Vegan Cooking with TLC

Finding a plant-based burger recipe that works well has been a bit of challenge for me. I've tried several that worked okay but not great. I've tried several that had inconsistent results. So far I've made this recipe for Lentil Pecan Burgers a few times, and it's turned out well each time. I will say they are like any other burger in that cooking them can be tricky. They must be watched closely. Overcooking them will leave them dry and crumbly and undercooking them will leave them a bit mushy. Overall, I've had consistent results with these Lentil Pecan Burgers . Lentil Pecan Burgers   2 cups cooked brown lentils * 1 cup pecans pieces ¼ cup barley groats ¾ cup rolled barley 1 small onion 2 cloves garlic 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 2 tablespoons ground flax seeds 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast 1 tablespoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon ground coriander ½ teaspoon chili powder   Soak barley groats in hot water until they fluff up a bit, approximately 15-20 minutes....

This is a basic lentil recipe that can be used for brown or green lentils. Other lentils will require different cooking times. I only use this recipe when I need to use the lentils in another recipe where the lentils needed to be cooked prior to use. Basic Lentils 1 cup lentils 2-3 cups vegetable stock Place lentils and vegetable stock in pan making sure lentils are covered with stock. Cook 20-30 minutes until lentils are tender. Add more stock or water if lentils aren't getting tender as the stock is absorbed.   Drain excess liquid unless it is required for the recipe. Use as required in recipe. Note: I use organic ingredients whenever possible. Disclosure: This blog contains affiliate links meaning if you click on those links and make a purchase, I earn a commission at no additional cost to you. To learn more about me and my work, please visit,  www.tlcooper.com .

Creamy Curry Cauliflower Soup  is a creamy soup without the aid of any cream. I developed this recipe based on reading some other recipes and a desire to make a soup with cauliflower as the base. It has an interesting flavor profile. I think that it might even be good if one substituted parsley for the cilantro. It would, of course, have a different flavor profile, but I think it would work well because parsley works well with curry powder. I might just try that next time I make it. Creamy Curry Cauliflower Soup is easy and relatively quick to make. Bread and/or salad make great accompaniments with this soup. Creamy Curry Cauliflower Soup 1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds 1 medium onion 1 jalapeno pepper* 1-inch piece of ginger 2 cloves garlic 1 large head cauliflower 2-3 teaspoons curry powder 4 cups vegetable stock Black pepper ¼ cup nutritional yeast ¼ cup fresh cilantro Chop onion. Dice jalapeno. Grate the ginger and garlic. Cut the cauliflower into large chunks. Chop cilantro. Ad...

I first decided to make Sourdough Waffles as a way to meet two needs. I was craving waffles, and I wanted a way to use the sourdough discard left from feeding my sourdough starter . Throwing away the discard every day feels wasteful, so I try to find ways to use it when possible. It worked for the waffles, but I found that letting the batter set overnight better develops the flavor. You can make it either way. If you want to let it set, use one day's discard to make the batter and make the waffles the next day. I prefer to make the batter early in the day and leave it in the refrigerator until the next day. It works great.    I like to serve them with fresh fruit and just a touch of maple syrup.  I bought a mini-waffle maker to make mine because I wasn't sure how committed I was to making waffles and didn't want to invest in an expensive waffle maker until I was. Using the mini-waffle maker takes a long time, but I probably won't replace it for a while because waffles...

It's been a while since I posted. 2021 was a challenging year for me on multiple fronts, but I'm planning to post weekly again in 2022. I hope you'll check back each week for a new recipe. I created this Creamy Potato Corn Soup one day when I was feeling nostalgic for potato soup. I started looking around in the pantry, fridge, and freezer and pulling ingredients together. I liked it well enough to tweak the recipe to get it to a point I really liked it. It's particularly good served with homemade bread , but is also good alone. Cornbread , Chickpea Whole Wheat Bread , Whole Wheat Stout Bread , and sourdough bread are all options. Creamy Potato Corn Soup 1 small onion 1 bell pepper 2 cloves garlic ½ inch piece fresh ginger 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed 1 tablespoon no-salt seasoning blend 1 teaspoon ground cumin 4-8 small potatoes 1 cup corn 4 cups vegetable stock ½ cup nutritional yeast 1 teaspoon turmeric ½ cup cilantro 1 lime Dice onion and bell pepper. Grate garlic...