Robin Robertson's Blog, page 22

Avocado Mousse with Raspberries

If you’re looking for a quick and easy dessert to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, look no further than this Avocado Mousse from my new book, More Quick Fix Vegan.  It doesn’t get easier (or quicker) than this creamy and delicious dessert.

I like it topped with raspberries, but you could top it with other fruit (blueberries or strawberries come to mind) or sprinkle it with toasted nuts for some crunch. (Thanks to Lea Jacobson for the photo.)

Avocado Mousse with Raspberries

Recipe from More Quick-Fix Vegan by Robin Robertson (c) 2014, Andrews McMeel Publishing.

2 ripe avocados, pitted and peeled and pitted
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/3 cup almond milk or other nondairy milk
1 cup fresh ripe raspberries

In a food processor, combine the avocados and lime juice and process until smooth.  Add the sugar and almond milk and process until creamy and well blended.

Spoon into four dessert dishes and serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until chilled.

To serve, top with the raspberries.

Serves 4

Speaking of More Quick-Fix Vegan….I was thrilled to see one of the recipes from the book featured in The Washington Post this week.  Here’s the link for the article and recipe for Kale and Black-Eyed Peas with Smoky Grits.  Here’s the photo of the recipe from the Post (photo by Deb Lindsey).  Doesn’t it look great?

 

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More Quick-Fix Vegan

I’m excited to announce that my new book, More Quick-Fix Vegan goes on sale this week!  This new book is the third in a series of “quick-fix” books, the first two being Quick Fix Vegetarian (which is 100% vegan) and Quick-Fix Vegan.   And now there’s MORE Quick-Fix Vegan!

Here are some of the recipes you’ll find in More Quick-Fix Vegan:

 

Garden Vegetable Bean Soup

  Big Bang Tofu

Chickpeas Nicoise

Raspberry Zabaglione

One of my favorite chapters in the book is called “Big Bowls” — here’s a sampling of some of the delicious “meal in a bowl” recipes you’ll find there:

 Quinoa and Chickpeas with Arugula Pesto

Romesco Vegetable Bowls

Braised Greens and Black-Eyed Peas with Smoky Grits

Cannellini Spezzatino

Roasted Vegetable Tabouli Bowls

Manchurian Chickpea Bowls

Balti Bowls

Red Beans and Sweet Potatoes with Watercress and Walnuts

Chimichurri Quinoa Bowls

Tempeh Larb

Mac UnCheesy Bowls

Sweet Potato Barbeque Bowls

Tempeh Reuben Bowls

Vegetable Pot Pie Bowls

Polenta with Tuscan Kale and Cremini Mushrooms

Mediterranean Tofu Scram-Bowls

 More coming soon about More Quick-Fix Vegan, including sample recipes! 

In the meantime, just a reminder that the 30th annual celebration of Meatout is happening on March 20th. Encourage your friends and family to pledge to eat animal-free for a day. www.Meatout.org/Pledge

 

 

 

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Thai Tofu-Vegetable Wraps

With all this cold weather, soup has been a regular on my lunch menu — usually a hearty stick-to-your ribs bean soup or a minestrone loaded with vegetables.

This week, however, I was craving something with a little crunch, but I wanted more than a salad.  That’s when I remembered how much I love the Thai Tofu Wraps from Nut Butter Universe, featuring baked tofu strips, a creamy, spicy nut butter spread, and lots of crisp veggies wrapped in a tortilla or levash.

If you don’t want to bake your own tofu, you can use the packaged baked marinated tofu or add strips of seitan instead.  Or skip them both and just enjoy it as a salad wrap.  Here’s the recipe:

Thai Tofu-Vegetable Wraps

These wraps envelop crisp fresh vegetables and a zesty sauce for a yummy lunch or a light supper. To make this gluten-free, use gluten-free flatbreads. This recipe is from Nut Butter Universe by Robin Robertson © 2013, Vegan Heritage Press. Photo by Lori Maffei.

 Serves 2

 

8 ounces extra-firm tofu, cut into strips

2 tablespoons tamari soy sauce, divided

Salt and ground black pepper

3 tablespoons cashew butter or peanut butter

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 teaspoon natural sugar

1 teaspoon Asian chili paste, or more to taste

1 cup shredded lettuce

1/2 cup shredded carrot

1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper

1/4 cup bean sprouts (optional)

2 tablespoons finely minced red onion or scallion

2 lavash flatbreads or large flour tortillas

 

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly oil a baking sheet or spray it with cooking spray. Arrange the tofu strips on the pan, drizzle them with 1 tablespoon of the tamari, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bake until lightly browned, turning once about halfway through, about 20 minutes total. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

In a small bowl, combine the cashew or peanut butter, remaining 1 tablespoon of tamari, lime juice, sugar, and chili paste. Blend well.

In a medium bowl, combine the lettuce, carrot, bell pepper, bean sprouts, if using, and onion. Toss to combine.

Spread the sauce mixture onto each flatbread, dividing evenly. Top with the vegetable mixture, spreading on the lower third of each wrap. Top the vegetables on each flatbread with strips of the reserved tofu.

Roll up the sandwiches and use a serrated knife to cut them in half. Serve at once.

 

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Banh Mi Inspired Noodles

 

 With my new book, More Quick-Fix Vegan, due to hit the shelves on March 4th, I thought it would be fun to post a recipe from it, but I couldn’t decide among three of my favorites.  So my Facebook friends came to the rescue when I asked them to cast their vote for either the Banh Mi Inspired Noodles, Big Bang Tofu, or Thai Coconut Soup.

Well, the votes have been counted, and the Banh Mi Noodles won by a landslide.  Looks like I’m not the only one who can’t resist the flavors of that seductive Vietnamese sandwich.  Over the years, in addition to making the traditional sandwich, I’ve done banh mi interpretations in a deconstructed salad, a wrap, and even a pizza. Now, all the flavors of my favorite sandwich get tossed with noodles!
Thanks to Zsu Dever for the great photo.  Now, here’s that noodle recipe.

Banh Mi Inspired Noodles
From More Quick-Fix Vegan by Robin Robertson (c) 2014, Andrews McMeel Publishing.
Serves 4
8 ounces rice noodles or linguine
2 large carrots, peeled and coarsely shredded
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1/3 cup chopped scallions
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
2 teaspoons natural sugar
1 tablespoon neutral vegetable oil
8 ounces extra-firm tofu, drained and cut into thin strips
1/3 cup hoisin sauce
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons water
1 to 2 teaspoons sriracha sauce
3 to 4 tablespoons crushed roasted peanuts

Cook the noodles according to package directions. Drain well and return to the pot. Add the carrots, cucumber, scallions, ginger, cilantro, vinegar, sesame oil, and sugar. Toss to combine and set aside.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the tofu and stir-fry quickly to brown it on all sides.
In a small bowl, combine the hoisin, soy sauce, water, and sriracha, stirring to blend. Pour the sauce mixture onto the tofu and stir-fry 2 minutes longer.
Combine the tofu mixture and the cooked noodle mixture and stir-fry until heated through, about 2 minutes longer. Serve hot, sprinkled with the peanuts.

I hope you enjoy this recipe from More Quick-Fix Vegan.  I’ll be posting more about this new book as the publication date draws near.  It’s available for pre-order now on Amazon.

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Banh Mi Inspired Noodles from More Quick-Fix Vegan

 

With my next book, More Quick-Fix Vegan, due to hit the shelves on March 4th, I thought it would be fun to post a recipe from it, but I couldn’t decide among three of my favorites.  So my Facebook friends came to the rescue when I asked them to cast their vote for either the Banh Mi Inspired Noodles, Big Bang Tofu, or Thai Coconut Soup.

Well, the votes have been counted, and the Banh Mi Noodles won by a landslide.  Looks like I’m not the only one who can’t resist the flavors of that seductive Vietnamese sandwich.  Over the years, in addition to making the traditional sandwich, I’ve done banh mi interpretations in a deconstructed salad, a wrap, and even a pizza. Now, all the flavors of my favorite sandwich get tossed with noodles! 

Thanks to Zsu Dever for the great photo — by the way, Zsu is currently holding a Giveaway on her blog to win a copy of One-Dish Vegan, so be sure to stop by and enter. 

Now, here’s that noodle recipe…

Banh Mi Inspired Noodles

From More Quick-Fix Vegan by Robin Robertson (c) 2014, Andrews McMeel Publishing.

Serves 4

8 ounces rice noodles or linguine

2 large carrots, peeled and coarsely shredded

1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped

1/3 cup chopped scallions

2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger

1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 teaspoons dark sesame oil

2 teaspoons natural sugar

1 tablespoon neutral vegetable oil

8 ounces extra-firm tofu, drained and cut into thin strips

1/3 cup hoisin sauce

3 tablespoons soy sauce

3 tablespoons water

1 to 2 teaspoons sriracha sauce

3 to 4 tablespoons crushed roasted peanuts

 Cook the noodles according to package directions.  Drain well and return to the pot. Add the carrots, cucumber, scallions, ginger, cilantro, vinegar, sesame oil, and sugar.  Toss to combine and set aside.

Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the tofu and stir-fry quickly to brown it on all sides.

In a small bowl, combine the hoisin, soy sauce, water, and sriracha, stirring to blend.  Pour the sauce mixture onto the tofu and stir-fry 2 minutes longer.

Combine the tofu mixture and the cooked noodle mixture and stir-fry until heated through, about 2 minutes longer. Serve hot, sprinkled with the peanuts.

~

I hope you enjoy this recipe from More Quick-Fix Vegan.  I’ll be posting more about this new book as the publication date draws near.  It’s available for pre-orders now on Amazon.

 

 

 

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Spicy Stir-Fry with Peanut Sauce

It’s National Peanut Butter Day!  To celebrate I’m sharing one of my favorite recipes from my cookbook, Nut Butter Universe.  It’s the stir-fry with spicy peanut sauce that I love to make often, usually varying the vegetables and protein with whatever I have on hand and sometimes tossing with cooked noodles instead of serving over rice.  The one thing that remains constant is the peanut sauce — although I often double the amount of sauce because, well, it’s peanut sauce!!!!

Just for today I’ve renamed the recipe (and added a little extra peanut butter!) in honor of National Peanut Butter Day!

“National Peanut Butter Day” Spicy Stir-Fry with Peanut Sauce

 A creamy peanut sauce is the star of this versatile stir-fry. You can vary the vegetables according to your personal taste and their availability. In addition, the amount of heat in this dish can be controlled by the amount of red pepper flakes added to the sauce. Strips of extra-firm tofu are a pleasant foil for the spicy sauce. This recipe calls for serving it over rice, but it’s also delicious tossed with cooked rice noodles instead.

 Ingredients:

2/3 cup water

1/3 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup wheat-free tamari

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 teaspoons natural sugar

1 teaspoon ketchup

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

1/2 to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, orto taste

1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in1 tablespoon water

1 tablespoon neutral vegetable oil

8 to 12 ounces extra-firm tofu, drained,pressed, and cut into 1/2-inchstrips

1 large yellow onion, halved length-wise and thinly sliced

2  cups broccoli florets, blanched

1  red bell pepper, cut into thin strips

2  cups thinly sliced napa cabbage

1 cup thinly sliced fresh shiitake mushrooms

3 to 4 cups cooked brown rice

1/4 cup roasted peanuts, chopped

 Directions:

 1.   In a bowl, a food processor, or a blender, combine the water, peanut butter, tamari, vinegar, sugar, ketchup, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes, and blend well.

 2.   Pour the mixture into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the cornstarch mixture and cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens. Taste and adjust the seasonings, if needed. Remove from the heat and set aside. Add a little water if the sauce becomes too thick.

 3.   Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the tofu and stir-fry until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the onion, broccoli, and bell pepper, and stir-fry for 3 minutes. Add the cabbage and mushrooms and stir-fry 3 minutes longer, or until the vegetables soften, adding a little water if the vegetables start to stick.

 4.   Return the tofu to the skillet. Add the sauce and stir-fry to coat the vegetables. Serve over the rice and top with the chopped peanuts.

 Serves 4 to 6

 From Nut Butter Universe by Robin Robertson. ©2013 Robin Robertson. Used by permission from Vegan Heritage Press. Photo by Lori Maffei.

 

 

 

 

 

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Vegan Planet Giveaway Winners

Many thanks to everyone who joined my “Vegan Planet Party” and entered the giveaway to win Vegan Planet aprons and a copy of the book.   I loved reading all of your comments — it’s such a great way to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Vegan Planet and the launch of the new revised edition.

Four winners were chosen at random (thanks, Random.org!)

An apron goes to the following three people:

1. Darrell Butner

2. Laura Thompson

3. Mark Hawthorne

A copy of the new Revised Edition of Vegan Planet goes to:

4. Asa Mills

Congratulations to all four of you.  Please e-mail me with your mailing address so your prizes can be sent to you.  If I don’t hear from you by Friday, a new winner will be chosen.

Reminder:  During the month of November I posted 30 recipes from the revised edition of Vegan Planet.  If you missed any of them, here’s the complete list.  You can find them all here or by clicking on the archive list for November 2013 on the right hand side of this page.

1.                  Penne and Butternut Squash with Kale Pesto

2.                  Roasted Root Vegetable Chili

3.                  Rustic Peasant Loaf with Black Olives and Sun–Dried Tomatoes     

4.                  Ginger-Lemon Tofu

5.                  Three–Onion Appetizer Pie   

6.                  Curried Cauliflower Pakoras

7.                  Scallion Pancakes with Sesame Seeds

8.                  Shredded Vegetable Fritters  

9.                  Tiramisu Cheesecake 

10.              Pasta Puttanesca        

11.              Za’tar–Spiced Bean Patties with Coconut–Curry Sauce

12.              Polenta–Stuffed Red Bell Peppers

13.              Fresh Peach Crisp with Almond Butter Cream

14.              Chickpeas Vindaloo

15.              Crispy Kale

16.              Savory Pumpkin Bites

17.              Three–Flavor Pancit

18.              Flax–Berry Pancakes

19.              Lemon Risotto with Peas and Scallions         

20.              Tempting Tempeh Sandwiches

21.              Banana–Split Tea Bread

22.              Mahogany Eggplant

23.              Red Bean Cakes with Creamy Coconut Sauce

24.              Curried Lentils with Carrots and Peas           

25.              Spinach Frittata

26.              Saffron Couscous Cake with Spring Vegetable Sauté

27.              Brandy-Apple Pie                   

28.              Autumn Roasted Vegetables

29.              Tofu Yung

30.              Smoky Maple Kale and Black Beans

 

 

 

 

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Vegan Planet Countdown + Giveaway!

1/14/14 Update: THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.  Thank you to all who entered and congratulation to the winners!

In less than a week, the new revised edition of Vegan Planet will become available and I couldn’t be more excited.  To celebrate, I’ll be giving away three of these spiffy Vegan Planet aprons to three lucky winners. 

So many people have been writing to tell me how much they love the old Vegan Planet.  For many of you, it was the first vegan cookbook you ever owned.  And I know you’ll love the new revised edition even more — it has lots of new recipes, plus the tried-and-true recipes have been revised and updated.  Among the new bells and whistles:  many of the recipes now call for less oil and the interior pages also  have an updated design.

Variously dubbed the “vegan joy of cooking,” the “vegan bible,” and the “ultimate vegan cookbook,” Vegan Planet is a classic that has withstood the test of time.  If it’s new to you, I hope you enjoy it for the first time.  If it’s already an old favorite, I hope you like the new edition even more.

Now about the apron giveaway….

TO ENTER:

1. Leave a comment at the end of this post.  It can be why you’re looking forward to the new edition of Vegan Planet, your favorite memory/recipe of the old Vegan Planet, or why you want to win the apron!

2. For a SECOND chance to win:  Go to the Vegan Planet Facebook page and Like the page.  If you already Like the page, then leave a comment on the page (it can be the same comment you left on this post) and then come back to this post and leave a SECOND comment telling me you Liked the Vegan Planet Facebook page and/or left a comment there.

The contest ends on Tuesday, January 14th at midnight.  Three winners will be announced here (and on the Vegan Planet Facebook Page) on Wednesday, January 15.

Good luck and many thanks to all of you who helped make the original Vegan Planet a best-selling classic over the past ten years.  Here’s to 10 more great years for the new edition!

 Fine Print Bonus Giveaway:  In addition to giving away three aprons I will also be giving away one of my cookbooks (winner’s choice!) — so now you have another reason to enter and another way to win!

 

 

 

 

 

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Happy New Year!

Much like the past year, the holidays just flew by and suddenly, here we are in 2014.  I made my own particular riff on Hoppin’ John yesterday (I combine the collards with the black-eyed peas and rice for a delicious one-dish meal) but I changed it up slightly, adding some diced tomatoes, smoked paprika, and jalapenos to the already-tasty dish.  Topped with some vegan sour cream and a splash of Tabasco, it was out-of-this world fabulous.  I also made some cornbread to add to the prosperity symbolism (gold) along with the (green for money) collards, and the good luck black-eyed peas, every indication is that it should be a great 2014 (I’m assuming it will be even better because we had second helpings of our Hoppin’ John!).

My favorite Christmas present this year was the Crazy Cat Lady Action figure that my sweet felines gave me. (I think Jon helped them place the order…)  Here is the Crazy Cat Lady sitting in a vat of catnip — she even had her “house” carpeted with scratching box material — all in an effort to make her cats love her even more!

Speaking of cats, my kitties had a great Christmas — they each got their own new catnip toy.  Here’s Gary with his catnip banana — he’s so happy with it, his tail wouldn’t stop wagging!

And here’s Gary wishing everyone a Happy Mew Year!

 

 

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