super easy VEGAN comfort-food

QUICK GOLDEN HERBED POTATO SOUP
ingredients
- 1 veggie bouillon cube (vegeta or some other concentrated vegetable broth powder, msg-free if possible)
- 4-5 cups water
- 5-6 small/new potatoes
- 1/2 cup pasta shapes, small (orzo, ditalini, etc.) or medium (elbow macaroni, rotini, etc.)
- 1 tsp coarse mustard (or mustard seeds)
- 1 tsp fresh rosemary
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder [optional]
- 1/2 tsp chilli powder [or to taste/optional]
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- salt, freshly ground pepper to taste

preparation
first peel or scrub and thoroughly wash the potatoes and cut into medium-sized cubes. then bring them to a boil in the water, adding the vegetable powder from the beginning. when the potatoes are starting to get soft, add the pasta, mustard, chilli and turmeric and 1/2 Tbsp oil and continue cooking on medium heat. when the pasta is al dente, add the rest of the ingredients and turn off the heat after a minute or two. can garnish with chopped fresh parsley leaves or even salad greens (rucola etc.). eat with some crusty bread.
(serves 2-3 people, or can be a full meal for one person/me)


PAN-FRIED POTATOES AND SEITAN "TOCANITA"

ingredients
"tocanita":
- 1 lb seitan chunks [from health food (section of the) grocery store or you can make your own from gluten flour]
- 1 medium red onion, finely sliced
- 1 Tbsp flour
- 1 tsp hot cayenne/paprika powder [or sweet paprika powder if you prefer]
- 1-2 Tbsp oil
- 2-3 Tbsp tomato puree [optional]
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce [optional]
- salt and pepper to taste
potatoes:
- 1 lb potatoes (new, or the smaller the better)
- a few drops of olive oil (or 1/2 tsp nonhydrogenated margarine)
- 1/2 tsp fresh rosemary
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tsp lemon juice [optional]
- sesame and/or mustard seeds [optional]

preparation
"tocanita" is a romanian name for a stewed mixture of meat and vegetables, usually with a light tomato sauce. seitan lends itself perfectly to this simple recipe. first sautee the onions for a couple of minutes until they get translucent, then add the seitan and flour and fry until the seitan is nicely browned. add the paprika and then 1/4 cup water and, if using, the tomato puree and soy sauce, and stew on medium heat for an additional 10-15 minutes. season with salt and pepper to taste.
to make the potatoes, first boil them whole until they are just starting to get tender (if they're new potatoes i prefer to keep the peels but they can be peeled either before boiling or after), then cut them into bite-size chunks. heat a pan and add oil or margarine just to very lightly coat the bottom, add the potatoes and cook on medium heat, stirring often, until the potatoes get golden all over. sprinkle with lemon juice, if using. season and garnish to taste.
(serves 2 people or 1 extremely hungry one)