Robin Robertson's Blog

My memoir Woman in the Weeds has been published and is now available on Amazon!

This book is a tell-all kitchen confession of my journey from home cook to restaurant chef. It’s also the story of my personal life during those years and how I eventually became a vegan cookbook author.

I hope you will enjoy this all-access pass to my life on (and off) the line.  If you do, it would mean a lot to me if you would leave a review of the book on Amazon.  Thank you!

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COMING SOON: Woman in the Weeds: Confessions from My Life on the Line

My memoir Woman in the Weeds: Confessions from My Life on the Line comes out in February. It’s the story of my climb from biker-bar cook to chef de cuisine at upscale restaurants in Charleston, South Carolina.

As many of you know, before going vegan many years ago, I learned my trade in a number of omnivore restaurants before I ever wrote a word. Follow the journey that made me vegan.

Much more to come!

 

 

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Over the years, many people have asked me how many cookbooks I’ve written.  Since my first cookbook was published in 1996, there have been quite a few.  My main goal in writing all of my cookbooks has been to help people eat more plant food, thereby eating less (or hopefully eliminating) animals from their diets. In short, I do it for the animals.  But it’s a great benefit that it also helps people, too.

I’ve always listened to people’s excuses for not going vegan.  (Too expensive.” “Time consuming.” Not enough variety.” “what about protein?”) And those excuses are the things I’ve kept in mind as I contemplated what my next book would be.  For example, too expensive? Try Vegan on the Cheap.  Time consuming? Try my trio of “Quick Fix” cookbooks. Not enough variety? How about 1000 Vegan Recipes or Vegan Planet? What about protein? It’s nearly impossible to not get enough protein from a well-balanced healthy vegan diet, but even so, I’ve got you covered: The Plant Protein Revolution Cookbook. And on it goes.

Here’s a complete list of the cookbooks I’ve written.  I hope some of them have become your favorites!

COOKBOOKS BY ROBIN ROBERTSON

 The Plant Protein Revolution Cookbook (Harvard Common Press, 2020) pb

The Plant-Based Slow Cooker (?Harvard Common Press, 2020) pb

Vegan Mac & Cheese (Harvard Common Press, 2019) hc

Veganize It! (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2017) pb

Cook the Pantry (Vegan Heritage Press, 2015) pb

Vegan Without Borders (Andrews McMeel, 2014) hc

Hot Vegan (Andrews McMeel, 2014) pb

The Nut Butter Cookbook (Andrews McMeel, 2014) pb

More Quick-Fix Vegan (Andrews McMeel, 2014) pb

One-Dish Vegan (Harvard Common Press, 2013) pb 20,000+

Quick-Fix Vegan (Andrews McMeel, 2012) pb 20,000+

Fresh from the Vegan Slow Cooker (Harvard Common Press, 2012) pb 20,000+

Party Vegan (John Wiley & Sons, 2010) pb

Vegan on the Cheap (John Wiley & Sons, 2010) pb

1,000 Vegan Recipes (John Wiley & Sons, 2009) hc

Vegan Fire & Spice – (Vegan Heritage Press, 2008) pb 10,000+

One-Dish Vegetarian Meals – Harvard Common Press, 2007) hc/pb 12,000+

Quick-Fix Vegetarian – Andrews McMeel, 2007) pb 20,000+

Peanut Butter Planet (Rodale, 2006) pb (oop)

Carb-Conscious Vegetarian (Rodale, 2005) pb

Apocalypse Chow (co-author) (Simon & Schuster, 2005) pb (oop)

Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker (Harvard Common Press, 2004) hc/pb 75,000+

Vegan Planet (Harvard Common Press, 2003) hc/pb 100,000+

The Vegetarian Meat and Potatoes Cookbook (Harvard Common Press, 2002) hc/pb 25,000+

Pasta for All Seasons (Harvard Common Press, 2001) hc/pb <10,000

Rice and Spice (Harvard Common Press, 2000) hc/pb 10,000+

The Sacred Kitchen (co-author) – New World Library, 1999) pb (oop)

The Vegetarian Chili Cookbook (Harvard Common Press, 1998) hc/pb) <10,000

Some Like It Hot – Plume/Penguin, 1998) pb) (oop)

The Soy Gourmet (Plume/Penguin, 1998) pb) (oop)

366 Simply Delicious Dairy-Free Recipes (Plume/Penguin, 1997) pb) (oop)

366 Healthful Ways to Cook Tofu & Other Meat Alternatives (Plume/Penguin,1996) pb (oop)

WORK-FOR-HIRE RECIPES (FOR OTHER AUTHORS)

How Not to Age Cookbook by Michael Greger, MD (recipes by Robin Robertson) Flatiron, 2024

How Not to Diet Cookbook by Michael Greger, M.D. (recipes by Robin Robertson) Flatiron, 2020

How Not to Die Cookbook by Michael Greger, M.D. (recipes by Robin Robertson) Flatiron, 2017

The Book of Veganish by Kathy Freston, (recipes by Robin Robertson) Avery, 2016

How to be Vegan, by Elizabeth Castoria, (recipes by Robin Robertson) Artisan, 2014

WORK-FOR-HIRE RECIPE DEVELOPMENT

Healthy At Last, by Eric Adams (recipe development by Robin Roberson) Hay House, 2020

 

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I’ve been taking a break from my blog (partially due to a break in my wrist!) but I couldn’t let the year go by without posting my recipe for Hoppin’ John.

A tradition in the South that is said to bring good luck in the coming year, I’ve been making this comforting dish of black-eyed peas with rice (and collards) ever since we moved to Charleston SC in the 1980s. It’s been a New Year’s Day tradition ever since. Most people serve the collards on the side, but I prefer to add them directly into the rice and black-eyed peas. I sometimes add fire-roasted diced tomatoes, too.

Serve topped with vegan sour cream, Tabasco, and sliced jalapenos. A side of cornbread makes a great accompaniment. I like to cook the collards and black-eyed peas a day in advance and then add them to the rice on New Year’s Day.

I hope you enjoy my recipe for Hoppin’ John and I wish you all the best in 2022. Happy New Year!

 

Hoppin’ John with Collards

1 tablespoon olive oil or 3 tablespoons water

1 sweet yellow onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup long-grain brown rice

2 cups vegetable broth or water

Salt

3 cups cooked or 2 (16-ounce) cans black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed

3 cups chopped cooked fresh or frozen collard greens, well drained

1 (14-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, drained (optional)

1 teaspoon Liquid Smoke

1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce, plus more to serve

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Vegan sour cream, to serve

Sliced pickled jalapenos (optional)

Heat the oil or water in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, cover, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and broth or water and bring to a boil. Add salt to taste (the amount of salt needed depends on the saltiness of your broth or if you use water). Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, covered, until the rice is tender, about 30 minutes. About 10 minutes before the rice is tender, stir in the cooked black-eyed peas, the cooked chopped collards, tomatoes (if using), Liquid Smoke, Tabasco, and black pepper. Add more salt, if needed.

To serve, spoon into bowls and accompany with vegan sour cream, jalapenos (if using) and Tabasco at the table.

 

Two of my favorites variations are Hoppin’ John made in a slow cooker with a cornbread topping:

and Collard Rolls stuffed with Hoppin’ John, served with Tabasco-Sour Cream)…

 

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The slow cooker is my go-to cooking method for lasagna.  Because it’s made with dried lasagna noodles (no need to pre-boil), assembly is a cinch. Plus, you can assemble it well in advance and refrigerate until needed.  Then, just set it and forget it!

I’m posting this easy version just in time for the holidays.  It’s a great idea for Christmas dinner because you can relax and enjoy the day while it cooks, without worrying about it burning or spilling over in the oven.

For another version, with more vegetables, try the Lasagna Primavera recipe in The Plant-Based Slow Cooker.  But if you want a more basic lasagna, this one’s for you.  You can leave out the spinach if you prefer, but I like the added greens.  (Plus red and green is so Christmas-y!)You can use your own homemade tomato sauce or storebought marinara sauce in a jar (you may need to use a jar and a half to make it sauce enough).

Lasagna in a Slow Cooker

For best results, use a large oval slow cooker. You may need to break the noodles to conform them to the shape of the slow cooker. To make gluten-free, use gluten-free lasagna noodles. I use regular dry lasagna noodles – no need to pre-boil. The added water is absorbed by the dry noodles and softens them as it cooks.

SERVES 6

SLOW COOKER SIZE: 5- TO 6-QUART

COOK TIME: 4 TO 5 HOURS

GLUTEN-FREE OPTION

 

12 ounces soft tofu, drained

1 pound firm tofu, drained

1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

1?3 cup nutritional yeast

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

4 to 5 cups of your favorite tomato sauce for pasta (or a large jar of marinara sauce)

1/2 cup water

1/3 cup dry red wine (optional)

1 package vegan mozzarella shreds (such as Violife or Daiya)

8 ounces uncooked lasagna noodles (about 9 noodles)

 

Crumble all of the tofu into a large bowl. Add the spinach, nutritional yeast, onion powder, garlic powder, basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Mix well, then taste to make sure the mixture has enough salt and pepper.
Spread a layer of marinara sauce into the bottom of the slow cooker. Stir in the water and wine (if using). (The extra liquid will be absorbed by the dried noodles as they cook). Arrange a layer of the noodles over the sauce, breaking pieces to fit, as needed.
Top the noodles with about one-third of the tofu mixture, followed by a sprinkling of the mozzarella, and another layer of noodles. Spread a layer of marinara sauce over the noodles. Repeat the layering two more times, ending with a layer of marinara sauce topped with the remaining mozzarella. Put the lid on the slow cooker and cook on High for 4 hours or until the noodles are tender.
Remove the lid, turn off the cooker, and let the lasagna stand for about 15 minutes before serving.

 

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I’m happy to announce the third winner of my Holiday Cookbook Giveaway.  As a reminder, three winners have been chosen (one in the last three weeks) to win copies of four of my recent cookbooks:

The Plant-Based Slow Cooker

The Plant Protein Revolution Cookbook

Vegan Mac & Cheese

One-Dish Vegan

The third and final winner has been chosen using the Random Number Generator on Random.org and the winner is: Connie Faivre. To claim your cookbooks, Connie, please send me an email or DM me on Messenger and let me know where to send your cookbooks! If I don’t hear from you by next week, another winner will be chosen.

I wan to that everyone who participated in my giveaway.  Thank you for your support and for your kind words. I wish the very best to all of you this holiday season and in the coming year.

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It’s time to announce the second winner of my Holiday Cookbook Giveaway.  As a reminder, three winners are being chosen (one each week) to win copies of four of my recent cookbooks: The Plant-Based Slow Cooker, The Plant Protein Revolution Cookbook, Vegan Mac & Cheese, and One-Dish Vegan.

The second winner has been chosen using the Random Number Generator on Random.org and the winner is: Sandra Lee Childs. To claim your cookbooks, Sandra, please send me an email or DM me on Messenger and let me know where to send your cookbooks! If I don’t hear from you by next week, another winner will be chosen (along with a winner for the third and final giveaway).

Everyone else, thanks for entering and if you didn’t win this time, you’ll have another chance to win next Tuesday.  And keep those new entries coming in (on the original Holiday Cookbook Giveaway post from November 27).

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Thank you to all who entered my Holiday Cookbook Giveaway.  Reading all of your comments has been a source of joy and inspiration.

The first winner has been chosen using the Random Number Generator on Random.org and it tells me that our first winner is: Lydia Claire.

To claim your cookbooks, Lydia Claire, please send me an email or DM me on Messenger and let me know where to send your cookbooks! If I don’t hear from you by next week, another winner will be chosen (along with a winner for the second giveaway).

If you didn’t win this time, no worries — you will have two more chances to win on the next two Tuesdays.  Keep those entries coming in (on the original Holiday Cookbook Giveaway post from November 27).

 

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It’s time for my first annual Holiday Cookbook Giveaway!

I will be giving away a set of four of my recent titles to three lucky winners during the next three weeks.

Each book bundle will include a copy of:

Vegan Mac & Cheese

The Plant-Based Slow Cooker

One-Dish Vegan

The Plant-Protein Revolution Cookbook

The first winner will be announced on Tuesday, December 1st; the second winner will be announced on Tuesday, December 8th; and the third winner will be chosen on Tuesday, December 15th. The winners will be chosen at random.

Whether you add the books to your personal cookbook collection, or give them away as gifts, this giveaway is my way of saying thank you and Happy Holidays from me to you.

To enter this giveaway, simply leave a comment at the end of this post.  For example: What are you grateful for? What makes you smile?  Why do you want to win these books? What’s your favorite vegetable? TELL ME SOMETHING GOOD!

Enter now! Leave your comment at the end of this post and check back on the next three Tuesdays to see if you’ve won a cookbook bundle!

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The Plant-Based Slow Cooker is my latest book and it comes out just in time for slow cooker season. There’s something cozy about the wonderful fragrance of food simmering in a slow cooker on a cold winter day. (Of course, if you’re like me, you use your slow cookers all year long.)

If you’re a fan of my earlier book, Fresh from the Vegan Slow Cooker, then you’ll love this new edition, revised and updated with new information and tips and featuring 225 recipes — including many all-new ones such as:

Thai Coconut Soup
Oyster Mushroom Bouillabaisse
Seitan Spezzatino
Spice-Rubbed Whole Cauliflower
Jackfruit and Black Bean Chili
Portobello Pot Roast
Ful Medames
Indian Eggplant Curry
Korean Bugogi-Inspired Jackfruit
Artichoke-Spinach Lasagna  
Chocolate Oatmeal with Raspberries and Rose Petals
Carrot Cake Oatmeal

Due out on November 10, you can pre-order The Plant-Based Slow Cooker on Amazon or wherever you buy your books.

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