Tortilla Beer Soup

1 tsp olive oil
1 small onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 tsp chipotle powder
1 large dash cumin
2 cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes
2 cans dark red kidney beans, drained
1 bottle lager
1 cup water
1-1/2 cup frozen corn
1 flour tortilla, cut into long strips

Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot. Add the onion and saute for 5 minutes, or until translucent. Add the garlic, chipotle and cumin and saute for a minute or two more. Add all the rest of the ingredients and simmer for 15 minutes.

Crazy Good Vegan Calzone

1 batch pizza dough (we get ours from Gateway Market)
1 Tbsp cornmeal

1 block firm tofu, crumbled
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1 heaping teaspoon country-style grainy mustard
salt/pepper to taste
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp each onion powder and garlic powder
2 Tbsp vegan cream cheese (optional)
2 Tbsp capers (optional)
1/4 cup artichoke hearts, mashed (optional)

4 oz. sliced shiitake or oyster mushrooms
2-3 cloves garlic
1 small onion, sliced
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 package veggie pepperoni, diced
8 oz. black olives, smooshed
1 large handful each sun dried tomatoes and pine nuts (optional)
1 largish bunch of swiss chard, stems removed and leaves torn into bits (optional)

1 can pizza sauce

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Sprinkle a pizza stone liberally with cornmeal.

Mash the tofu and add the nutritional yeast, mustard, salt, pepper, lemon juice, onion/garlic powder, capers, artichoke hearts and cream cheese. Mix well and let sit.

Heat the olive oil in a largish pan. Add the onion and saute for 3 minutes, or until translucent. Add the garlic, mushrooms and pepperoni; saute for a few more minutes, or until the mushrooms are softening. Add the swiss chard and stir until wilted. Add the tofu mixture, sundried tomatoes, pine nuts, olives and mix well.

Stretch/roll out the pizza dough on the pizza stone until it forms a large circle. Dump half of the tofu mixture onto one half of the dough, then fold the other half over the filling to create a half-moon. Crimp the edges of the dough to seal. Shake off any excess cornmeal and bake for 25 minutes.

Serve with pizza sauce for dipping.

Note: This recipe makes enough filling for two calzones. I usually bake one, then save the filling for another easy meal later in the week.

'Feta' Bean Pie

This is a veganized version of a favorite from our meat-eating days. The original has diced chicken, sour cream, feta cheese and lard-filled pie crusts. This version is still tasty, but much healthier.

12 oz. extra-firm silken tofu
2 Tbsp whole grain mustard
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp each garlic & onion powder
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp umeboshi vinegar

1 cup soy sour cream / plain soy yogurt
1/3 cup soy cream cheese

2 cans butter beans, drained
2 cans diced tomatoes, drained
2 Tbsp each fresh (or 1 tsp each dried) basil, dill and oregano

1 package crescent rolls

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Mash the tofu. Add the mustard, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper and umeboshi vinegar and stir well. Stir in the sour cream and cream cheese.

Mix the beans, tomatoes, and herbs together. Put in the bottom of a deep baking dish. Spread the tofu mixture on top. Unroll the crescent roll dough and lay it on top of the tofu mixture.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until the crescent rolls are golden brown.