This is more like a casserole than a soup, nice and chunky and great for those winter days like this morning down here in Melbourne.

It’s always great waking up to a nice and warm 2 degrees celsius and heading out to an iced up window on your car! It was that cold, it even iced up under a carport!

I can’t wait to warm up to this soup at lunch today after my Monday run around the yarra with some toast…

Ingredients:

• 1 red onion diced
• a little oil for sauteeing onions
• 3 cloves garlic diced
• cracked pepper to your taste
• salt to your taste
• 750 grams can four bean mix
• 400 grams can diced tomatoes
• massell beef style vegetarian stock
• 2 tbs nutritional yeast flakes
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 rashers sanitarium vegetarian bacon
• 500 mls water

Instructions:

1. Saute the onions with the oil, seasoning with salt and pepper.
2. Once the onions are soft add, the garlic and bacon and cook a little longer.
3. Mix the bean mix and the water from the can to the pot, and place the stove on high to boil.
4. Blend in the stock and the extra water at this stage.
5. Stir in the herbs and tomato.
6. Simmer for 20-30 mins, stirring occasionally.
7. Mix in the nutritional yeast flakes and season with more salt and pepper to taste.
8. Simmer for another 5-10 mins before serving.