Summer Smash

Adapted and reinvented... another chapter of the cocktail thief, I bring you the end of summer smash!

1/2 oz. Lemon juice
1/4 oz. Agave
3 Basil Leaves
2 oz. Whiskey
2 dashes Angustora Bitters
3 Blackberries

Save yourself  $12 and do it at home! Combine lemon, agave, basil, whiskey and bitters in a cocktail shaker.  Shake with ice and strain into a glass filled with ice.  Top with muddled blackberries. (if you aren't strict vegan, a classic approach would be to use honey instead. You can also experiment with different herbs such as mint, sage and tarragon) Garnish with a sprig of basil if you want to be extra fancy.

Tortilla Soup

Holy mother Mary, I swear I'm part Mexican. This soup kicks ass and will blow your mind!!! If I was ever so proud of something I made, it's this. You never knew vegan food could be so damn good and easy.

1 tbsp. oil
1 carrot, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
3/4 tsp salt
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 tsp. cayenne
2 tsp. oregano
1 1/2 tsp. cumin
1 1/2 c. canned tomatoes (diced, no salt added)
1 tbsp. sirracha (I use Kikkoman brand because it sucks as an Asian substitute, but has a tomatoey  flavor that work well in this)
3 c. vegetable broth
1 tbsp. nutritional yeast
3-4 corn tortillas
Juice of 1 lemon
Cilantro

To prepare your tortillas, heat an oven to 425. Spray tortillas with some non-stick spray and bake for 10 minutes, flipping half way through.

Heat oil in a soup pot. Add onion, carrot and bell pepper. Sauté about 7 minutes until onions are translucent. Add in cayenne, garlic, cumin, oregano and sirracha. Sauté another minute or two stirring frequently to avoid burning. Stir in vegetable broth and tomatoes. Cover and simmer 10 minutes or until vegetables are very soft.

Add in broken up tortillas and nutritional yeast to soup and simmer another 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes. Use an immersion or whatever else blends and purée soup until smooth. Stir in the juice of 1 lemon and garnish with cilantro. Taste and die.