"Survival Mode" Spicy Vegetable Soup.

1. Prepare Vegetables by Sweating or Sauteing:
Sweating: Place diced onions, minced garlic, and chopped celery in a fairly large pot. Add enough water to the bottom of the pan so that it can be seen, but doesn't cover the vegetables. Cover and cook over low heat until they have softened, but not browned. (Sweating removes the need for oil in your soup.)
Sauteing: Place oil in pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, minced garlic, and chopped celery. Cook until vegetables have softened.
2. While your vegetables are sweating or sauteing, add basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. (If mixture thickens and you find your vegetables are starting to brown or stick, just add more water.) When everything is thickening, add the vegan Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce. (Don't add too much, just a few dashes. you can always add more later.)
3. Now that everything smells amazing and is all sweat down, add your can of tomatoes and stir. Add the potatoes and carrots. Add just enough water to cover the potatoes and carrots. Simmer for at least a half an hour or until the potatoes are soft.
4. Toss beans and mixed vegetables into pot, stir. Simmer for 1/2 hour. If you find that there is not enough water in your soup, cover with water again and allow it to come to a boil. If you notice that it needs more spice or flavor, add that here while it's boiling so all the flavors can blend together. Once all your vegetables are soft enough to your liking it's pretty much done. Let it cool, cause this soup gets super hot!
Some other variations I have tried include adding a bit of ginger, broccoli florets, using turtle beans, kidney beans, chick peas. Its really up to you and what you have handy. In my house, this is called "survival mode cooking" so have fun with it.
Source of recipe: My cure for the blues.