Food For Thought: Nancy's Vegan Feast

(serves five) 1 quart dry white beans (soaked for 4 to 8 hours in 3 quarts water with 1 tablespoon salt and ¼ cup rice vinegar) 1 cup blanched (skinless) almonds 1/3 cup Earth Balance Buttery Spread (vegan butter) ¼ cup avocado oil ¼ cup chickpea (or soybean) miso 1 tablespoon dried dill 2 tablespoons chopped garlic ¼ cup nutritional yeast 2 teaspoons white pepper 1 tablespoon salt 6 cups rice milk 2 cups water (from bean boil) Soaked white beans should have doubled in size to 2 quarts. Strain off the soaking liquid and rinse the beans. Add the rinsed beans and 5 cups water to a large pot and boil until the beans are slightly over-cooked (about an hour at medium heat). While the beans are cooking, toast 1 cup of almonds at 350-degrees for 5 minutes (stirring halfway through). Add toasted almonds directly to the boiling beans. Strain the beans/almonds, reserving 2 cups of liquid. Wipe out the pot and heat the vegan butter and avocado oil. Add the miso, dill, garlic, nutritional yeast, white pepper and salt and sauté, stirring for about a minute. Add the rice milk and reserved bean liquid and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes. Using a food processor or blender, carefully blend until completely smooth. Serve warm. From Sam’s Plant Based Kitchen