Vegan Cooking with TLC

I always forget that biscotti is relatively easy to make if time consuming. I either forget to set aside enough time or I convince myself it's going to be difficult. Then once I start, I really enjoy the process and wonder why I don't make biscotti more often. That said, given the sweetener in these, they are definitely a treat and not something I'd want to make a regular part of my diet. Cherry Cardamom Biscotti ½ cup oat bran ½ cup thick rolled oats 1 ¾ spelt flour 1 teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon cardamom ½ cup maple syrup* ¼ cup molasses* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon double espresso liqueur** ½ cup hazelnut pulp or hazelnut butter*** ¼ cup dried cherries Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper . Cut dried cherries into small pieces.**** Combine oat bran, oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cardamom in large bowl . Whisk together the maple...

I'd love to claim I developed this cornbread as an attempt to create a gluten-free cornbread, but the truth is I started to make cornbread and then discovered I was out of whole wheat flour and spelt flour, my two go-to flours for baking... So I grabbed what I had in the pantry and hoped it would work - chickpea flour. And I liked it so much I wrote the recipe down. I don't make it often, but it makes a nice change once in a while. Chickpea Cornbread 2 tablespoons ground flaxseeds 2 tablespoons hot water 2 cups hazelnut milk 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar 2 cups cornmeal 1 cup chickpea flour 1 teaspoon baking soda ¼ cup hazelnut pulp ¼ cup date sugar* 8 drops hot sauce Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place a round 9 or 10 inch  cast iron skillet ** in the oven to heat while oven preheats. Combine flaxseeds and hot water. Stir together. Set aside to thicken. Whisk together hazelnut milk and apple cider vinegar. Set aside. Mix to...

This is a simple soup that's nice on a chilly day. It has a comforting texture that also makes it nice when one doesn't feel particularly well. It's easy and relatively quick to make. I topped it with a bit of fresh purple cabbage just because I hadn't had any cruciferous vegetables that day. It added a nice crunch to the soup. Dilly Split Pea and Red Lentil Soup 1 cup split peas 1 cup red lentils 1 leek 1 clove garlic 1 cup sundried tomatoes* 4-6 cups vegetable stock 1 tablespoon dried dill 1 bay leaf Pepper to taste 1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds Cover sundried tomatoes with hot water. Set aside to soak. Rinse split peas and red lentils. Set aside Clean and chop white portion of the leek. Mince garlic.  Drain sundried tomatoes and reserve liquid. Chop sundried tomatoes. Add a small amount of water to the bottom of a large saucier or Dutch oven .   Add flaxseeds. Heat until bubbly, add in leeks and garlic. Cook...

I decided I wanted Cherry Upside Down Cake for my birthday cake this year. I don't know why because I can't remember ever eating Cherry Upside Down Cake in my life. But, I wanted it, so I started to research recipes. I garnered what I could from a variety of recipes, then sat down and wrote my own recipe. It turned out better than I expected, so I decided to share it. It does take a little time to make, but it's worth it. Cherry Upside Down Cake 20 ounces frozen cherries 2 Tablespoons date sugar ¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom 2 teaspoons cashew butter 2 tablespoons ground flax seed 2 tablespoons hot water 2 cups spelt flour 2 teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom 1 cup date sugar ½ cup sourdough starter * 1 cup cashew milk ½ cup of orange juice ½ cup cashew butter Add the date sugar, orange juice, cardamom, and cashew butter to a small bowl . Whisk togethe...

Cashew butter is a great nut butter to use as a base for other recipes. I rarely use it as a spread, but it also works well in that capacity. Cashew Butter 4 cups cashews Pour cashews in a food processor .  Pulse 4-6 times. Process until cashews are smooth and creamy. Spoon in a glass jar. Store in the refrigerator. Note: I use organic ingredients whenever possible.