Chipotle Tomato Bisque with Grilled Cheese

Ingredients:

Directions:

1. *Bisque:
2. Heat a large stock pot to medium high, add two tablespoons of vegan butter. Stir in the diced onion, celery and carrots. Sauté the mixture on medium high for about 5 stirring occasionally. Add the garlic, cook and additional 2-3 minutes then sprinkle the flour over the mixture and stir to coat the vegetables evenly. Slowly pour in the vegetable stock, stir to combine. Add the chopped jalapeño and sauce, pour in the diced tomatoes. Bring the bisque to a soft boil then reduce the heat and simmer about 15 minutes.
3. Blend the hot soup with an immersible blender or carefully transfer it to a blender jar and process until smooth. Stir in the non-diary creamer then season with freshly ground sea salt and black pepper to taste.
4. Combine the vegan sour cream and lime juice in a small bowl, stir until smooth. Ladle the soup into a bowl, drizzle the vegan sour cream mixture over the top, sprinkle with chopped chives and top with vegan croutons and additional freshly ground pepper.
5. *Grilled Cheese:
6. Heat a large skillet or flat grill to medium high. Spread vegan mayonnaise or vegan butter on one side of each of the two slices of bread. Place the buttered side down on the grill, layer vegan cheese on the bread, place the tomato slices on the griddle or skillet and grill them them while the bottom half of the sandwich is browning. Once the bottom slice begins to brown transfer the tomatoes with a spatula on top of the cheese on the bottom half. Season with a little freshly ground pepper then top with the second piece of bread and flip the sandwich to brown the other side for a few minutes.
7. Transfer the sandwich to a cutting board and divide it into two pieces using a serrated knife. Serve hot with the bisque.
8. *Note
9. *Recipe courtesy of Liz Gary. For information about free local community cooking classes and special events visit [url=http://www.newoptionsfoodgroup.com]www.newoptionsfoodgroup.com[/url]