. They were first discovered over 7,000 years ago in Peru, before spreading to the rest of the world. In 1890, America invented peanut butter, which quickly became chocolate’s favorite condiment. In the 1950s, America sent lots of peanut butter to combat famine in West Africa, which they used to invent Peanut Soup with tomatoes that is absolutely fantastic. Peanuts can be dry roasted, boiled, blended into a butter, or my personal favorite, cooked in oil (aka “cocktail” peanuts). They are crunchy, nutty, slightly oily, and dare I say timeless. They get a bad wrap for being boring. But I eat them nearly everyday. Like potatoes, I admire them for their versatility. ★★★★★