Low-Fat Cream of Celery Soup & Diz's 10-Minute Creamy Cajun Noodles

This week's theme: Savory Soup Week...
After Eclectic Americana week, I feel like I need to go on a light diet for a little while...that's why I think that it would be a grand idea if this week happened to be a (main-course) soup week! We're going from last week's "meat" and carbs to, well, more carbs, but with hearty vegetable goodness in every meal.
I decided to start the week out with one of the best "diet" foods: CELERY. I can't imagine just eating an entire plate of raw celery, nor do I like the idea of eating the stalks with plain old peanut butter--so soup it was! This low-fat recipe was inspired by a non-vegan, high-fat version found on 'Zaar by Lorac. The consistency is not as smooth as I originally intended it to be--I had a blending accident which made such an incredible mess--but please do blend away if you'd like. Just remember: If you're using a blender, do so in SMALL batches or else you will end up under a rain of very hot celery soup...which does NOT feel pleasant on the face.

Low-Fat Cream of Celery Soup:

2 T. Smart Balance Light margarine
2 c. celery stalks, sliced thin
1/2 c. onion, chopped
1 large clove of garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1-2 T. flour
2 c. water
1 c. unsweetened soymilk
1/3 t. vegan chicken base (optional)
3-4 drops of hot sauce
salt & pepper to taste

In a pot over medium heat, melt margarine, saute celery and onion until soft. Add garlic, stir, and add flour. Cook for a minute or two. Add the water, base, and bay leaf, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and blend in a blender until smooth. Return to pot and add the soy milk, hot sauce, salt, and pepper. Simmer until ready to serve.

Diz's 10-Minute Creamy Cajun Noodles:
(No exact measurements)

Sauteed carrots and onions (optional)
Non-hydrogenated margarine
Your choice of boiled noodles, as much as you'd like
Splash of non-dairy or soy creamer
A couple tablespoons of nutritional yeast
A bit of mellow yellow miso paste (this is a tastier salt replacer)
A dash each of:
Old Bay
Cayenne
Onion
Garlic

Melt as much margarine as you'd like in a pot, add the noodles, stir, then add all other ingredients. Mix well and serve hot.