Vegan Cooking with TLC

Several years ago I came across a recipe for Macadamia Burgers somewhere. It had many ingredients in it I don't eat, but it intrigued me. I took some time and played around with the foundation and created a new recipe that I thought better suited me. In part, I swapped out some of the macadamia nuts for cashews because where I live macadamia nuts are very expensive. Macadamia also contain considerably more fat than cashews. This recipe is still expensive and a little heavier on fat that I typically like, but it is tasty. I make it as an occasional indulgence, both financially and health-wise. I prefer it with sweet potato fries made in the air fryer over regular fries. Macadamia Cashew Burgers   ¾ cup macadamia nuts ¾ cup cashews 1 medium carrot 1 small onion 2 garlic cloves 1 jalapeno pepper 1 ½ cups chickpea flour 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro 1 teaspoon ground cumin ½ teaspoon ground coriander ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper 1-2 limes   Grate carrot. Chop onion. Remove membr...

You might remember that I shared a version of Paprika Tempeh & Potatoes a while ago, but this version has a few changes that tasted different enough that I wanted to share it as well. The first was based on a Paprika Chicken recipe I used to make years ago. It's important to remember that with any recipe small changes, sometimes just one ingredient, can change the flavor profile in a distinctive way. There are other changes that are almost undetectable. I enjoy playing with recipes to test flavor profiles and sharing those results to demonstrate the flexibility of cooking. So here's my second version of Paprika Tempeh & Potatoes. I served it with flat bread this time, which was quite good. Paprika Tempeh & Potatoes 1 pound package tempeh ¼ cup water 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds 1 medium red onion 1 medium carrot 2 tablespoons paprika 8 small purple potatoes 1-2 cups shredded cabbage 2 cups tomato sauce ½ cup red wine (optional) 1 – 1 ½ cups vegetable broth Freshly...

This is the first time I'm sharing a recipe I don't actually make though I do generally help my husband make it. I plan to post a few more of his veganized specialties over time.  My husband makes this meal based on one his Mom used to make. He converted it from a non-vegan meal to a vegan meal several years ago.  It has taken us a while to get the recipe written and the process photographed for a couple of reasons. One, it can only be made during the short period of time the Lebanese zucchini is in season where we live. It doesn't really work with other types of zucchini. Two, he cooks by eye rather than measurement, so I had to write the recipe while helping him make the meal. It took a few edits, but I think it's finally ready to share.  This vegan version of Kousa & Dolmas has been a big hit when we've served it, even to our non-vegan friends and family. Kousa (Stuffed Lebanese Zucchini) & Dolmas (Stuffed Grape Leaves)   12 Lebanese Zucchini* 30-50 fres...

In my last post, Priorities Shift in an Instant , I talked about how sometimes how the way I cook has had to change over the past few years due to life circumstances. I thought about this and decided to share a few simple recipes that one can do when facing limited capacity. Several will be recipes that require no chopping. Also, these recipes tend to be ones that can be used to save time or when one doesn't have a way to store fresh produce.   I have probably already shared a few other recipes that could also fall into this category of meals that can be made when you have a limited capacity for whatever reason.  I find it important to find ways to work with what is available to me because I don't always have the resources or the ability to do things the way I want to. It's okay to do the best you can in a given moment even if it's not the way you would normally do things.  Easy Cajun Spice and Tempeh Vegetable Pilaf (no chop version) 1 10 ounce bag frozen mixed vegetab...

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....

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...

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...

I developed my Tempeh & Potato Curry recipe based on inspiration from dishes I ate at several Indian restaurants combined with ideas from recipes I made from a few Indian cookbooks.  The elements came together in this recipe that feels a bit like eating comfort food.  It's good served with a side of rice , quinoa , or bread. I also often serve it with a simple salad as well. Tempeh & Potato Curry 1 cup almond milk * ½ cup almond pulp* 1 teaspoon chia seeds 1 pound tempeh ¼ cup water 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds 1 medium red onion 1 medium carrot 1 clove garlic 1-3 tablespoons curry powder** 8 small Yukon potatoes*** 2 cups tomato sauce 1 1/2 cups vegetable stock Freshly ground black pepper, to taste Mix together almond milk, almond pulp, and chia seeds and set aside. Cut tempeh into small pieces. Dice onion. Mince garlic. Chop carrot into small pieces. Cut potatoes into approximately small pieces. Add water to large skillet or saucier pan , bring to a boil, and add ...

I hadn't made Black-Eyed Pea Stew  for quite a while, and as soon as I tasted this I wondered why. I guess because I don't regularly think to buy black-eyed peas. But, I think I need to add this one into regular rotation. As I made this recipe the other night, I kept thinking about how easy it is to get into a rut even when you enjoy cooking and creating new recipes. I often make the same recipes every week or at least every other week until I get bored, not with the eating but with the cooking. Black-Eyed Pea Stew 2 cup dried black-eyed peas 1 small leek 1 small green pepper 1 medium carrot 4 medium button mushrooms 8 small purple potatoes 1 clove garlic 1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley 2 Tablespoons ground flax seed 2 teaspoons dill weed 1 teaspoon paprika 1 teaspoon caraway seed 1 teaspoon fennel seed ¼ teaspoon black pepper 1 bay leaf 6 cups vegetable stock 1 small can tomato paste Soak black-eyed peas overnight, for a minimum o...