teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon salt

Lots of freshly ground black pepper

1 pound waxy potatoes (2-4 average-size potatoes; weigh them to be sure), peeled and cut into 1- inch chunks

1 cup sun-dried tomatoes (not the kind packed in oil, just honest-to-goodness sun-dried tomatoes)

6 cups water or vegetable broth

1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes (the fire-roasted are especially worth it here)

Juice of lemon, or to taste

The "creamy" comes from potatoes. Yukon golds work great here, but of course, you can use whatever you"ve got. Try to avoid a regular starchy Russet, since waxy potatoes give a creamier texture.

This is a great soup to go along with panini or vegan grilled cheese.

PREHEAT A large soup pot over medium heat. Saute the onions until translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic, herbs, salt, and pepper. Saute for 1 more minute, until the garlic is fragrant.

Add the potatoes and sun-dried tomatoes. Pour in the water. Cover and bring to a boil. Once the soup is boiling, lower the heat to medium, cover, and let simmer for about 20 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and the sun-dried tomatoes are soft.

Add the crushed tomatoes and heat through. If you have an immersion blender, you"re in luck! Puree the living h.e.l.l out of it until it is very smooth. If you don"t have one, just transfer the whole shebang to a food processor or blender, in cooled batches, then transfer back to the pot. Add the lemon juice and adjust the salt if you need to.

Serve!

Variation: Tomato-Basil Soup: Add a half cup of shredded basil after pureeing.

SMOKY RED PEPPERS "N" BEANS GUMBO

SERVES 6 TO 8.

TIME: 1 HOUR 30 MINUTES.

Thick but not too thick, a stick-to-your-ribs veggie gumbo has a hint of smokiness from juicy, roasted red peppers. And a little help from the magic of liquid smoke (and it"s vegan, like a dream come true, so relax!). Traditionally, gumbos are served with a scoop of white rice in the middle, but this also pairs nicely with Skillet Corn Bread (page 223) or crusty French bread and a crisp green salad.

cup nonhydrogenated vegan margarine

cup all-purpose flour

2 medium-size onions, cut into small dice

2 green bell peppers, cut into small dice

1 stalk celery, sliced very thinly

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 (10-ounce) package frozen okra, slightly thawed and sliced thinly

1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice, preferably fire-roasted tomatoes

3 roasted red peppers, jarred or homemade (page 33), chopped into fine dice

1 (16-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

3 cups vegetable broth

1 cup ale-style beer

3 tablespoons tomato paste

2 teaspoons oregano

teaspoon allspice

teaspoon liquid smoke flavoring

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

2 bay leaves

4-5 sprigs of thyme