August Potluck

(I know this is long, but please read the Notice for some important announcements for this particular potluck. Directions are at the end.)

Last month we had some wonderful brunch food (sorry for the early time). Let's do it again, only at a later time! Please email this event to your friends as I can only email it to my friends on Facebook. 

Summer is a time for BBQ. Summer is almost over, so let’s make sure to get one last BBQ in. This month's Seoul Vegan Potluck will be held August 31st at 1:00 PM at Southside Parlor near Noksapyeong Station (line 6). This is a new BBQ restaurant and bar. They have some really creative cocktails and a ladies night every Thursday. They don’t yet have a vegan BBQ option, so let’s have a big showing and show them that there is a market for it.

Obviously, this month's theme is BBQ. Brunswick stew, BBQ beans, coleslaw, potato salad, veggie kabobs, burgers, sausages, macaroni and cheese, or grilled/smoked tofu (we have access to a smoker and grill :) ~ the possibilities are endless! Please bring enough to share!

Please Notice:

* Let me know if you plan to use the smoker- it takes a couple of hours, so you will need to arrive early.

* We have access to the grill, but if everyone wants to grill we could be there all day (even though it would be fine by me, the restaurant may not be so pleased). SO, please let me know if you plan to use the grill.

* If someone doesn't want to cook, he/she can bring charcoals for the grill. LET ME KNOW IF YOU PLAN TO DO THIS SO WE DON’T WIND UP WITH A TON OF CHARCOAL.

* Remember if you come at 1:00 you will have a chance to sample all the goodies. Late arrivals may risk missing out on some good eats.

* Try to label your dishes so that we know what we are eating, and who to ask about ingredients/preparation. You can just tape a small paper to the side the dish and your name.

* Please thank Southside Parlor by purchasing a beverage! With drinks like the Barton Springs you will be happy you did – (Barton Springs-gin, elderflower liqueur, fresh muddled cucumber, mint, simple syrup, a dash of orange bitters, and a pinch of gochu). Please do not bring any beverages.

How to get to Southside Parlor:
1. Take a left out of Noksapyeong St. exit 1. Cross the overpass and take a left. Walk straight until you see Thunder Burger. We are in that building on the 4th floor.
2. Walk straight out of Noksapyeong St. exit 2 until you see an underpass. Cross the underpass and take a right. Walk straight until you see Thunder Burger. We are in the same building on the 4th floor.

Look for the Orange Longhorn Flag and SVP posters.

A few websites to motivate you-

http://vegetarian.about.com/od/vegetarianbarbecuerecipes/qt/grillingtofu.htm
http://kblog.lunchboxbunch.com/2010/05/vegan-grilling-guide-101-green-tips.html
http://voices.yahoo.com/ten-easy-vegan-recipes-grill-1560853.html (banana boats please)
http://www.foodandwine.com/slideshows/vegan-grilling 

Spinach Hummus and Chips!

Spinach Hummus

300g dried chickpeas or  2 cans of chickpeas.

3-5 tablespoons of Tahini (buy it at the foreign food mart in Itaewon or make your own, it’s really easy just blend sesame seeds with olive oil)

200g of fresh spinach

200 – 300ml Olive oil

3 – 5 cloves of garlic

The juice  and zest of 1 or 2 Lemons

2 -4 tablespoons of cumin (foreign food mart or Gmarket)

1-2 tablespoons of paprika (foreign food mart or Gmarket)

Lime and Coriander Chips

4 tortillas

2 tablespoons of olive oil

2 tablespoons of lime juice

1 tablespoon of Mexican seasoning

1 bunch of coriander (cilantro)

1/2 a teaspoon of salt

Directions

Soak your chickpeas over night or for several hours in cold water, do not add any salt. Cook your chickpeas in boiling water for 2-3 hours or until they mash easily with the back of a spoon. I use my rice cooker to cook them as you don’t have to worry about topping up the water, just give them a lot at the beginning and they will be fine.  Once your chick peas are done, strain them but reserve some of the water for later. If you are using the canned chickpeas you can skip the cooking stage.

If you are making your own tahini, blend the olive oil and sesame seeds until they form a paste. Then add the garlic and blend again. Finally add the spinach. Keep blending until you have a lovely vibrant green paste. I prefer to use fresh spinach as frozen or cooked is too stringy and will cause problems for your blender unless you have a very good one.

Blend the chick peas in your blender with a little of the extra water,  until they start to resemble the consistency of hummus. Everyone has a different preference about how they like their hummus, some like the runny oily kind whilst others prefer it thick. It’s really up to you, whatever floats your boat, so add more or less water depending on how you like it. Once your chickpeas are blended, add the tahini and lemon juice. Then you can start to add your salt and spices, a little at first stirring them in until you get the taste you want. You also might want to add more tahini and lemon juice too. Hummus is one of those recipes that is hard to pin down. I generally make it the same each time but the results always seem to vary. As long as you get all the basics in there though it should turn out well.

To make the chips cut your tortillas into triangles. The tortillas I use, are the large ones from Costco so I usually get about 10-12 chips from each one. Place the olive oil, lime juice and coriander in your blender and blend until you have a green paste. Then stir in the salt and Mexican seasoning. Using a brush or the back of a spoon coat one site of the triangle then lay on a baking tray. Try not to overlap the chips. Bake in the oven for about 2-4 minutes. Times will vary depending on the size so make sure you keep checking on them. They are done when they are golden in colour and the paste is dry. Store in an airtight container and they will keep for at least a week if you can resist eating them. Voilà home-made chips and a dip. Perfect for any party.

Panzanella

Panzanella

Ingredients 

1 loaf of stale bread (were talking real bread here, not white sliced, ciabatta, county, crusty etc)

5-6 large tomatoes

1/2 onion (preferably red)

1/2 cucumber

1 red pepper

1 yellow pepper

2-3 cloves of garlic

9 tablespoons of olive oil (3 for the crutons, 6 for the salad)

4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (white wine vinegar if you have it)

1 tablespoon of capers (optional – sold at the foreign food mart and home-plus)

10-20 Basil leaves (use as many as your plant can muster)

A generous pinch of salt & pepper

Directions

Take your loaf of bread, preferably stale and break it into chunky bite sized pieces. Then drizzle with olive oil and garlic and fry in a pan or crunch them up in the oven until they are lightly browned. Meanwhile chop you tomatoes, cucumber,onion and peppers and put them in a bowl. Add the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, torn basil leaves and salt and pepper. Mix this thoroughly and add in the browned chucks of break, Stir the mixture and leave for an hour for all the flavors to seep into the bread. Serve when ready, ideally with wine. Voilà a deliciously different Italian salad.

Tofu Salad!

Mark Gomez....

Tofu Salad 

blocks of tofu, strained and frozen
Chipotle in adobe sauce. I made it by hand but it is available in FFM in Itaewon.

I partially defrosted the tofu and smoked it on my Weber smoker with apple wood for three hours. Then I painted it with the chipotle and another hour. Turned it over , painted the other side and another hour. Cut and serve.

Channa

Two tins of chick peas
Olive oil
Finely chopped coriander
Finely chopped garlic
Pepper
Cumin powder

Mix a tablespoon of oil with a half bunch of chopped coriander and five cloves of garlic. Add a tsp pepper and cumin. Toss the chick peas in the mix. Put on a flat baking tray covered withg foil and bake at 220+C for 20 minutes. Usually channa is deep-fried but it can get dangerous when the peas pop, it is unhealthier and the oil becomes tainted with burned coriander. Roasting is the way to go.
Tofu Salad (I think there are some pictures of this in the pictures I sent you-- Adeana)


Ful Medames Bessara

Two tins of fava beans or dried, soaked and cooked fava
Cinnamon powder
Oil
Tin of tomatoes
Prune or date juice
Coriander

Heat up a frying pan until it is screaming hot with a splash of oil. Throw in beans and immediately add two tsp cinnamon. Toss the beans. They will pop and split the skins and soak up all the cinnamon.
Add tin of chopped tomatoes and a tin of prune or date juice. Reduce to 'baled beans' consistency. Add coriander at the end. Eat with pita or chips. This is a Somalian recipe and , with the exception of the fava beans, everything can be substituted. But you must hard fry the beans with cinnamon to get that sweet/bitter tang

Chickpea Salad

This recipe is so easy to put together and it tastes better after sitting overnight and allowing the flavors to meld together.

Ingredients:

can of chickpeas- drained, rinsed, and mashed

dill (or sweet) relish to your liking -- I use a lot

chopped celery- to taste

chopped green onions- to taste

garlic powder- a few shakes

1 packet of gim (small squares) or one sheet of gim, crushed

Directions:

Mix everything together and voila! Serve on toast (or not). I like it topped with avocado and sprouts. 

Enjoy!

July Potluck !!

Last month we had an amazing turnout and delicious food. Let's do it again! Please email this event to your friends as I can only email it to my personal friends. 

Saturdays are great days to have a delicious vegan brunch with some friends. This month's Seoul Vegan Potluck will be held July 20th at 11:00 AM at Casablanca in HBC. Have you tried their lentil soup and vegan sandwich-- SO GOOD. Don't wait until the potluck, go check them out now. Directions below.

This month's theme is BRUNCH. Tofu scramble, salads, pancakes, hash brown casserole, muffins, quiche, granola, cinnamon rolls ~ the possibilities are endless! Please bring enough to share!

http://ohsheglows.com/2012/01/03/top-15-vegan-breakfast-recipes-of-2011/

http://pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=vegan%20brunch%20

http://kblog.lunchboxbunch.com/2011/03/vegan-sunday-brunch-ideas.html

http://www.vegkitchen.com/tips/holidays-and-special-occasions/easy-festive-vegan-brunch-menus/

http://www.fitsugar.com/Vegan-Brunch-Recipes-Mother-Day-29857796

A few notes:

Remember if you come at 11,:00 you will have a chance to sample all the goodies. Late arrivals may risk missing out on some good eats.

Try to label your dishes so that we know what we are eating, and who to ask about ingredients/preparation. You can just tape a small paper to the side the the dish and your name.

Please thank Casablanca  by purchasing a beverage! Please do not bring any beverages.

Directions- Noksapyeong Station Exit two. Walk straight and turn left at the kimchi pots. Casablanca is on the left past Bonny's Pizza and Phillies. 

Yongsan Gu Yongsan Dong 2 Ga 44-7 , Seoul, Korea 

https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&tab=wl&authuser=0

June Potluck!!!

Last month was 'cozy' with a smaller attendance than usual; let's see if we can spread the word that vegan food is delicious to more this month. Please email this event to your friends as I can only email it to my personal friends.  Are you ready for a sampling of summer salads?? This month's Seoul Vegan Potluck will be held June 15th at 1 PM on the beautiful new deck at Bless U. Don't worry, we won't be too hot because there is lovely shade tree and covered area. This month's theme is Summer Salads. Pasta, veggie, quinoa, fruit, anything, chickpea, tofu~ the possibilities are endless! Please bring enough to share! http://ohsheglows.com/categories/recipes-2/food-sides/sides-salads/ http://pinterest.com/farmermarketveg/vegan-salads/ http://www.food.com/recipes/salads-vegan A few notes: Remember if you come at 1, you will have a chance to sample all the goodies. Late arrivals may risk missing out on some good eats. Try to label your dishes so that we know what we are eating, and who to ask about ingredients/preparation. You can just tape a small paper to the side the the dish and your name. Please thank Bless U by purchasing a beverage or three! Please do not bring any beverages. Directions: Go straight out of Itaewon Exit 1. Turn right at the fourth alley. Bless U is on the left on the second floor above My Chi Chi.

Crunchy, spicy Tofu bites

Last week I held a mini potluck for a few guests and made these, they went down amazingly so thank you Gemma !!

From Gemma Wardle and her blog

Ingredients

2 blocks of Tofu (squeezed, frozen, then defrosted)

4 tablespoons of Mexican seasoning (you can buy a giant bag at i-Herb for about $8)

2 tablespoons of sweet chili sauce

1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce or balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon of soy sauce

200ml of soy milk

100g of flour

100g of nutritional yeast (i-Herb)

150g of  breadcrumbs (every Korean supermarket sells them 빵가루)

200ml of soy bean oil for frying

Directions

The tofu needs to be prepared in advance. Buy your blocks, pour away the water, and then put them on a plate. Top them with a board and put something heavy on top for a few hours. You may need to pour away the water every hour or so. Once they have been sufficiently dehydrated wrap them in cling film and put them in the freezer. They need to freeze at least overnight but you can leave them in there as long as you like. Take it out the day you want to use it and let it defrost. You will notice that the tofu has now become much firmer and spongier. Squeeze out as much extra water as you can. Then cut the blocks into chunks.

Mix together the Mexican seasoning, Worcestershire sauce , sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, and a tablespoon or two of the soy milk until it makes a paste. Toss the tofu chunks in the sauce and leave to marinate for an hour or so in a container in the fridge.

Put the breadcrumbs and the nutritional yeast into a large bowl and mix. Place the flour in a second bowl and pour the remaining soy milk into a third bowl. First roll the tofu chunks in the flour, then dip them into the soy milk and finally roll them in the breadcrumb and yeast mixture making sure they are evenly coated. In a frying pan pour in enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan, then keep on a low to medium heat. Cook the chunks in batches, cooking for a few minutes on each side until they are golden brown. Remove them from the pan when they are done and place on a piece of kitchen towel to remove excess oil. Repeat until all your tofu bites are cooked. Serve with with the dip of your choice and enjoy. Voilà a cheap and easy tofu-rific treat.

Foccacia Bread!

From Gemma Wardle and her blog

500g flour (I use the baksul one with bread on the front)

2 x 8g packets of yeast

2 teaspoons of salt

400ml of warm water

2 tablespoons of olive oil (plus extra for drizzling)

Topping

10-15 cherry tomatoes

4 cloves of garlic

2 tablespoons of olive oil

2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon of thyme

Directions

Mix the flour, salt, and yeast together in a bowl. Add the water in stages and mix thoroughly with the flour. The dough may seem as though it’s very wet but that’s how it should be. Once all the water is in, you can add the olive oil. Knead the dough for about five minutes until it has become stretchy and elastic. You can either do this on an oiled board or in your hands. Do not add any more flour to the mix. I prefer to knead it in my hands, pulling and stretching it until is is about right. Put the dough in an oiled container, drizzle with olive oil, cover with cling-film, and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hour.

After the dough has risen it should look like this

Knock the dough back down and move the dough to a second oiled container and leave to rise once again for about 30 minutes. Make the dimples in the bread by using your finger or knuckle.

Place your topping in the dimples if you’re using one. Drizzle with more olive oil, dust with salt, and bake in the oven for about 20 – 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the dough has baked through. You may wish to turn the dough around halfway through to produce a more even colour.

To make the topping, cut you garlic into slices and halve the cherry tomatoes, sprinkle with salt and herbs then drizzle with the oil and balsamic vinegar. Then roast in the oven for 10 minutes. If you have some fresh herbs I would recommend using them, sadly mine all died thanks to the cold winter air.

When the bread is done. Sprinkle with more salt and oil and enjoy. Voilà easy and amazing home-made focaccia bread!

Black Pepper Tofu

From Shelley Dewees and her blog 

In a large frying pan, heat up a substantial amount of oil (we're frying here) over a medium-high flame. Cut your dry tofu into cubes, toss them in some cornstarch, shake off the excess, then gently place them in the hot oil. Try your best to keep the cubes separated, but it'll be tricky if your pan is small. Work in batches if you need to. Fry, fry, fry, turning the cubes around as you go, until they're golden and crispy. When the tofu cubes are done, dump them out onto some paper towels to drain a bit while you cook up the sauce. 

Return your hot pan to the flame and add a dash or two of oil if it's gone dry. Time for a sautee party. Add:

1 onion, finely diced
4-6 cloves garlic, minced 
3 tbs fresh ginger, minced (2 thumb-sized buds)
4 mild (or hot!) chiles, minced

Cook over medium heat for 5-6 minutes. When the veggies are browned and soft, add:

2/3 cup tamari soy sauce
4 tbs coarse black pepper
2 tbs water
2 tbs agave or maple syrup

Simmer for 5 minutes to reduce, then add the tofu back into the pan and toss it around in this newly-made heavenly glaze. Cook for 1 more minute until the liquid is almost gone. Donesies! 

This tofu is packing some intense flavor and a good dose of spice, so serve it over something mild and calming. Brown rice, noodles, or greens would all be awesome.

Add caption

Sesame Asian Veggie Noodles

Adeana Estoll

Ingredients:

12 ounces noodles 

1/4 cup Soy Sauce 

1-2 Tablespoons sweetener of choice

4 cloves Garlic, minced (or to taste) 

2 Tablespoons Rice Vinegar 

2-3 Tablespoons Pure Sesame Oil 

1/2 teaspoon chili pepper flakes 

handful of cilantro

VEGGIES! I use asparagus, broccoli, and red, yellow, and orange bell peppers (whatever you have on hand)

Directions:

Shake the soy sauce, sweetener, garlic, vinegar, sesame oil, and chili peppers in a glass jar to make the sauce.

Cook the noodles according to the package.

Cut and cook the broccoli and asparagus to taste (I cook very lightly so that they are still crisp.).

Slice bell peppers.

Mix the noodles, veggies, and cilantro with the sauce in a large bowl. Top with roasted sesame seeds.

Tip- If you are not eating immediately, leave the sauce in your glass jar and mix just before eating. This will prevent the noodles and veggies from becoming mushy. 

May Vegan Potluck!

Come join us May 11th at 12 PM! 

Bonny's Pizza & Pub! 

12:00 PM (Come on time to have a chance to taste everything.)

It's that time again!! This month's Seoul Vegan Potluck will be held May 11th at 12 PM at Bonny's Pizza & Pub! 

This month's theme is-Around the World One Dish at a Time.
So, bring a dish that represents your favorite cuisine to share.

We had such a great turn-out last month; let's see if we can spread the word that vegan food is delicious to even more this month. Invite your friends.

A few notes:

Remember if you come at 12, you will have a chance to sample all the goodies. Late arrivals may risk missing out on some good eats.

Try to label your dishes so that we know what we are eating, and who to ask about ingredients/preparation. You can just tape a small paper to the side of the dish with your name.

If you don't know, Bonny's has a vast selection of tasty beers from all over the world. Please thank them by purchasing a beverage or three! Please do not bring any beverages.

If you are shy about cooking, or are stumped about what to make, the folks at Bonny's will have a vegan pizza available! So, you could buy a pizza to share.

DIRECTIONS-Noksapyeong station - exit 2. Walk straight and turn left at the wall of kimchi pots. Bonny's is on the left after the small grocery store and before Philly's.

02-792-0303
Bonny's pub

Please share this event with your friends!!

Hello Seoul

Hey fellow vegan potluckers of Seoul.

My name is Ruth and I am going to attempt to help out with the blogging of the Seoul vegan potluck blog. Recently I decided to quit the (in) famous Facebook because of my silly addiction and unfortunately along with giving it up I also gave up a lot of 'being in the know.'
I asked Adeana if she could keep the blog as up-to-date as the Facebook page but, of course, because of her busy work schedule this would prove both difficult and time consuming, so I offered my services.
I have been a vegetarian for 12 years but a vegan for only 1 so I am no stranger to making mistakes and being confused but I have also been learning about all the different foods available to me and experimenting for crazy long hours in the kitchen. I have just moved to Seoul ( after a year in Poland and before that living near Busan for 2 years) so this is the beginning of an exciting journey for me and my family. (Husband-to-be and 2 amazing cats)
I will confess to being an amateur still but I am slowly getting better and I look forward to the challenge of the potlucks every month.

Please feel free to contact me with anything you would like to see on the blog, anything you may personally have to contribute, or anything you need help/advice on.
My email is ruthdwatson@gmail.com.

Come join us April 6th at 1 PM! 

Magpie Brewing Co. 

1:00 PM (Come on time to have a chance to taste everything.)

Map

The weather is warming up and it is time to get out of the house. What better way to celebrate spring than with good food! This month's theme is My Favorite Dish. Please bring one (big, if possible) vegan dish to share with everyone. 

This time we have been offered the use of a kitchen (stove, pizza oven, etc.) from the folks at Magpie Brewing Co. This is your chance to get creative in the kitchen and make something that might be impossible in your own kitchen. If you are interested, please send an email that includes what time you would like to arrive and what you would like to use.

A few notes:

Remember if you come at 1, you will have a chance to sample all the goodies. Late arrivals may risk missing out on some good eats.

Please bring enough to share (if you take advantage of using the kitchen you won't need to transport the food, just your ingredients.)

Please thank Magpie by purchasing a beverage or three! Please do not bring any beverages.

If you are shy about cooking, or are stumped about what to make, the folks at Magpie have offered to put a vegan pizza on the menu for the day! So, you could buy a pizza to share.

Please share this event with your friends!!

___________________________________________________

If you wish, please share your recipes by sending them in a message to SVP after the potluck. We will post them on our recipe blog so everyone can share and use recipes from the potluck on their Meatless Mondays (or every-days!) 

Panko Baked Tofu

Panko Baked Tofu



Ingredients.
1 pound tofu, pressed and thawed.
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup nutritional yeast.
1 tablespoon dried seaweed
1 tablespoon oregano
1 tablespoon parsley
1 tablespoon sage
1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup mustard
1 tablespoon flour
2 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon olive oil.

Directions
1.  Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit   Take out two bowls.  In your first bowl, mix together your dry ingredients-- that is, the bread crumbs, nutritional yeast, dried seaweed, oregano, parsley, sage and pepper.  Set aside.  In your second bowl add the wet ingredients-- your mustard, flour, soy sauce and water.  Give that a stir with a fork and then set aside.

2.  The wet mixture acts as a egg coating for the dry ingredients. (Just thought I'd add that).   After you drain the tofu and press it, cut into strips.  On a shallow baking sheet, line with foil and add the olive oil.  Spread around so that there's an even coating. 

3.  Now it's time to dip your tofu mixture onto the tofu.  First, dip the wet mixture onto the tofu, evenly coating it.  Then, dip into the bread crumb mixture.  Line on the paper.  Repeat until you're finished with the tofu (You'll most likely have some left over.  Just save it for next time). 

4.  After you dip all the tofu and line it on the baking sheet, put it on the lower rack of your oven.  (If you have an oven like mine that bakes fast, do that.  if you have a normal baking oven then place it in the middle and reduce your heat to 375 degrees).

5.  Bake for 10 minutes and then take out and flip over.  Bake for another 20 minutes.  Leave for 3 minutes to cool down. This is really good served with anything, or just eat it straight out of the baking sheet if you're lazy like me.

Original Recipe

Christina's Roasted Bell Pepper, Eggplant and Tomato Soup

Last night I was having one of those moments where I was incredibly hungry, but I didn't feel

like chewing (yes, I am that lazy). The weather had been nice, but then turned cold, as what

happens in Seoul, so I was nostalgic for the summer but wanted to take advantage of the cold

weather. Then I was like, what about soup? Usually I don’t use my oven in the summer, so

I made this. There are multiple steps but you get a soup with a smooth, bisque like texture.

Paired with a Greek salad and some crusty bread, this could be a fabulous dinner. I like to

think of bisques as a “layer” soup. This is great when topped with olives, toasted nuts, bread

and vegan cheese (which I can include the recipe for if desired). I really enjoyed this soup.

Hopefully you will too.

Ingredients:

5 large tomatoes, chopped

2 large onions, diced

2 red bell peppers

2 medium sized eggplants, peeled and chopped

1 cup mushrooms roughly chopped

6 cloves garlic

2 cups water

1/4 cup olive oil, divided

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon parsley

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke

1/2 tablespoon rosemary

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1.First you should preheat your oven to 400 degrees faranheit. (200 C). Then, on the

eyes of your stove put one red bell pepper on each eye. While watching it closely, burn

until it’s completely charred black. This will take about 15 minutes. So if you’re like me

and multitask, you can chop the other vegetables. After your bell pepper is charred

black, immediately place them into a Tupperware bowl and cover. Leave for 20 minutes.

While that’s sweating itself out, on a slightly oiled baking dish, add the garlic, eggplant

2.and mushrooms. Toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil and salt and pepper. Roast in the

oven for about 20 minutes.

3.In a large pot, heat up the remaining olive oil. Add the diced onion and over medium

low heat, cook the onions until they turn translucent. This should take about 5 minutes.

4. Next, add the 2 cups water and the chopped tomatoes. Cook until the water is boiling,

which should be about 20 minutes.

5. Depending on where you start, take the bell peppers out of the Tupperware container

and peel the charred skin off. Then cut them into pieces, careful to remove the seeds.

The eggplant, mushrooms and garlic should be finished as well. Combine them in a

bowl.

6.Once your tomatoes are done cooking, in a blender or food processor, add the tomato

mixture to the roasted vegetables (you can puree all of it if you’d like, but I only pureed

about 75% of it.). Then blend until you get a smooth creamy texture. Return to the pot.

7. Next, add the rosemary, oregano, parsley, and liquid smoke. Add salt and pepper to

taste. Heat until it comes to a boil. Then cover and reduce to simmer. Let it simmer for

about 35 minutes, or until all the flavors are thoroughly combined stirring occasionally.

At the 30 minute mark add the lemon juice.

8. Uncover after 35 minutes are up. Serve with the desired garnishments. Like I said,

this goes great with vegan cheese, crusty bread (older bread will be great because it

absorbs the soup better), toasted nuts and almonds. It sticks to your ribs without making

you sleepy. Enjoy!

Serves about 8

Check out Christina's blog for more yummy recipes! 

www.philosophyandletters.blogspot.com