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6-10 zucchini
5 lbs. carrots
2 bunches celery
4 medium onions
3 stalks leeks
1 cup raw cashews
2 tablespoons Vege Base by Vogue (or other vegan bouillon)
4 cups water
1 cup dried, split peas and/or beans
6 oz. TVP (textured vegetable protein), optional
1 package mushrooms, any type (optional)
Use a very large pot. Place the water and the beans in the pot and start cooking (covered) on the lowest flame possible. Take the outer skins off the onions and place them in the covered pot (do not cut them up, put them in whole). Next, add the zucchini, uncut. Cut the bottom roots off the leeks and slice them up the side so that each leaf can be washed. Be thorough because leeks have a lot of dirt hidden inside. Throw away the last inch at the green top. Then, place the entire leek (leaves uncut) into the pot. Juice all the carrots and celery in a juice extractor. Add the juice to the pot. While the soup is simmering, chop up the mushrooms. By the time you get to this stage, the zucchini, leeks, and onions should be soft enough to blend into the soup.
This next step only works if you have a VitaMix or a food processor. Ladle some of the liquid from the pot into the machine. Then, use tongs to remove the soft onions, zucchini, and leeks. Be careful to leave the beans and peas in the bottom of the pot. In a few separate batches, completely blend all these ingredients together. Then, using more soup liquid, add the cup of cashews and blend them in. After adding the blended, creamy mixture back into the pot, you can add the TVP and the mushrooms. Simmer another 20 minutes.
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