One of the first recipes I ever made when I decided to try being a vegan was a tortilla soup from 'How It All Vegan'. Its a super simple combo of canned tomatoes, veggie broth, onions, spices and a hearty sprinkle of tortilla chips- very user friendly for a new vegan. Alex loved it. It may just have been the thing that convinced him that this whole 'no meat' thing wasn't so bad after all- he jumped on the vegan train just a few months after I did. And having a vegan partner makes life in our house very harmonious and very delicious. Especially when you get to sit down and enjoy a meal like this with your ridiculously good looking boyfriend after! 
This soup is a step-up from the stuff I was making way back then for sure, and takes less than an hour from start to finish. I added lots of onions, bell peppers, and fresh lime juice, plus the new Chick Seitan from Upton's Naturals. This stuff is amazing! It looks like chicken, it tastes like chicken (I mean I think- I haven't eaten chicken in years), and the texture would be great fried up and served with mashed potatoes or baked into pot pies- but also in this tortilla soup! It adds a great meaty texture and flavor to the soup and really makes it a meal. It's delicious! You can find the Upton's Chick Seitan anywhere their products are sold or you can order it online. But if you're avoiding gluten, ditch the faux meat and just enjoy a delicious, veggie-loaded tortilla soup. Let's do this!

INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, diced
1 large bell pepper, diced
2 medium tomatoes, diced
4 cups vegetable broth
2 limes, freshly juiced (about 1/3 cup juice)
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 package (4 ounces) of Upton's Chick Seitan

tortilla chips + cilantro, for garnish

DIRECTIONS:
In a large pot heat oil over medium heat. Sauté garlic, onion, and peppers until softened. Add in tomatoes, veggie broth, lime juice, bay leaf, spices, and Chick Seitan and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30-40 minutes. When ready, serve with tortilla chips and freshly chopped cilantro. Makes 4-6 servings, and keeps about a week in the fridge. Enjoy!