Recipe: Black Pepper Chowder

This is our version of a cookbook favourite. It's vegan. Any mild vegetables you have kicking around will do, but the corn, cauliflower and potato are necessities.

1 tbs. margarine
1 onion
6 garlic cloves
3 leaves basil (2 tsp. dry)
1 tsp. thyme (1/2 tsp. dry)
1 tsp. salt
1 e. potato, celery and bok choi stalks, carrot
1/2 caulifower
2 cups corn
15 mushrooms
1 tbs. black pepper
3 cups water
3 cups soy milk (room temperature)

1. Melt margarine over med. heat. Chop and sauté the onion, half the garlic, and the thyme and basil, along with the salt, until golden.

2. Stir in all vegetables but the corn and mushrooms; after 5 minutes add these, along with the pepper, and cook 5 minutes more.

3. Pour water over and simmer until potatoes are tender. Mince and stir in the remaining garlic, then pour in the soy milk. Heat to hot. If it's not floating with pepper, it won't keep away colds, so add more. Serve with fresh pepper and hot rolls.