Vegan "Beef" Vegetable Soup

8 oz. baby bella mushrooms
1 clove garlic, minced
5 1/4 cups water
1 bay leaf
1 Tblsp. red wine vinegar
2 Tblsp. low sodium soy sauce
1 Tblsp. sugar
1 tsp. lemon juice
pinch of cumin
1/4 tsp. thyme
pinch of allspice
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 cup coffee
1 cup carrots, chopped into 1/4 inch pieces
2 cups red potatoes, with skins, chopped into 1"pieces
1/4 cup frozen green peas
3 Tblsp. whole wheat flour

I made extra broth because it seemed to be almost gone when vegetables cooked up.

In a large soup pot on medium heat, saute the mushrooms in enough olive oil to just cover the bottom of soup pot, until shrunk and lightly browned. Remove from pot, and set aside in a small bowl. In the same pot, place the onions, garlic and a small amount of olive oil and saute until soft and caramelized. Add to the pot, 5 cups of the water, bay leaf, red wine vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, lemon juice, cumin, thyme, allspice, salt, pepper and coffee. Bring to a boil, then add carrots and cover. Turn heat down to medium and cook carrots for about 15 minutes. Uncover, add potatoes, and cook 20 minutes or until potatoes and carrots are done. Add peas and cook 5-8 minutes longer. Add mushrooms back to pot. Then, in a shaker jar, add the flour and the remaining 1/4 cup water and shake together. Push vegetables to one side of the pan and stir this into the pot. Cook for about another 5 min until the liquid thickens.

Serving Size: makes approx. 8 bowls

Number of Servings: 8

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user HOCKIMAMA.