Robin Robertson

Oyster mushrooms star in this vegan interpretation of New England clam chowder made with diced potatoes, onion, and celery with a creamy, cashew-based broth. If oyster mushrooms are unavailable, substitute white button mushrooms, chanterelles, or a combination of both.

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Clam-Free Chowder

Yields 4 servings

Author Robin Robertson

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons vegan butter
• 8 ounces oyster mushrooms, chopped
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 celery rib, minced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 cups peeled and diced potatoes
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon dulse or nori flakes
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• ¼ teaspoon liquid smoke
• ½ cup raw cashews, soaked in hot water for 1 hour, then drained
• 2 cups unsweetened almond milk
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley

Instructions

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the pot with a slotted spoon. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter to the same pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until softened. Stir in the potatoes, bay leaves, dulse, thyme, Old Bay, salt, pepper, and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil and then decrease the heat to low and cook for 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are just tender. Remove the bay leaves and stir in the liquid smoke.
2. While the soup is simmering, blend the cashews and 1 cup of the almond milk in a high-speed blender until smooth. When the vegetables are tender, stir in the cashew mixture and the remaining 1 cup almond milk. Stir in the reserved mushrooms and heat the soup for a minute or two until hot. Taste and adjust the seasonings, if needed. Serve hot, garnished with the parsley.

Recipe Notes

Text excerpted from VEGANIZE IT! © 2017 by Robin Robertson. Reproduced by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved. Photo by William and Susan Brinson.

Thinly sliced seitan absorbs the flavor of the rich mushroom sauce in these German “hunter’s cutlets.” You can use any kind of mushrooms you like, but I prefer using a variety of different kinds to add interest and flavor dimension to the dish.

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Seitan Jagerschnitzel

Yields 4 servings

Author Robin Robertson

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 seitan cutlets or 8 ounces seitan, thinly sliced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 small onion or 2 shallots, minced
• 1 teaspoon tomato paste
• 8 ounces fresh mushrooms (single variety or assorted), thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon caraway seeds, crushed or whole
• 1 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (optional)
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon browning sauce (optional) (Kitchen Bouquet or Gravy Master are vegan)
• 1/2 cup vegan sour cream

Instructions

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the seitan and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook until browned on both sides, about 5 minutes. Remove the seitan from the skillet and set aside on a plate. (Cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.)
2. Return the skillet to the heat and add the remaining tablespoon of oil. Add the onion and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste, mushrooms, wine, soy sauce, caraway seeds, paprika, and thyme, if using. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 3 minutes.
3. Stir in the broth and bring to a boil, stir in the cornstarch mixture, decrease the heat to a low simmer and cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce has thickened and the mushrooms are tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the browning sauce, if using, and then stir in the sour cream. Taste and adjust the seasonings, if needed. Return the seitan to the skillet and continue to cook until the seitan is heated through.

Recipe Notes

From Vegan Without Borders by Robin Robertson/Andrews McMeel Publishing, LLC.

The addition of nutritional yeast and a little vegan butter give these Cheesy Grits and Greens with Smoky Mushrooms a cheesy flavor without dairy products. If you like, you may add 1/2 cup of shredded vegan cheddar for more cheesy goodness. The amount of time needed to cook the greens will depend on the type of greens you use and whether they’re fresh or frozen.

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Cheesy Grits and Greens with Smoky Mushrooms

Yields 4 servings

Author Robin Robertson

Ingredients

• 1 cup quick-cooking grits
• 2 teaspoons vegan butter (Earth Balance)
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• Salt and ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 scallions , minced
• 3 garlic cloves , minced
• 8 ounces mushrooms (any kind), sliced or chopped
• 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 2 cups chopped fresh or frozen greens (thawed and squeezed, if frozen)
• 1/2 cup vegetable broth

Instructions

1. Cook the grits according to package directions. (It should take about 5 minutes for quick-cooking grits.) Stir in the butter, nutritional yeast, and salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm.
2. While the grits are cooking, heat the oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add the scallions and garlic and cook 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and cook 3 minutes to soften. Sprinkle on the liquid smoke and smoked paprika, tossing to coat. Add the greens and broth, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring, until the greens are tender, 4 to 8 minutes, depending on the greens. Taste and adjust the seasonings, if needed. To serve, top the grits with the mushroom mixture.

Recipe Notes

Recipe from Cook the Pantry © 2015 by Robin Robertson. Photo by Annie Oliverio. Used by permission Vegan Heritage Press LLC.

I like to use penne pasta in this recipe, but any bite-sized pasta will work well. This Penne Primavera with Avocado Cashew Cream is best if eaten immediately after prepared since the sauce may begin to turn brown if made in advance. Use gluten-free pasta to make this gluten-free.

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Penne Primavera with Avocado Cashew Cream

Yields 4 servings

Author Robin Robertson

Ingredients

• 12 to 16 ounces penne pasta
• 1 1/2 cups small broccoli florets
• 1 small carrot, thinly sliced
• 1 small zucchini or yellow squash, cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked overnight and drained
• 1 to 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 cup hot vegetable broth or water, or more if needed
• 1 to 2 ripe Hass avocados, halved and pitted
• 2 scallions, chopped
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• ground black pepper
• Plain unsweetened almond milk, if needed
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil leaves or parsley
• Whole fresh basil leaves, for garnish

Instructions

1. Cook the penne in a large pot of salted boiling water, stirring occasionally, until it is tender, about 10 minutes. About 5 minutes before the pasta is cooked, add the broccoli and carrots. About 2 minutes before the pasta is cooked, add the zucchini. Drain the cooked pasta and vegetables well and return to the pot.
2. While the pasta is cooking, combine the drained cashews, garlic, and broth in a high-speed blender or food processor. Process until smooth and well blended. Peel and pit the avocado and add it to the food processor along with the scallions, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste. Process until smooth and creamy. For a thinner sauce, add some almond milk, if needed. For a thicker sauce, add additional avocado. Taste and adjust the seasonings, if needed.
3. Add the sauce to the pot containing the drained cooked pasta and vegetables. Add the tomatoes and chopped basil and toss gently to combine. Serve immediately, garnished with the whole basil leaves.

Recipe Notes

From The Nut Butter Cookbook by Robin Robertson. ©2014 Robin Robertson. Used by permission from Andrews McMeel Publishing. Photo by Lori Maffei.

If you make your toppings ahead of time and have your dough at room temperature, this Artichoke Pizza with Spinach Pesto can be assembled and baked in just minutes.

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Artichoke Pizza with Spinach Pesto

Yields 1 (12-inch) pizza

Author Robin Robertson

Ingredients

• 1 pizza dough, storebought (I like Trader Joe’s brand) or homemade (page 79), at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups cooked or 1 (15.5-ounce) can white beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 cups coarsely chopped spinach
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
• 1/3 cup almonds or walnuts
• 1 (6-ounce) jar marinated artichoke hearts, well drained

Instructions

1. Place the oven rack in the bottom position of the oven. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Stretch the dough onto a baking sheet or pizza stone. Use your fingertips to form a rim around the perimeter of the crust. Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven.
2. In a food processor, combine the white beans and 2 of the garlic cloves and process to a paste. Add the water, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, basil, and oregano, and salt and pep- per to taste. Blend until smooth. Spread the mixture evenly on top of the partially-baked pizza crust, dough, to within 1/2-inch of the edge, and set aside.

3. In the same food processor, combine the spinach, basil, 3 remaining garlic cloves, and almonds and process to a paste. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and process until smooth. The pesto should be thick. Drop the pesto, by the spoonful, onto the white bean topping, spreading the pesto out slightly so it’s not too thick in any one place. Arrange the arti- choke hearts on top of the pizza, on top of and in between the pesto. Bake the pizza for an additional 5 minutes, or until the pizza is hot and the crust is nicely browned. Serve hot.

Recipe Notes

Recipe from Cook the Pantry © 2015 by Robin Robertson. Photo by Annie Oliverio. Used by permission Vegan Heritage Press LLC.