Vegan with a Vengeance

taste, and the soy milk and maple syrup, and simmer 5 more minutes. Let sit for at least 10 minutes and serve. Tastes even better the next day.

Beet, Barley, and Black Soybean Soup it Pumpernickel Croutons
    SERVES 6-8
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    We created a soup like this for Food Not Bombs, in San Francisco, and I will always remember how happy it made everyone (except for my roommate who was pissed at me for dumping a whole bottle of her tamari into the soup. She was also pissed at me for not paying rent but that’s another matter entirely). Eating this soup makes me think I am in Mother Russia in the late nineteenth century; I’ve come home after strolling the promenade in Saint Petersburg and I’m getting ready to complete the next chapter of my tragic novel, but first—soup.
    2 tablespoons olive oil
    1 large onion, finely chopped (about 2 cups)
    3 cloves garlic
    2 teaspoons dried tarragon
    A few dashes fresh black pepper
    8 cups water
    4 medium-size beets, peeled, cut in half, sliced ¼-inch thick (about 4 cups)
    Â¾ cup pearl barley
    Â¼ cup tamari
    1 (15-ounce) can black soybeans, rinsed and drained (about 2 cups)
    2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
    Â½ cup chopped fresh dill
    Pumpernickel Croutons (recipe follows)
    In a stockpot over medium heat, sauté the onion in the olive oil for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, tarragon, and pepper; sauté until fragrant (about a minute). Add 8 cups of water, the beets, barley, and tamari, cover, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the beans and simmer for another 10 to 15 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent the barley from sticking together, or until the barley is tender. Add the balsamic vinegar and fresh dill. Serve with Pumpernickel Croutons, and garnish with more fresh dill.

Pumpernickel Croutons
    2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
    Â½ teaspoon dried tarragon
    Â¼ teaspoon salt
    4 slices firm pumpernickel bread, cut into ¼-inch dice
    Preheat oven to 400°F.
    In a wide, shallow bowl, stir together the olive oil, tarragon, and salt. Add the diced bread and toss gently to coat. Spread the bread in a single layer on a cookie sheet, toast for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring once. Remove from oven and let cool.

Chipotle, Corn, and Black Bean Stew
    SERVES 6
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    This is one of the recipes that you can really mess around with; add zucchini or cauliflower or whatever vegetables you have around. You can also try different beans; pintos or garbanzos are nice choices. I also like to add tempeh or frozen and thawed tofu sometimes, at the same time you add the potatoes. Let the soup sit for at least 10 minutes before serving—the longer you can wait, the better. If you want to make the soup less spicy, remove the seeds from the chipotles before using.
    2 tablespoons olive oil
    1 large onion, quartered and thinly sliced
    3 cloves garlic
    2 teaspoons ground cumin
    Â½ teaspoons salt
    A few dashes fresh black pepper
    2 chipotle peppers (canned), drained and chopped
    1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
    3 cups water
    4 russet potatoes, cut into ¾-inch dice
    2 carrots, peeled, cut into ¾-inch dice
    1 cup corn (if using fresh, it’s 2 ears)
    1 (16-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
    1 cup fresh cilantro, lightly packed, torn into pieces (stems and all)
    Finely grated zest of 1 lime
    Juice of 1 lime
    Fizzle says:
    Chipotle peppers are smoked jalapeños.
    In a stockpot, sauté the onions in the oil over moderate heat for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, salt, and black pepper. Sauté 1 minute more. Add the chipotles, tomatoes and water, stir. Add the potatoes and carrots, cover, bring to a low boil, and simmer for 20 minutes

    Uncover, add the corn and beans. Thin with more water if needed. Cook uncovered for 5 more minutes. Add the cilantro, lime zest, and lime juice. Let sit for at least 10 minutes. Serve. (If you can wait an hour to eat it, it tastes so good when it’s had a chance to sit around and is gently reheated.)
    PUNK POINTS
    Be very careful when working with hot peppers, the white lining in the pepper contains a chemical called capsaicin, which gives the pepper its heat. Don’t ever touch the inside of the pepper with your bare hands or they will burn for hours and sometimes even the next day (if you touch your eyes, you’ll feel like you were just maced by the police at a Critical Mass demo). Either work very carefully with a small paring knife or employ a pair of disposable gloves while cutting