Vegan Mashed Potato Soup

We are big fans of potato soup in the VeganAsana house, but we prefer the potatoes to be mashed, so that the soup is really thick and rich.  Since I‘m currently obsessed with the pressure cooker, I decided to work on making it that way.  Here was the end result!

5 lb potatoes peeled and diced
3 stalks celery diced
1 sweet onion diced
3 cups diced carrots
2 T olive oil
7-8 cups vegetable broth
1 cups unsweetened soy milk
4 cloves minced garlic optional
1/2 cup nutritional yeast flakes
Sea salt and pepper to taste

Add olive oil and onion to the bottom of the cooker and cook on medium heat until the onions begin to carmelize.  Add the potatoes, celery, and broth.  Place the carrots in a small stainless or glass bowl and place on top of the potatoes.  Add several T of water to the carrot bowl.  Close lid and bring to high pressure.  Maintain at high pressure for 5 minutes and then remove from heat and allow pressure to dissipate naturally.   Remove lid, remove bowl of carrots (carefully!).  Using an immersion blender, or mashing by hand, gently mash potatoes to texture desired.  Add cooked carrots, nutritional yeast, soy milk, salt, and pepper and stir.  Return to stove (without lid) and heat on low, stirring often, for a few moments.  Serve with a salad and some bread.

(sorry for the lack of an “after” picture – mashed potato soup doesn’t photograph well)

Vegan Split Pea and Barley Soup in the Pressure Cooker

I got home pretty late last night, but Bowie (the pressure cooker) came to my rescue and we had homemade soup in less than an hour.

1 lb split peas  
1/2 lb barley
2 T olive oil
1 med onion, chopped
1 small handful fresh thyme
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 cup chopped carrots
7 cups vegetable broth

Heat olive oil in bottom of pressure cooker to medium heat.  Add onions and celery and saute until tender.  Add remaining ingredients and cover.  Bring pressure cooker to high pressure (15 psi) and cook for 12 minutes.  Turn off heat and allow pressure to disperse naturally.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Snarf it up!

Vegan Cheesy Movie Popcorn

As we all gathered around last night to watch the new episode of Doctor Who, I was pretty sure we needed popcorn.  Sure, popcorn with a little salt is good, but I wanted to do something a little more YUMMY for the special event.  So, after a little surfing around and gathering some ideas, I ended up with the following.  The popcorn kernel measurement might be a little off, as I just threw it in the pan from the bag, but I think it’s close.

1/3 c. nutritional yeast
1/2 t. chili powder
2 t. turmeric
sea salt
1 c. popcorn kernels
veg. oil
Olive oil in sprayer (or Pam)

Mix yeast, chili powder, and turmeric in a small bowl.  Heat veg. oil over medium high heat.  After it’s good and hot, add popcorn and swirl to coat.  Continue cooking, gently shaking pan over heat until corn begins to pop.  When it slows to less than 1 pop per 3 seconds, remove from heat and dump into a large bowl.   Spray surface with oil/Pam, shake nut. yeast mix from spoon over surface, add some sea salt.  Gently toss to bring new corn to top.  Continue process until corn is coated enough.  You may well have leftover mix, put that in a bag and save for next time.

Pop in a movie or sit down for your favorite show and enjoy!  You’ll need a napkin.