Vegan Cooking with TLC

This last posting in this batch of infused vinegars brings me to a savory version, finally. I don't tend to think of making savory infused vinegars very often; however, I really wanted to try this combination of flavors, so I made this Jalapeno Carrot Infused Vinegar. It works well for salads and other savory dishes, but my favorite way to use it is as a spray on air-popped popcorn with a little bit of nutritional yeast. Jalapeno Carrot Infused Vinegar 1 small onion 2 cloves garlic 2 jalapeno peppers 2-3 medium carrots 2 cups apple cider vinegar Chop the onion.  Peel and lightly smash the garlic clove.  Remove seeds and stems from jalapenos. Chop jalapenos.  Chop carrots. Place all the vegetables in a large jar.  Cover with vinegar. Place in a dark, cool place and let set for approximately 1 month.* Strain vinegar from vegetables and discard vegetables.  Pour vinegar into a bottle.   Refrigerate if desired.** *In particularly warm climates or during particu...

Fruit infused vinegars can be use on a variety of dishes including salads, oats, popcorn, and desserts. I like to experiment with infused vinegars and often find they elevate the flavors. Peach Cinnamon Infused Vinegar 1 cup peach slices 2 Ceylon Cinnamon sticks 2 cups apple cider vinegar Place peaches in a jar. Break cinnamon sticks into pieces and add to jar.  Add apple cider vinegar.  Place in a dark place to allow to infuse.* Let marinate for a month to fully infuse flavor. Strain mixture to separate peaches and cinnamon sticks from the vinegar.  Pour into a bottle and label. Refrigerate if desired.** *In particularly warm climates or during particularly warm times of the year, infused vinegars can be allowed to infuse in the refrigerator, if desired. ** I like to store vinegar (infused or not) in the refrigerator because I like it cold, so I haven't tried not refrigerating it. Note: I use organic ingredients whenever possible. Disclosure: This blog contains affiliate...

Infusing vinegar with fruit and spices allows for adding a little variety to meals and recipes. I like to experiment with a variety of flavors to play with the versatility of vinegars. Feel free to use these basic recipes to inspire your own experimentation.  Pineapple Cardamom Infused Apple Cider Vinegar 1 cup pineapple chunks 8 cardamom pods 2 cups apple cider vinegar Place pineapple and cardamom pods in a jar. Add apple cider vinegar.  Place in a dark place to allow to infuse.*  Let marinate for a month to fully infuse flavor. Strain mixture to separate pineapple and cardamom from the vinegar.  Pour into a bottle and label. Refrigerate if desired.** *In particularly warm climates or during particularly warm times of the year, infused vinegars can be allowed to infuse in the refrigerator, if desired. ** I like to store vinegar (infused or not) in the refrigerator because I like it cold, so I haven't tried not refrigerating it. Note: I use organic ingredients whenev...

This week we're exploring another infused vinegar. It probably sounds like this one would be hot but interesting the sweet tempers the heat and the heat from the chile adds a little edge to the sweetness. It's a pleasant sweet heat without being overwhelming. That said, you can adjust the heat by adding fewer chiles for less heat and more chiles for more heat. I used a red dried chile, but any dried chile will work. Cherry Chile Infused Balsamic Vinegar 1 cup cherries (frozen or fresh) 2 cups balsamic vinegar 4 dried chile peppers Place cherries and chiles in a jar .* Add balsamic vinegar.  Place in a dark place to allow to infuse. Let marinate for 1-2 months to fully infuse flavor. Longer will result in a deeper flavor profile. Strain mixture to separate cherries and chiles from the vinegar.  Pour into a bottle and label .** * I reuse old jars I have on hand, but any jar as long as it's large enough will work. ** The bottles I ordered came with a pen for writing directly ...

Over the next several months, I'm going to be sharing some infused vinegar recipes interspersed with other recipes. I got intrigued with the idea of infused vinegars many years ago, but my first attempts didn't go well. I abandoned the idea until last year. Then after deciding to incorporate more vinegar into our meals after reading How Not to Diet by Michal Greger, M.D., I started thinking about it again particularly after buying a few flavored, aka infused, vinegars. So I did a little research and tried again. This time I feel like my efforts are worth sharing. Patience is a major ingredient in getting well infused vinegars. Cherry Infused Balsamic Vinegar 1 cup cherries (frozen or fresh)  2 cups balsamic vinegar Place cherries in a jar.* Add balsamic vinegar.  Place in a dark place to allow to infuse. Let marinate for a 1-2 months to fully infuse flavor. Longer is definitely better. Strain mixture to separate cherries from the vinegar.  Pour into a bottle and label ....