Hearty Vegan Navy Bean Soup

This is an excellent vegan recipe, its very hearty and flavorful. Don't write off this recipe for lack of meat, its really fab.

• Ready In: 3 hrs
• Serves: 8-10

Ingredients

• 2  cups navy beans
• 8  cups water
• 4  carrots, sliced
• 3  tablespoons  balsamic vinegar or 3  tablespoons red wine vinegar or 3  tablespoons  vegetable stock
• 2  onions, chopped
• 5  garlic cloves, minced
• 1  cup celery leaves, and tender, inner stalks, chopped fine
• 1  cup cabbage
• 2  bay leaves
• 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground ginger (powder)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon mustard powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1⁄2 teaspoon thyme
• 1  tablespoon parsley flakes
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1  dash Tabasco sauce or 1  dash habanero sauce

Directions

1. Wash and pick over beans.
2. Cover with water and soak overnight, or quick soak.
3. Discard soaking water, rinse beans and put in a large soup pot.
4. Add the 8 cups of water and bring to a boil.
5. Cover tightly and reduce heat to a low simmer.
6. Add carrots.
7. In a nonstick pan saute onion in balsamic vinegar until it caramelizes (this takes a while on low heat).
8. Add garlic, celery leaves, and cabbage.
9. Continue sautéing, adding more liquid as necessary.
10. When the mixture has cooked down somewhat, add it to the beans.
11. Add tomato sauce, bay leaves, and spices.
12. Simmer *very* slowly for 2 hours or until beans are tender, stirring occasionally.
13. Remove bay leaves and serve with hard bread and salad.