Vegan Cooking with TLC

We rarely eat baked desserts in the summer when fresh fruit and berries are so abundant, but these make a nice treat and they are good to take to parties. They've always been well received when I've served them to both vegan and non-vegan friends. Chocolate Chip Chickpea Blondies 2 cups cooked chickpeas , drained 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds 1 tablespoon hot water 1 cup almond butter * ¼ cup molasses ** 2 teaspoons vanilla 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom , optional 2 Tablespoons cacao nibs 2 tablespoons chocolate chips If starting with dry chickpeas (my preferred method), they must be soaked overnight and cooked with no spices. Then allowed to cool completely. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place ground flax seeds in a small bowl, add the hot water. Stir together. Set aside to thicken. In a food processor , add all ingredients except cacao nibs and chocolate chips. Proce...

I used to love drinking orange juice with a splash or cranberry juice in it, but I no longer drink fruit juices as a general rule because of the high sugar content and lack of fiber. Sometimes, like this morning, I get a craving for that flavor combination. This water isn't as sweet or as strong, but it satisfies that craving. I like to drink infused water because it helps me keep my hydration up when I get bored with plain water. Since I was craving this this morning and decided to make it to quench my craving, I decided to share it! Orange Cranberry Water 2 oranges 1 cup frozen cranberries 40-60 ounces water Wash oranges. Slice into piece discarding the end pieces. Remove seeds. Gently massage orange slices over the top of a pitcher . Drop slices into the pitcher.  Add cranberries. Fill pitcher with water. Place in the refrigerator and all to infuse for several hours, or overnight. Note: I use organic ingredients whenever possible.

This is one of several versions of banana bread I've created over time. I like to play with the ingredients in classic recipes. I don't make this particular banana bread as often as some others, but I always enjoy it when I do. Combining bananas, chocolate, and coffee just seemed natural. This banana bread makes a good breakfast, a great afternoon snack with tea or coffee, and a satisfying dessert when served with some berries on the side. I also like to toast slices after the first day. The toasted Mocha Banana Bread kind of reminds me of French Toast. Mocha Banana Bread 3 cups whole wheat flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 2 tablespoons ground flaxseeds 1 tablespoons hot water 1 teaspoon cinnamon ½ teaspoon ground ginger ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves ½ cup unsweetened cocao powder 1 cup mashed banana (approximately 3) ¼ cup molasses * ¼ cup maple syrup * ½ cup peanut butter ½ cup unsweetene...

I hadn't planned to share this recipe for a couple more weeks, but the basil at the Corvallis Farmers' Market smelled so good this week, I changed my plans. So here it is. A simple infused water can be quite refreshing. Herb-infused water can be a nice alternative to water, especially in the summer. Basil Water 1 cup fresh basil 60 ounces water. Place basil in pitcher and pour water over basil. Let steep overnight in refrigerator and drink. Add water to pitcher until water begins to lose its flavor. Note: I use organic ingredients whenever possible.

I first made Basil Berry Salad last summer when I had several types of fresh berries and some fresh basil in the refrigerator. I couldn't decide which berries I wanted eat and then I smelled the basil. I thought "Why not? What's the worst that can happen?" So I made it. It was simple and refreshing! I'm sure you could use any berries you like, but this is what I had in the refrigerator this week! Basil Berry Salad 1 small bunch fresh basil (about 1 Tbs after chopped) ½ pint raspberries ½ pint blackberries ½ pint blueberries 1 pint strawberries. Finely chop basil. Set aside. Wash and pit strawberries and cut into pieces close to the side of the other berries. Wash the rest of the berries. Be sure to pick out any overly ripe berries. Add all berries to a bowl . Add the basil. Gently mix berries and basil together careful not to bruise the berries. Place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to allow flavors...

This simple Tomato Cucumber Salad is one of my all-time favorite salads. I don't make it very often anymore because I usually try to include greens in my salads. When I made this last week, I promised myself I was going to start making it more often! It's simple. It's fast! It has a very crisp, clean flavor! It goes with a variety of dishes.  It's especially good in the summer when tomatoes and cucumbers are in season!  Tomato Cucumber Salad* 1 large cucumber 1 large tomato 1 lemon 2 Tbs apple cider vinegar 2 Tbs walnuts Chop cucumber and tomato. Place in a serving bowl . Juice lemon. Using a hand blender , blend lemon, vinegar, and walnuts until well blended. Pour over cucumbers and tomatoes. Stir to combine. Serve. * This recipe as written will serve 2-4 people depending on what it's served with as well as the size of the tomato and cucumber; however it is easy to size up to feed more people. I generally ad...

Last year I shared my Tofu Mushroom Scramble. This recipe, Tofu Potato Scramble, came from that same series of experiments. This one, like the other one, makes a nice breakfast, brunch, lunch, or light dinner. For dinner I generally like to have a salad and maybe a slice or two of bread as sides. Tofu Potato Scramble 1 10-ounce package very firm tofu 2 spring onions 1 garlic clove ½ medium bell pepper 2 button mushrooms 2 small potatoes* 4 sundried tomatoes ¼ cup hot water 1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds 1 teaspoon turmeric ½ teaspoon paprika 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 2 cups vegetable stock 4 tablespoons nutritional yeast 1 lime Put sundried tomatoes in a small bow l and pour hot water over them. Allow to soak until soft enough to cut easily. Finely chop the onions and garlic clove. Dice the bell pepper, mushrooms, potatoes and sundried tomatoes. Reserve soaking liquid from tomatoes. Using your hands, crumble the ...