8 cups vegetable broth (or 8 cups water + 4 bouillon cubes)
1 pound uncooked black-eyed peas (approximately 2 cups)
1 onion, chopped finely
2 stalks celery, chopped finely
1-2 carrots, peeled and chopped finely
1 teaspoon minced garlic (or garlic powder)
1 teaspoon mustard powder
2-3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 bay leaves
salt and white pepper, to taste
1/2-1 cup 'bacon' bits, divided (Bacos are vegan, or any 'bacon' TVP)
1. In a large stock pot, bring the broth to a boil. Once boiling, add the black-eyed peas, reduce heat and cover. Leave the lid cracked to let some steam escape. Cook on low heat for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. After the 40 minutes, add everything but the 'bacon' bits. Stir and cook uncovered for another 20-30 minutes until the veggies are soft and the flavors are cooked through.
3. When there's about 5 minutes left, add most of the vegan bacon bits (reserving some for garnish). Remove from heat, let cool a couple minutes.
4. Serve in a bowl and garnish with the remaining bacon bits. Really awesome with some freshly baked bread.
This soup can be reheated on the stove and enjoyed for days (if you've got left-overs!). The soup can get a bit thick when it cools so you may want to add a little water when reheating.
Source of recipe: I created a vegan version of one of my favorite soups growing up. This recipe is the result of taking what I like from several recipes I've found online, and is as close to my childhood memory as I can get. Pretty damn close, imo.