Robin Robertson

Happy New Year, everyone!

I have all the ingredients ready to make my New Year’s Day Hoppin’ John — a special Southern dish believed to bring good fortune in the coming year.  I still haven’t decided whether to go the traditional route or to do something different with it.  In years past, I’ve made it in a slow cooker topped with chipotle-spiced cornbread.

I’ve also rolled the Hoppin John in collard leaves, kind of like Southern halupki!

Usually, though, I just make it “straight up” although I typically stir the cooked collards right into the Hoppin’ John to make it a one-dish meal.  Whichever way I serve it, I know there will be lots of Tabasco sauce on the side!  Will you be making Hoppin’ John for New Year’s Day?

Hoppin’ John with Collards
Use fresh or frozen collard greens for this recipe. If unavailable, substitute kale or other dark greens.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, cover, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and water or broth 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 15 minutes into the cooking of the rice, stir in the cooked black-eyed peas. When the rice is cooked, stir in the cooked chopped collards, Liquid Smoke, and black pepper. Add more salt, if needed.
To serve, spoon into bowls and accompany with vegan sour cream and Tabasco sauce at the table.

Serves 4

Gary, Mitzki, Peanut, and Jason want to wish everyone a very Meowy Catmas! 

I tried to get the ducks to pose for a holiday photo but I couldn’t get my ducks in a row! (insert groan here)

This is Peanut’s first Christmas, so it will be fun to see how he enjoys opening presents.  No doubt he will be more interested in the wrapping paper than anything else.

I want to wish you all Happy Holidays in whatever way you choose to celebrate it. 

Peace on Earth!

Smoke n Spice Almond Hummus from Nut Butter Universe (photo by Lori Maffei)

Things here are busy, busy, busy, but I thought I’d take a moment out to post a few more photos from my upcoming book, Nut Butter Universe.  The book is set for a February release, but is available for pre-order now on Amazon.

These are just a few of my favorite recipes from Nut Butter Universe. The hummus is so good, you’ll want to eat it with a spoon!

Spicy Walnut Green Beans from Nut Butter Universe (photo by Lori Maffei)

I think I could live on these green beans!

Chocolate Macadamia Truffles with Coconut from Nut Butter Universe (photo by Lori Maffei)

These truffles look like little snowballs.  I think I’ll make some this weekend…

I’d like to thank everyone who entered the giveaway to win a copy of Fresh from the Vegan Slow Cooker. It was fun to see the wide range of brunch, appetizer, and dessert recipes everyone would try first!

The winner, chosen at random, is #111 – Jessica Caneal.  Congratulations, Jessica!  Please e-mail me your address so we can get a copy of the book in the mail to you.

To everyone else who entered, maybe you’ll find a copy of the book under your tree!

Happy Holidays!!

If your slow cooker is pretty much only used to make soups, stews, and chili, it may surprise you to know that the slow cooker loves a good party! Just take a look at the appetizer recipe titles in Fresh from the Vegan Slow Cooker to see what I mean:

Warm and Creamy Artichoke-Spinach Dip
Smokin’ Chipotle Bean Dip
Golden Summer Caponata Bruschetta
Sherried Mushroom Crostini
Savory Mediterranean “Cheesecake”
Upcountry Pâté
Chickpea and Artichoke-Mushroom Pâté
Artisanal Sweet and Spicy Weiner Balls
Southern-Style Sugar and Spice Pecans
Seven-Spice Cashews
Life of the Party Mix
Oregon Trail Mix

The slow cooker also comes in handy for making desserts.  Just think: while your oven is busy baking cookies, you could have one of these yummy desserts slow-cooking at the same time:

Applesauce-Walnut Cake
Fat-Free Apple Crock Cake
Pina Colada Cake
Spiced Pumpkin Cake
Chocolate Truffle Cake
Carrot Cake with Pineapple
Orange-Topped Italian Polenta Cake
Spiced Pumpkin Cake
Chocolate Truffle Cake
Carrot Cake with Pineapple
Chocolate–Peanut Butter Cheesecake
Black and Blue B’round-ies
Pumpkin-Oatmeal Bars
Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cheesecake
Tutti-Fruiti Cobbler
Pear-Mincemeat Crisp
Banana Brown Betty
Three-Way Pumpkin Bread Pudding
Zabaglione-Inspired Bread Pudding
Warm and Fudgy Chocolate Bread Pudding
Coconut Rice Pudding with Mangoes
Lemon-Ginger Poached Pears
Maple-and-Rum- Glazed Slow-Baked Apples
Granola-Stuffed Baked Apples

Here’s a photo of the Zabaglione-Inspired Bread Pudding:

Zabaglione Bread Pudding (photo by Melissa Chapman)

The holidays can be a fun time to make a special brunch, too.  Here are just a few of the delicious brunch recipes you can make from Fresh from the Vegan Slow Cooker:

Slow Cooker Granola
Apple-Cinnamon Steel-Cut Oatmeal
Amish Oatmeal
Pumpkin Breakfast Quinoa
Breakfast Polenta
Indian Pudding
French Toast Bread Pudding
Bananas Foster Bread Pudding
Sausage ‘’n’ Scramble Casserole
Cheesy Mushroom-Chorizo Frittata
Artichoke and Mushroom Frittatta
Greek Frittatta
Chai-Spiced Breakfast Bread
Pumpkin-Chocolate Chip Bread
Berry-Banana Breakfast Bread

The French Toast Bread Pudding is a personal favorite.  Here’s the recipe for you to try and see if you don’t agree:

French Toast Bread Pudding
Consider making this luscious bread pudding for a special breakfast or brunch during the holidays. This recipe is from Fresh from the Vegan Slow Cooker by Robin Robertson © 2012, The Harvard Common Press.

10 ounces soft white Italian bread, cubed (about 8 cups)
6 ounces soft or silken tofu, drained
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups nondairy milk
1/4 cup pure maple syrup, plus more for serving
1 tablespoon vegan butter
1/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts

1. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F. Spread the bread cubes on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes to dry the bread.
2. Thoroughly oil the slow cooker insert or spray with nonstick cooking spray. Transfer the dried bread to an oiled slow cooker crock, or one that has been sprayed with cooking spray.
3. In a food processor, combine the tofu, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt. Add the milk and 1/4 cup maple syrup, stirring to blend.
4. Pour the tofu mixture over the bread and push the bread pieces down beneath the mixture to moisten them. Dot with bits of the vegan butter and sprinkle the top with the pecans. Cover and cook on High for 1 1/2 hours or until firm. Serve topped with additional maple syrup.
HOLIDAY GIVEAWAY: Now, how about a cookbook giveaway? Leave a comment at the end of this post for a chance to win a copy of Fresh from the Vegan Slow Cooker. In the comment, tell me which of the recipes listed in this post you’d like to try first. That’s it! A winner will be chosen at random on Monday morning, December 17 and announced that day. For extra chances to win, you can spread the word about this giveaway on Facebook, Twitter, or your own blog and link to this post. Then just leave another comment telling me what you did.

P.S. If you’re still looking for holiday gift ideas, I’m told this book makes a great gift — especially when paired with a new slow cooker!

Good luck in the giveaway!!!

Oh, and here’s a photo of the Chocolate Truffle Cake, Fresh from the Vegan Slow Cooker….

Chocolate Truffle Cake (photo by Lea Jacobson)

12/17/12: THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.  Thank you to all who entered!