SOUPS AND STEWS

 

A hearty soup, chili, or stew can comfort you better than your roomie, your significant other, your toastiest microwaved socks, or even your mom. They leave you satisfied and warm—even if you’re alone in your dorm room instead of sitting around the family table back home. Note: Invite a friend over, or the homeless dude on the bench on the quad, and you can do some old-fashioned bonding over asparagus soup. Everyone does that, right? It’s not just us?

DID YOU KNOW?

A lifelong vegetarian saves around 760 chickens, 5 cows, 20 pigs, 29 sheep, 46 turkeys, 15 ducks, 7 rabbits, and half a ton of fish.

SPRINGTIME IN ASPARAGUS SOUP

Have you heard that green is the new black? Well, it’s also the new soup.

2 teaspoons onion powder

2 tablespoons vegan margarine

1 (10-ounce) package frozen cut asparagus (you can also use fresh)

1 cup vegetable broth

1 dash garlic powder

1 dash pepper

1 cup plain soy milk

Mix all of the ingredients, except the soy milk, together in a bowl and nuke, covered, for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the microwave, let cool, and pour into a blender, pureeing until smooth. Return the mixture to a bowl, stir in the soy milk, and nuke until heated through.

Makes 2 servings.

“ME SO CORNY” THAI TOMATO SOUP

A “maize”ingly tasty and easy to make. Did we mention that this is supposed to be corny?

1 (10.7-ounce) can condensed tomato soup

1 (13-ounce) can condensed coconut milk

1 (15-ounce) can sweet corn (can substitute baby corn if preferred)

1 small bunch fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)

Salt and pepper, to taste

Mix all the ingredients in a container. Heat, partially covered, for 2 minutes. Stir. Repeat this process until the soup is thoroughly heated and well mixed.

Makes 4 servings.

CHEAPSKATE CHILI AND BEAN STEW

If you’re strapped for cash, don’t harvest your organs; buy kidney beans instead.

1 (15-ounce) can black beans (undrained)

1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans (undrained)

1 (15-ounce) can black-eyed peas (undrained)

1/2 cup chickpeas (undrained)

1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes (with juice)

1 (15-ounce) can enchilada sauce (preferably green-chili style) Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Corn or tortilla chips

Put all of the ingredients in a bowl (except for the corn or tortilla chips) and microwave on high for 4 minutes or until hot. Serve with chips.

Makes 4 servings.

HAAS PARTY AVOCADO SOUP

Tired of the same old played-out house party? Print up some flyers and tell the gang the soup’s on at your place this Saturday night. Okay, don’t actually make flyers, but double the batch if you’re nice enough to share!

2 Haas avocados, cut in half and pits removed

2 Cups soy milk

1 tablespoon lime juice (fresh or from a squirt bottle) Salt and pepper, to taste

Scoop the avocado flesh into a bowl and mash it up. Mix in the soy milk and heat in the microwave for 2 minutes. Take the bowl out and add the lime juice, salt, and pepper, and heat for another 2 minutes. Eat.

Makes 2 servings.

PJ PUMPKIN SOUP

Yup, you can pretend to be fancy while staying in your PJs. Don’t act like you ever change out of your PJs anyway.

1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree

1 cup vegetable broth

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup plain soy milk

Salt and pepper, to taste

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Nuke for 3 minutes, or until hot. Stir again and serve!

Makes 2 servings.

SASSY-ASS SOUTHWEST CHILI

A Mexi-Texi treat that’ll sass your taste buds like a Texas beauty queen in her terrible ’tweens.

1/2 cup veggie burger crumbles

1 (15-ounce) can vegan chili or 2 cups pre-made vegan chili

1 (8-ounce) can mushrooms, stems and pieces, drained

1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes (look for one that’s Mexican/chili style)

Grated vegan cheese, to taste

Taco seasoning, to taste

Mix all of the ingredients together and microwave until hot, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.

Makes 4 servings.

PEACE RALLY PEA SOUP

C’mon, give peas a chance!

1 (12-ounce) package frozen peas

Water, to cover

1/2 to 1 cup vegetable broth

Pinch each of sugar, salt, and pepper

1/4 cup vegan sour cream

Cook the peas in the microwave until tender but not overly wrinkly, about 45 seconds to 1 minute. Drain, place in a blender, and whir until soup-like in texture, adding the veggie broth as necessary (you want a nice thick soup, so don’t add too much). Remove from the blender and put back into the dish you microwaved the peas in, adding the sugar, salt, and pepper. Heat through, about 1 minute. Divide into bowls, and swirl a little sour cream into each before serving!

Makes 2 servings.

FRENCH 101 LUNCH

So you’re stuck in your dorm room studying for a French exam and listening to your roommate blast hip-hop. Pretend you’re sitting in a French café on a cold, rainy day with this délicieux lunch. Beret and cynicism optional.

1 (19-ounce) can lentil soup

1 vegan sausage patty

1 baguette, split

Dijon mustard, to taste

Pour the soup into a bowl, nuke until hot, and remove from the microwave. Nuke the sausage patty until hot, about 45 seconds. Spread the mustard on the baguette and add the sausage. Dip into the soup. Bon appétit!

Makes 1 serving.