Robin Robertson has built a publishing record of successful books in the vegetarian/vegan category. Her earlier cookbook,Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow-Cooker,established her bona fides as an expert on the creative use of slow-cookers, and her entire body of work speaks to her ingenuity in the kitchen and the breadth of enticing ingredients and flavors with which she works. Fresh from the Vegan Slow-Cookerprovides practical guidence on how to work with different models of slow-cookers, taking into account the sizes of various machines, the variety of settings they offer, and the quirks and personalities of each device. She addresses any lingering skepticism readers may have about whether slow-cookers can have delicious, meat-free applications, and she shows how to take into account the water content of vegetables and the absorptive qualities of grains when vegan slow-cooking. Fresh from the Vegan Slow-Cooker includes eleven recipe chapters, four of which focus on main courses. There are homey and comforting foods in the American and European style, such as a Rustic Pot Pie Topped with Chive Biscuits and a Ziti with Mushroom and Bell Pepper Ragu, and there are lots of East Asian, South and Southeast Asian, and Mexican/Latin dishes, too. Beans, which cook slowly under any circumstance, are fabulously well-suited to the slow cooker, and Robertson includes such appealing recipes as a Crockery Cassoulet and a Greek-Style Beans with Tomatoes and Spinach. Eighteen robust chilis and stews—two more categories that do well in the slow-cooker—include a warming Chipotle Black Bean Chili with Winter Squash and a surprising but yummy Seitan Stroganoff. Beyond the mains, there are chapters devoted to snacks and appetizers, desserts, breads and breakfasts, and even one on drinks. The many soy-free and gluten-free recipes are clearly identified. Altogether, the collection offers readers loads of ways to expand their vegan repertoire and to get maximum value from their investment in a slow-cooker.
