I love autumn - long walks in crisp air and crunchy leaves wakes up my senses after a long summer of 90+ degrees and high humidity. Autumn also means hearty, aromatic soups! So, here's my current favorite soup, and yes, it's vegan.

What I love about it is that it's a soup I made earlier this summer and when the weather turned and the flannel shirts came out, all I had to do was pour the ingredients from the Mason jar and add some vegetable broth. 

Here is a recipe for two Mason jars - one for you and maybe, one for a friend.

Ingredients:

• 2 - quart Mason jars with lids
• 1/2 cup dried onion flakes
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 1 T. each dried thyme, parsley, and rosemary
• 2 t. garlic powder
• 1 t. paprika
• 1 t. salt
• 1/2 t black pepper
• 1-1/2 cups green or brown lentils
• 4 bay leaves
• 1-1/2 cups wild rice
• 1 cup yellow split peas
• 2 cups roughly chopped fried shiitake mushrooms
• NOTE: I had a bit of room left in the jar so I added some pink lentils. Feel free to add other beans, rices, etc.

Directions:

1. Combine the onion flakes, nutritional yeast, thyme, parsley, rosemary, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper n a cup of small bowl and still until mixed well.
2. Pour 1/4 cup of the lentils into each jar.
3. Divide the spice mixture between the two jars.
4. Press two (2) bay leaves on the side of each jar.
5. Pour  3/4 up of the rice into each jar.
6. Pour 1/2 cup of the split peas into each jar.
7. Top with the dried mushrooms.

Ingredients:

• 1 - 15 ounce can of pumpkin puree
• 1 T. curry powder
• 1 t. brown sugar
• 1/2 t. ground coriander
• 1/2 t. cumin
• 1 - 15 ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
• up to 1 cup water or vegetable broth (I don't usually add water or broth)
• salt and pepper
• 2 T. pepitas for garnish, if desired

Directions:​

1. Combine all ingredients except coconut milk, water/broth and pepitas.
2. Cook on low for 10 minutes to blend pumpkin and spices.
3. Slowly add the coconut milk, whisking to blend.
4. Adjust seasonings to taste.
5. Add water or broth, as needed. I like my soup on the thicker side and do not add water or broth.
6. Sprinkle pepitas when serving.

​Serves 4.

I hate waste and yet our recycle bucket for compost is often full more than once a day. I already have access to three freezers and two refrigerators, but I still have usable vegetables/fruits that often get pushed back and then forgotten. I purchased some small bins from WalMart for just that purpose. It has helped considerably! Now I just pull out a bin and I can see all the way the back! So, I decided to check out what was available in my bins before I started making lunch and ... success!

"Clean out the Frig" Sandwiches
Ingredients:

• Chuck of Italian Bread, cut in half lengthwise
• olive oil
• garlic salt
• zucchini
• muchrooms
• onion
• garlic
• sun-dried tomatoes
• left over vegan roast

Directions:

1. Slice your bread however you want it.
2. Drizzle with olive oil
3. Sprinkle with garlic salt.
4. Set aside.
5. In a large cast iron pan, heat a bit of olive oil and add whatever vegetables you want on your sandwich or whatever is in your frig. I will say the sun-dried tomatoes gave it a nice "chew" and excellent flavor. I am allergic to peppers so you'll rarely see recipes here using peppers.
6. When the vegetables are cooked the way you like them, pop the garlic bread into a toaster oven or broiler and toast.
7. If you want to add some vegan cheese, do so, then top with the vegetables and serve.

We had this with a bowl of Pumpkin Bisque.

Whether you're vegan or not, this is a great dip for fresh vegetables!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup raw cashew butter OR 1 cup raw cashews
• 1/2 cup unsweetened almond or cashew milk (or other non-dairy milk)
• 2 T. balsamic vinegar
• 2 T. fresh lemon juice
• 1 t. dried dill weed (or 1-2 T. fresh dill)
• 1 t. onion powder
• 1/2 t. garlic powder
• 3 T. tomato paste
• 1 rounded T. date sugar or 1-2 pitted dates
• 1/4 cucumber, peeled
• 1/4 cucumber, peeled and finely chopped
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion

Directions:

1. In a food processor or high-powdered blender, blend the cashews, milk, vinegar, lemon juice, dill, onion powder, garlic powder, tomato paste, date sugar (or pitted dates), and peeled cucumber until smooth.
2. Transfer to a small bowl and fold in the finely chopped cucumber and onion.

NOTE: I used my smoothie blender for extra smoothness.

While this salad isn't very colorful, the flavor is certainly there. 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 crunch peanut butter
• 3 T. tamari
• 2 T. rice wine vinegar
• 1-1/2 t. light brown sugar
• 12 t. red pepper flakes
• 1/4 t. garlic powder
• 1/2 c. water
• 2 packages of GreeNoodles
• 1 T. toasted sesame oil
• 1/2 c. shredded carrots
• 1 - 8 oz. can diced water chestnuts
• 8 oz. of fresh mushrooms, roughly chopped
• 1/4 c. peanuts

Directions:

1. Combine: peanut butter, tamari, vinegar, red pepper flakes, and garlic powder to a small bowl, stirring well to blend.
2. Set aside.
3. Soak the noodles in enough boiling water until softened.
4. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.
5. Toss with the sesame oil.
6. Add the carrots, water chestnuts, mushrooms, and peanuts to the noodles.
7. Add the peanut sauce, tossing gently to combine.