Pumpkin Applesauce

Vegan Month of Food 2017

"Lines and Light"

Day 31: Halloween

Just a cool shot from our boat of a bridge being build over the Grand River. 

Make chunky applesauce, add lemon juice and cinnamon while cooking. At the end, add some canned pumpkin and vanilla. No sugar needed! 

Spinach Dip Crescent Roll Ring (One Green Planet)

Vegan Month of Food 2017

"Lines and Light"

(a line or two of original poetry or a photo of beautiful Michigan light every day in October) 

"Oh, give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good." Psalm136:1

(not original to me! King David gets full credit for those beautiful words!)

Day 30: Practice for Thanksgiving 

Gotta have lots of appetizers and snacks on T-Day

The light is at the end of the Vegan Month of Food tunnel! Tomorrow’s post will be the last one, and I must say, 31 posts in 31 days has been a challenge, but I did it. Hopefully some of you became more motivated to try vegan food and meals and attitudes. Remember, ‘vegan’ doesn’t mean weird or hippie or liberal or deprived or grungy – no. It means not hurting animals. That’s the bottom ‘vegan line.’ Leave animals off your plate.

When I think of eating animals, the most upsetting situation is Thanksgiving. Imagine all the turkeys. Every single home, every single American. All the traditions of being thankful have been lasered in on one iconic item: the turkey. When did stuffing our bodies full of turkey almost to the point of illness become our sole representation and expression of thankfulness?

We won’t be eating a turkey at my home as a way to express our thankfulness. We will celebrate family and friendship with a table full of the earth’s bounty.

Autumn always puts me in a thankful mood: I love the cool air, the colors, the gentle sunlight, and the darker afternoons. If you’ve been reading these October posts, you might recall this line of poetry, which to me says it all.

‘October is a gentle queen who crowns the year in gold.’

Penning that one line was how I began this year’s Vegan Month of Food journey. I was a passenger on a long car trip, trying to decide if I should once again tackle this huge challenge (31 posts in 31 days, guys!). I was scribbling down ideas and landed on my theme of “Lines and Light.” This was the first line I wrote, and it has been my undergirding theme of the entire month.

Be thankful this season and show it in gentle ways. 

Original recipe can be found HERE. This was surprisingly good! 

8 ounces vegan cream cheese

3 ounces vegan sour cream

1/2 t onion powder

1/4 t garlic powder

1 box frozen spinach, thawed and squeeze dry

1 tube crescent roll dough

Arrange the crescents in a big pointy star. Mix the filling well. Spoon on the dough and fold the points over to form this ring. Bake 400 about 20 minutes. 

Italian Sausage (vegan)

Vegan Month of Food 2017

"Lines and Light"

(a line of original poetry or a photo of Michigan light every day for the month of October)

Day 29:History: What would you cook for your favorite historical figure

Light on a secret place

(That pinkish stuff all over the place is the most flavorful sauce made from the juice of my roasted tomatoes, Dijon mustard, and vegan Ranch dressing. OMG.)

(Day 2. I  chunked up the leftover sausage, sauteed them in a bit of oil and added to to jarred Marinara sauce. Better than meat!)

In honor of the 500^th anniversary of the Reformation of the church, I decided to make sausages, mashed potatoes, green beans, and roasted tomatoes for my favorite reformer, Martin Luther. If there has even been a single person who has changed world history, it’s Luther! Reformations and Counter-Reformations and new denominations of Christianity and huge divisions in the church – there’s no way he could have known what his influence would be. I totally admire his willingness and bravery to speak his mind, even to the point of excommunication!

(If Mrs. Luther had fennel, she would have used her Brazilian mortar and pestle to grind it,
just like me.)

He stood before emperor and said, “I cannot and will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. Here I stand, I can do no other, so help me God. Amen.”  Think of it! That’s crazy!

My favorite Martin Luther quote is this, “You can’t keep birds from flying over you but you can keep them from nesting in your hair.”

Another Luther gem, “The devil should not be allowed to keep all the best tunes to himself.”

If you don’t know much about Martin Luther, I suggest that you watch one of the many movies made about him, or even take a glimpse at Wikipedia. He was a pretty fascinating guy. I’m positive his beloved wife, Katherina, made him this meal.

If you haven’t made homemade vegan sausages, fear not! It’s so easy and way better than store bought ones. I find most of the brands way too salty for my taste. These are simple to make and it really doesn’t take much time. My recipe is based on Isa Chandra’s Italian Feast Sausages, from her Vegan Brunch cookbook.

(I know what you're thinking.....but trust me, these are so good!)

Here’s what you need:

¼ C chickpeas

1 ¼ C vital wheat gluten

1 C broth made from Chicken Style Seasoning (find that amazing recipe  HERE )

1 T olive oil

2 T soy sauce

4 garlic cloves, grated finely

¼ nutritional yeast

2 t fennel seeds, crushed

1 t red pepper flakes

1 t sweet paprika

1 t dried oregano

(My famous drizzle sauce: juice from my homemade roasted tomatoes, (I call it liquid gold),
 dijon, and Ranch.)

Here’s what you do:

Smash the chickpeas with a fork until every single one has been smashed. Add the gluten and mix a bit. Make a slurry with the remaining ingredients, whisk, and pour over the dry stuff. Use a wooden spoon and then your hands to mix everything together. It will seem wet. It won’t be too  long before you observe long threads of gluten in the mixture – that’s when you know you’re ready for the next step.

Divide the stuff into 4 sausages and carefully wrap them in aluminum foil. Steam them for about 40 minutes! Voila! They are ready!

I like to cut them lengthwise and fry them a bit. Serve with mustard, or sautéed onions and garlic, or in sauces, or on bread, or sliced into disks. Very good.

Avocado Potato Toast with Almond Hollandaise

Vegan Month of Food 2017

"Lines and Light" 

(a line or two of original poetry or a photo of Michigan light every day in October)

Day 28: Brunch

I served my Avocado Potato Toast on a lightly dressed chopped salad.

Did I invent Avocado Toast? No. Did I invent Avocado Potato Toast? I was hoping so, but a quick google search reveals other home cooks who have already put these two favorites together. (But truth be told, mine was pretty delish! We scarfed.) 

The hollandiase was simple and very lemony and light. It would be great on a tofu scramble or even in a falafel sandwich. 

The star of the meal is the huge roasted potato chip. Bake it till it's nice and crispy. 

(Below, is today's photo of beautifuul Michigan light. Taken at Art Prize in Grand Rapids in 2015)

"Me and Starry Light"

Here's what you need:

large russet potatoes, sliced lengthwise about 1/3 inch thick. Use only the nicest pieces for the best 'chips' . Drizzle olive oil, salt, and pepper and roast at 400 degrees until golden. Flip them over once in a while. 

ripe avocados

ripe tomatoes

For the hollandaise: (recipe from Hot for Food)

1/2 C raw slivered almonds

1/2 C soy milk, plus more to thin

1 T coconut oil

1 1/2 T fresh lemon juice

2 T nutritional yeast

1/2 t dry mustard

1/4 t trumeric

pinch of salt

Put all the hollandaise ingredients in a high speed blender and continue to blend until it is completley smooth and emulsified. Heat super gently on very low heat, adding more milk if necessary. 

Grilled Peanut Butter Sammies

Vegan Month of Food 2017

"Lines and Light"

(a line or two of original poetry or a photo of beautiful Michigan light every day in October)

Day 27: Meal for the young

Marching band echoes down my street

Red and white eighths and quarters bouncing off living room walls

Warm memories of my happy musicians

I have been eating grilled peanut butter sandwiches since I was a young girl. I still love them. I ate this one today for breakfast. 

Triple Lemon Cupcakes

Vegan Month of Food 2017

"Lines and Light"

(a line or two of original poetry or a photo of beautiful Michigan light every day in October)

Day 26: Showstopper dessert

October is a gentle queen that crows the year in gold

She blankets us in sunlight and invites us along her soft paths

She stills my restless and overwrought spirit

like a heavy blanket sheltering me, healing me from the heat of summer

She stands at the gates of winter and shelters me from the cold

This is perhaps my best recipe. You can't believe the burst of flavor from these gorgeous cupcakes. They receive rave reviews everywhere they go. A true showstopper

Yes, this is a repost, but it's worth it! See the original post HERE  and get the complete method for the candied lemon zest, the cupcakes, and the frosting. 

Vegan Zucchini Parmesan

Vegan Month of Food 2017

"Lines and Light" 

(a line or two of original poetry or a photo of beautiful Michigan light every day in October)

It's Raining

Two days of constant rhythm

Grey. Slate. Iron. Fatiguing.

The cold bleakness offers some warmth, though

a tiny rubber boot

wet bangs stuck to foreheads

puddles under reluctant dogs

open umbrellas propped against a bookshelf

Sated trees thankfully lifting October arms 

Day 25: Best Friend

I made a lovely zucchini parmesan for my best friend tonight. I've been making dinner for him for over thirty years and I never get tired of setting the table, placing a plate of homemade food before him, and sitting together after a long work day. Sometimes we talk. Sometimes we eat in silence. It's all good. In fact, it's awesome. 

I LOVE the New York Times method of prepping the zucchini. Slice it thinly lengthwise (maybe 1/4 inch), place on lightly greased baking trays, brush lightly with olive oil,  and roast at 450 degrees for about 20 minutes, babysitting and flipping the strips over if needed. 

Use an excellent quality sauce and the best quality vegan parmesan cheese. This excellent casserole freezes well. I have a huge one waiting in the freezer for Thanksgiving weekend. 

Also, consider prepping the pasta a bit before plating. Here, I sauted garlic and hot pepper flakes. I added water and white wine, Lawrys Season salt and lots of dried parsley. These simple additions create an excellent pasta side dish. 

Power Nachos

Vegan Month of Food 2017

"Lines and Light"

(a line or two of original poetry or a photo of beautiful Michigan light every day in October)

Day 24: Party! Finger Food!

I can neither confirm nor deny that we ate or did not eat this entire tray of nachos. But I can say we used our fingers....and it tasted like a party!

Today's photo is one of the most amazingly dramatic clouds that blew over our bayou a few years ago. Can you imagine the storm that this cloud brought? 

Best Vegan Tacos with Perfect Lime Slaw

Vegan Month of Food 2017

"Lines and Light"

(a line or two of original poetry or a photo of beautiful Michigan light every day in October)

Someone I know is broken

Life is too heavy for him

But as long as one blade of grass pushes up

I will believe in the goodness of life and hope for a new tomorrow

Grow, grass. Grow.

Day 23: Fancy

Oh, how I fretted over today's theme of 'fancy.' I just couldn't pull myself together to create a 'fancy' meal -- you know the type: served on the china stored away in the basement, maybe served with a chilled sparkling wine.... Nope, I just didn't have it in me this time around....so, I made tacos. Amazing vegan tacos with perfect lime slaw. Fancy enough for Sunday afternoon. 

Here's what you need for the taco meat: (from Pinch of Yum)

3 C chopped cauliflower

2 C raw walnuts

2 chipotle peppers in Adobo sauce (I used 4 and it wasn't too many for our taste)

1 T chili powder

1 t cumin 

1 t salt (which I wish I had left out....)

Here's what you do:

Blend all in a food processor and bake on a greased sheet at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes, stirring at the half way mark

Here's what you need for the Lime Slaw:

6 C slivered cabbage

1 jalapeno, diced

1 red pepper, sliced thinly

1/2 C red onions, sliced thinly

1/2 C pepitas

4 T olive oil

2 t lime zest

2 T lime juice

2 t agave

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 C cilantro

Toast the seeds for about 5 minutes. Whisk the dressing (zest, juice, agave, oil, salt, pepper. Pour over salad ingredients and mix well. 

Middle School Millet Salad

Vegan Month of Food 2017

"Lines and Light"

(a line or two of original poetry or a photo of light every day in the month of October)

Day 22: Weird Grains

I made this millet salad for my 5th and 6th graders because we are studying Africa. Lots of millet is eaten in Africa (and all over Asia as well). I have to be honest and admit that they really did not like it. I think a few kids only licked one tiny grain and called it good. I kept saying things like, "It's not spicy!" or "I think you'll like it if you take a whole spoonful," or, desperately, "Keep chewing!" Ha!

Mince onions and green peppers and garlic and saute. Whirl a carrot or two in a food processor until minced and almost juicy. Add carrots to the saute. Add millet and saute a bit. Add the correct amount of vegetable broth and simmer until nice and soft. Lots of chopped cilantro at the end. 

I thought it was delicious, but I'm weird that way - I love weird grains. (Is there even such a thing?)

Today's photo comes at the end.... my beautiful dog, Lucy. 

"Light on a nose"

Overloaded Vegan Queso Potato Skins

Vegan Month of Food 2017

"Lines and Light"

(a line or two of original poetry or a photo of beautiful Michigan light every day in October)

Gentle eyes

Powerful nose

Biggest ears on earth

Sloppy eater

Great big paws

I alone saw your worth

Day 21: Making the humble potato the star of the show

This was a true culinary masterpiece! Flavors towering upon flavors upon flavors and more. You can't tell from the photo, but the skin of this beauty was twice baked and totally crispy and salty. Don't change a thing! Let's celebrate the humble potato!

I served my potatoes on a simple salad dressed with Italian and Ranch. 

Here's what you need for the potato layer:

2 large baked russet potatoes, sliced lengthwise, soft flesh removed, leaving about 1/4 inch 

1/2 C cannelini beans or other soft white bean

soy milk

1/4 C nutritional yeast

salt

2 cloves garlic, rubbed over a microplane 

Here's what you need for the queso: (this recipe came from a Facebook club called 'Vegan Recipe Hoarders)

2 cans Rotel tomatoes

1/2 C cashews

1/2 C white beans

1/4 C white onion

1/2 C oats

1/4 C Nutritional yeast

2 T arrowroot

1/2 C salsa

2 t lemon juice

1 1/2 C water

Here's what you do: 

Put the cooked potatoes in a food processor along with the beans, garlic, salt, nutritional yeast, and enough milk to create a mash....BUT be careful not to over blend it. Food processors can be too powerful sometimes. 

Brush both sides of the skins with corn oil and sprinkle liberally with salt (both sides). Return to the oven (400 degrees) and toast till perfect, maybe about 20 minutes, flipping them half way. 

Load the filling in the  skins and put back in oven to reheat. 

To make the queso, drain the Rotel tomatoes, putting the juice in a high speed blender. Add the cashews, beans,onion, oats, nootch, arrowroot, salsa, lemon juice and water. Blend till smooth. Pour in large pot and heat till thick - stirring. Add reserved Rotel tomatoes. 

Build your potato by ladling a generous amount of queso over each, then salsa, avocado, cilantro. I served mine on a simple salad. 

Deconstructed Eggplant Parmesan

Vegan Month of Food 2017

“Lines and Light”

(a line of original poetry or a photo of light every day for the month of October)

Your purple coat hides your secret

At first glance we see beauty

       Shiny and dark and rare and royal

You feel heavy, substantial, worthwhile

      My heart races

I’m tempted by your beauty

Upon taking a knife to you though, I’m weirdly surprised

Your outer-wear belied the truth

Day 20: Deconstructed Dish: Hipster Style Food
(click HERE to see what others are sharing today)

If you have been reading my blog for a while, then you know I love eggplant. The Green Zebra in Chicago serves an excellent roasted eggplant and tomato dish. I expanded it by adding my homemade garlic almond cheese. Super fancy! With a big salad and crusty garlic bread, you have a super hipster meal – serving it on a slate is optional 😊  

The technique for roasting the eggplant is perfection, by the way. 

Here's what you need:

1 large globe of eggplant, sliced 3/4 inch, skin on

1 T olive oil

thick slices fresh tomatoes, about 3/4 inch thick

fresh basil

almond cheese (recipe HERE)

1 head garlic

1 T olive oli

coarse salt

Here's what you do:

Lay the eggplant on a cookie sheet and use your fingers to dab on some olive oil. Repeat  on the other side. Roast in 400 degrees for about 15 minutes, flip over with a METAL spatula and continue until both sides are nice and brown. 

Lay the tomato slices on a cookie sheet and do the same technique for the olive oil. These need to roast for about 2-3 hours in a 250 degree oven. Obviously, this can be done the day before. 

Cut off the tip of an entire head of garlic so that the cloves are exposed. Nestle the garlic in two layers of aluminum foil and drizzle with olive oil. Wrap loosely in the foil and bake 400 degrees for abouot 30-45 minutes. After the garlic has cooled a bit, squeeze the cloves out into about 1 cup of almond cheese. Mash with a fork. Maybe add salt? 

Plate everything artistically. Garnish with fresh basil and coarse salt. 

Gingered Pear Sauce

 Vegan Month of Food 2017

"Lines and Light"
(a line of original poetry or a photo of light every day for the month of October)

I share my pear trees with the neighborhood deer
They give more than they take

  Day 19: A dish with five ingredients or fewer
(click HERE to see what others are sharing today)

Luscious and unique – that’s how you might describe a pear. Combine it with ginger and you have a flavor combination that’s worthy of the Thanksgiving table. That’s where mine’s going.

Here’s what you need:
Ripe pears
1 T fresh lemon juice
½ t -1 t ground ginger
½ t - 1 t cinnamon
1 t vanilla

(notice - no sugar is needed because pears are naturally sweet)

All these pears came from my very own garden -
 the one I share with the neighborhood deer. 

Here’s what you do:
Peel and slice the pears. Simmer them in about ½ C water until very soft. Add the remaining ingredients to taste. The amount of spices depend on the amount of pears you have. Remember – you can always add more, but you can’t remove any…..ginger is spicy, so start with a small amount. Stir and continue to cook for a few minutes. Allow to cool for a while and whirl in a food processor until it’s the perfect consistency. Don’t allow it to become too soft – you don’t want the consistency of baby food! Remember, this glorious sauce is for your Thanksgiving table.

Tracy's Epic Double Chocolate Vegan Tart

Vegan Month of Food 2017

"Lines and Light"

(a line or two of original poetry or a photo of beautiful Michigan light every day during October)

Day 18 : Chocolate

"Dappled Light"

Well, this was good. I mean really, really good. Imagine an Oreo Cookie crust and a dark chocolate - cashew pudding. Heavenly! Wasn't too tricky to make either....You see, I'm the type of person who doesn't mind using both my food processor and my blender in one recipe. I don't really mind doing these kinds of dishes. (For the record, it's the after dinner dishes that kill me)

I only wish I was hosting a dinner party to have plenty of friends oooing and ahhhhing over my fancy dessert! :) 

Chocolate is so luscious..... I eat it every day!

Here's what you need:

1 package Oreo cookies

1 C butter - divided

2 C raw cashews

3 C soy milk

1 T arrowroot

1 t vanilla

1/2 C sugar (or less)

1 bag dark chocolate chips (use a good brand)

1/4 t salt

Here's what you do:

Pulse the cookies in a food processor until they are fine crumbs. Add 1/2 C melted butter. Press into a tart pan and chill for at least 30 minutes. 

Meanwhile, soak the cashews in cold water.  (or don't soak them...I never do.) Place cashews, milk and arrowroot in a high speed blender and create a smooth mixture. Then run this through a fine sieve to remove any stubborn nut  pieces. 

Pour cashew milk into a heavy bottom pot, add the chips and slowly bring to a warm simmer....just enough to melt the chips and allow the arrowroot to do its thickening magic. Add the vanilla. 

Pour over the crust, chill long time, decorate. Voila! Serve with pride. 

Zombie Apocalypse Cheesy Potato Enchilada Casserole

Vegan Month of  Food 2017
“Lines and Light”

(a line of original poetry or a photo of light every day for the month of October)

Why can’t I write a poem about a tree?
They are too big for me
Their secrets held deep
Communing with the heavens and knowing the dark places of the earth
They age with a beauty beyond understanding and spread their testimony over me

Day 16 – Survival Food – There’s a zombie apocalypse! 

What can you make from just canned food?
(click HERE to see what others are sharing today)

I love cooking from my pantry and freezer. Some of my best meals have been off-the-cuff inventions from last minute decisions and additions. This combo, from my pantry and freezer, was seriously, seriously delicious. Add some sour cream, salsa, pickled jalapenos, and you have a meal fit for a Mexican/American queen. 

Here's what you need:

canned beans

canned diced tomatoes

canned diced potatoes

canned green chilis

garlic

1/2 package taco seasoning

onion

flour tortillas

some sort of nacho cheese (mine was from the freezer ... it was most likely Isa's recipe for cashew queso with red peppers)

Here's what you do:

Saute the onions and garlic. Add the beans, tomatoes, green chilis, and taco seasoning. Also add about 1/2 C water and allow to cook for a while until perfect. 

In another pan, brown the potatoes in a bit of oil. Add the cheese sauce.

Layer it all together... I started with a bean layer and ended with a potato layer. Bake for a while, covered at first and then uncovered. Don't let that top layer dry out. SUPER!! 

my crummy spice rack

Vegan Month of Food 2017

"Lines and Light"

Cloves for friendship

Curry for love

Mint for healing

Paprika for fun

Anise for grandma

Basil for joy

Saffron for Jenny 

and Ginger for me!

Day 15: Spicy!

A few days ago I shared some photos of my brand new kitchen. It is gorgeous! I chose soft white for the cupboards and a cinnamon colored wood for my island.  My granite is called Winter White. It is so soothing to look at and touch. And lucky me, I was able to make my island huge. HUGE. It's so great! I can't remember how I survived without all the electrical outlets! I put them everywhere. 

The only thing I didn't do right when designing the new kitchen, is my spice rack - or better said, the lack of a spice rack. It's terrible! I have no where to put my dozens of spices. Dozens. 

You can see I have three twirling store-bought spice caddies. I had to transfer the spices from their original containers to those round jars and then I used those hideous green labels. I have these caddies in my pantry on the top shelf, and every single time I pull out the shelf, spices go tumbling off the caddy and down to the bottom of the pantry. Oh, joy. Do you notice all the spices just laying around up there. It's horrible. 

The baking-type spices are located in a stupid wooden box on the bottom shelf of the pantry. They are a total jumble. Lucy likes to smell them. Sigh. 

I love my new kitchen, but I can't stand my crummy spice rack. :( 

Artichoke and Carrot Top Pesto Stuffed Mushroom

   Vegan Month of Food
"Lines and Light"
(a line of original poetry or a photo of light every day for the month of October)

Bright orange surprise under dark earth; waiting to be yanked by green hair

Day 14 - Re-purposing Food

Show us what you do with mushroom stems, stale end bits of bread, carrot tops, etc
(click HERE to see what others are sharing today)

 

Stuffed mushrooms don’t need to be complicated, unless you are making your own carrot top pesto to mix into the stuffing! Seriously, it wasn’t that tricky and since I was planning to make the carrot top pesto anyway, I decided to add some to the mushrooms. Delicious!

I also think stuffed mushrooms can serve as an entre and not only as an appetizer. That’s how we ate them and thankfully, there were plenty for the two of us.

Here’s what you need:
10 oz large white mushrooms, stems removed and minced

8 artichoke quarters, (packed in water) minced

2 scallions, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

Dried basil and parsley

Paprika

2 T olive oil – divided

2 rounded T carrot top pesto (recipe below)

2 rounded T cashew parmesan

2 rounded T seasoned bread crumbs

½ C dry white wine

Here’s what you do:

Saute the mushroom stems, artichokes, scallions, and garlic in 1 T oil. Add the herbs and paprika to taste. Salt and pepper is good here too. When the mixture is nice and soft, remove to a bowl and add the pesto, Parmesan, and bread crumbs. Divide evenly between the mushrooms, drizzle remaining olive oil over each cap and sprinkle wine over it all. Bake covered (350 degrees) for about 10 minutes, remove cover and continue baking for another 10-15 minutes. Serve warm.

Here's how to make Carrot Top Pesto:

Drop a few garlic gloves into a running food processor. This is a good way to mince the garlic. Add a 1/4 C of sliced or slivered almonds, a bunch of carrot tops (stems discarded), some olive oil and a healthy pinch of salt. Process until kind of smooth. Be ready to scrape down the sides of the processor. 

Creamy Red Pepper Sauce

Vegan Month of Food 2017

"Lines and Light"

(a line of original poetry or a photo of beautiful light every day for the month of October)

'Deep Beauty'

bug upon a leaf
frog under a bush
snake in the grass
sun through a petal
~ look closely ~

dog on the driveway
bird near her nest
spider with her eggs
rain for a tree

Day 13: Sell Yourself- If you were going to market a food you make, what would it be?

This is my famous creamy red pepper sauce. I've been making it for years. It's kinda spicy and very creamy. It freezes like a dream. It's great to make when the red peppers go on drastic clearance. I use it in all kinds of ways: pasta, of course. It's amazing on a pizza or as a dipping sauce. Pour it over burritos for a new flavor profile for your standard Mexican fare.

Take it out of the freezer before you leave for work.

Here's what you need:

6 red peppers, seeded and deveined, chopped in 1 inch pieces

1 large vidalia onion, chopped in 1 inch pieced

2 large ripe tomatoes, chopped like the rest

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 C veg broth

1 C raw cashews

Here's what you do:

Place everything in a large pot. Cook for a long time, until everything is nice and soft and ready for the  blender. Allow to cool for a bit. Place in a high speed blender.