This super simple Creamy Tomato Thyme Soup will satisfy your craving for a warm meal as the fall temperatures continue to drop.
To make this a heartier meal, I highly recommend serving the soup with a vegan grilled cheese sandwich! And if you’re over the age of 10, don’t worry there’ll be no judgment. You’re never too old for grilled cheese and tomato soup.
Creamy Tomato Thyme Soup
Yields 4 servings.
Ingredients
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 28 oz can of tomatoes, diced, crushed, or pureed
½ cup coconut milk
½ teaspoon salt, you can omit this if the canned tomatoes are salted
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon fresh or dried thyme
1 cup water
Directions
In a medium-sized pot, heat olive oil on medium low heat and add the onion and garlic. Saute lightly for 2-3 minutes.
Add canned tomatoes and all other remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer on medium heat for 10 minutes, until heated through and fragrant.
Serve as is or blend to desired creaminess. You can use either an immersion blender or you can transfer to a blender and puree in batches. If you’re using a traditional blender, be sure to let the soup cool before blending.
Quorn, a readily available vegetarian meat substitute is now offering vegan versionsof their popular meat-free products!
Having tried my share of vegan meats, I can easily say Quorn’s measure up! The texture is spot on—not too chewy, not too tough, and so flavorful. It would please vegans and meat-eaters alike!
The only issue I had with these vegan meats was deciding how I wanted to cook them and what I wanted to enjoy them with.
I whipped up some gravy to pair with the Vegan Breaded Chicken/Chik’n Cutlets. I added a side of slaw I had leftover in my fridge, and it was a great, filling meal! These cutlets are the perfect main dish, especially for meat-eaters incorporating more vegan food into their diets.
Quorn Vegan Breaded Chicken/Chik’n Cutlets
And with Quorn’s Vegan Chicken/Chik’n Tenders, I put together a delicious, cheesy breakfast hash.
Your stomach is growling now, right? No problem! My tasty hash recipe is listed below.
Before you run out to get yourself these vegan meats, check out the store locator on the Quorn website. You can specify which products you want and locate the stores closest to you that are carrying them.
Cheesy Breakfast Hash with Quorn’s Vegan Chicken/Chik’n Tenders
Cheesy Breakfast Hash
Serves about 2.
Ingredients
Hash
½ of a 32 oz bag tater tots
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
½ bag of Quorn Vegan Chicken/Chik’n Tenders
2 vegan sausage patties (I used Hilary’s Apple Maple Veggie Breakfast Sausage)
½ cup broccoli florets
¼ cup edamame
¼ cup raw cashews
Cheese Sauce
1 cup non-dairy milk
1 tablespoon flour
¼ cup nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon salt
Directions
Preheat oven and heat tater tots according to instructions on bag.
While the tots are cooking, heat oil in a large skillet. Add Quorn Vegan Chicken/Chik’n Tenders, vegan sausage, broccoli, and edamame. Cook over medium heat.
When heated through, add cashews and lower heat.
Meanwhile, for the cheese sauce, combine milk and flour in a small saucepan over medium heat and mix thoroughly.
When sauce begins to simmer, reduce heat to low and add nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt.
When tater tots are finished cooking, carefully add them and the cheese sauce to the skillet and mix well. Serve hot and enjoy!
When changing your diet, it may take time to explore new foods and develop a routine.
There are a lot of different products to choose from—experiment with various flavors and brands to find your favorites.
Opposing animal cruelty can be as easy as substituting marinara for meat sauce, opting for bean burritos instead of chicken or beef tacos, and trying some of the many delicious and convenient vegan products that are available.
“When I met my first vegetarian, he told me he had not eaten meat for fourteen years. I looked at him as if he had managed to hold his breath that entire time. Today I know there is nothing rigorous or strange about eating a diet that excludes meat.”
Gardein mock meats come in a variety of styles and flavors. Shown above is a Gardein Tuscan chick’n breast.
Mock meats, made from plant protein, come in a wide range of textures, shapes, and styles: burgers, hot dogs, pepperoni, sausage, bacon, ground meat, meatballs, breaded cutlets, deli slices, “unchicken” salad, and more!
Dairy alternatives, made from soy, rice, nuts, seeds, and plant starches, include milks, cheeses, butter, mayonnaise, sour cream, yogurts, frozen desserts—you name it!
It’s best to sample as many products as you can. You might dislike certain soymilks and veggie burgers, but think others are great!
With the right substitute ingredients and a little experience, you’ll discover you can still enjoy your favorite meals. Vegan twists on most any familiar recipe can be prepared using seitan (or “wheat meat”), homemade “cheezes,” and other meat and dairy alternatives. You’ll find countless vegetarian recipes on the Internet, as well as a huge selection of vegetarian cookbooks.
Beans are a good source of protein and relatively inexpensive. You’ll find an array of heat-and-serve options at most supermarkets, and a number of recipes for bean-based dishes in our online starter guide, including hearty soups and a chili made with “textured vegetable protein,” which also costs less than ready-made faux meats.
While nearly all supermarkets carry tasty, animal-free fare, natural food stores and co-ops are great places to explore your vegetarian options. Besides all the ready-made products, you may discover unusual grains, beans, or other ingredients you’ve never tried. In fact, by becoming more conscious of what they eat and by experimenting with new foods and recipes, many people find themselves with a more diverse diet after becoming vegan!
Vegan selections can be found at many fast-food chains—such as Chevys, Little Caesars, Papa John’s, Subway, Johnny Rockets, and Taco Bell—as well as at most Chinese, Indian, Italian, Mexican, Middle Eastern, Thai, and other ethnic restaurants. If a menu’s vegan options appear to be limited to a house salad or steamed vegetable plate, don’t panic! There are usually dishes that can be “veganized” with minimal effort, or the chef might be happy to whip up a special animal-free entrée for you, so don’t be afraid to ask!
Sometimes the simplest things are the best as is the case with this super easy, but still tasty, pasta dish.
INGREDIENTS
500g Barilla Penne Rigate
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
800g can chopped Italian Roma tomatoes
1 teaspoon caster sugar
3/4 cup fresh basil leaves
METHOD
Step 1
Cook pasta in a saucepan of boiling salted water, following packet directions, until tender (approx 12 min). Drain. Return to saucepan.
Step 2
Meanwhile, heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook for 3 minutes, or until tender. Add tomatoes, sugar, and salt and pepper. Stir until well combined. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 10 minutes.
Step 3
Shred 1/2 cup of basil leaves. Stir into sauce. Add sauce to pasta. Cook, stirring, over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, or until heated through. Spoon into bowls. Top with remaining basil leaves and freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately.
