Vegan Cooking with TLC

I make  Mushroom Marinara Pasta so often, probably an average of once a week, it didn't even occur to me to write the recipe down. It's incredibly simple and quick to make, quite tasty, and filling. I was looking through my recipes and discovered it was missing, so I decided I needed to add it and share it.  I like to put another sprinkle of nutritional yeast over the top after serving it.  Healthy comfort food is the best kind of comfort food. Mushroom Marinara Pasta 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds   1 jar marinara sauce 1 clove garlic 8 button mushrooms 1 teaspoon dried basil 1 teaspoon dried thyme , optional 1 teaspoon dried oregano 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 4 ounces pasta * ¼ cup nutritional yeast Fresh basil (optional) Mince garlic. Chop mushrooms. Add enough water to saucier to cover the bottom of pan, about ¼ cup. Bring to a boil. Stir in flaxseeds. Cook until starts to thicken, stirring if necessary...

I made my basic black bean brownies this week. I'd forgotten these aren't as sweet as traditional brownies. I was also out of both cacao nibs and mini chocolate chips, so I used a bit of a chocolate bar I had in the refrigerator. I don't think it worked quite as well, but sometimes that's what happens when you cook.   Black Bean Brownies 2 cups cooked and drained black beans ¾ cup peanut butter 2 tablespoons blackstrap molasses 2-4 tablespoons maple syrup 2 teaspoons vanilla 2 tablespoon ground flax seeds 2 tablespoons water ½ cup cacao powder 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon cinnamon , optional ¼ teaspoon cardamom , optional ¼ cup cacao nibs or mini chocolate chips , optional Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix flax seeds and 2 tablespoons water. Set aside to thicken slightly. Place all ingredients except cacao nibs in a food processor . Process until smooth. Mixture will be thick. If mixture is too dry or thick add water...

This week I was craving Cold Brew Hibiscus Blueberry Water, so I decided to share it here. The hibiscus and blueberries work well together making for a nice change from plain Cold Brew Hibiscus Water .  It's also super simple! Cold Brew Hibiscus Blueberry Water ¼ cup hibiscus petals 1 cup blueberries 60 ounces water Place the hibiscus petals blueberries in a 60-ounce pitcher and cover with water. Let steep overnight in the refrigerator. If desired, refill the pitcher once or twice to get the most out of the hibiscus and berries.

Squash soups manage to somehow be both comforting and light. I like the bit of spice in this one. If you like it spicier, you can add more curry powder. I like to eat this with some bread like Whole Wheat Stout Bread or  Cornbread , but it's also good on its own. On the second day, I sometimes add a bit of pasta or barley to the leftovers to give it a bit more interested. When I was younger, I always thought winter squashes were one note food. I've since discovered that depending on what spices, vegetables, or fruit one adds to them, they can be quite versatile! Curried Lentil Acorn Squash Bisque 1 small acorn squash* 1 cup red lentils 1 leek, chopped** 1 carrot, chopped 2 tablespoons ground flax seed 1 tablespoon curry powder 1 teaspoon paprika 1 teaspoon cumin powder ½ teaspoon ground yellow mustard 1 teaspoon ground ginger ½ teaspoon ground turmeric 1 bay leaf 6 cups vegetable stock 1 garlic clove Peel and seed acorn squash...