For the millions of home cooks who swear by the ease and convenience of the slow cooker, this book provides a whole new array of healthy, delicious recipes - that don't rely on canned soup for flavor! And for the millions of vegetarians looking for simple, hearty fare, this book introduces them to the magic of slow cooking. Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker proves that slow cookers can be used for much more than just tough, inexpensive cuts of meat. They are perfect for vegetarian and healthy cooking because slow cooking is a foolproof way to make beans, grains, and root vegetables, in preparations such as Spicy White Bean and Sweet Potato Stew with Collards, Balsamic-Glazed Carrots and Parsnips, and Boston Brown Bread. Stuffed vegetables, such as Bell Peppers Stuffed with Couscous and Lentils, are moist and tender, with none of the oven's dryness. Even desserts, such as Chocolate Fantasy Fondue and Brandy-Laced Pear Brown Betty, are sensational. Chapters on appetizers, soups, stews, beans, vegetables, condiments, breakfasts, desserts, and beverages ensure that nothing is overlooked. A complete introduction provides information on all the latest advances in slow cooker models and accessories. By now the remarkable convenience of the slow cooker is no secret: it's practically a miracle to come home after a long day out and have dinner ready and waiting. It can be left unattended; it keeps the kitchen cool on warm days; and it's inexpensive and durable. At last, vegetarians and anyone looking for healthy meal alternatives can take full advantage of this amazing appliance. Recipes are accessible to everyone including vegans . . . Flip through this cookbook and you will be inspired! -- American Vegan Winter Will quickly prove to be a prized and appreciated addition to any dedicated vegetarian cookbook collection. -- Library Bookwatch PRAISE for FRESH FROM THE VEGETARIAN SLOW COOKER "Until now most slow cooker cookbooks have been heavily meat-oriented, leaning mightly on processed, preservative-heavy ingredients. "Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker" changes that. What a good idea! Not just vegetarians, but anyone who needs cooking ease but doesn't want to sacrifice full flavor or health, will rejoice in this inviting book." - Crescent Dragonwagon, James Beard Award-winning author of "Passionate Vegetarian" "This is a carefully written book with many imaginative recipes. Robin Robertson provides an astonishing array of dishes, a wide variety of flavors, and excellent cooking techniques; you and your entire family will be healthier and happier for her efforts." -Annemarie Colbin, author of" Food and Our Bones" and founder of the Natural Gourmet Cookery School, New York City "Leave it to Robin Robertson to inspire us with such a great idea: "Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker" will make you want to go out and buy a slow cooker and start cooking these amazing recipes." - Akasha Richmond, chef and columnist for "Vegetarian Times" "Finding ways to prepare delicious and satisfying slow-cooked foods, especially vegetarian dishes, is a challenge for anyone who travels a busy path. I use a slow cooker a lot, and the recipes in "Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker" entice and inspire me." - Jesse Cool, author of "Your Organic Kitchen "and "Breakfast in Bed" Robin Robertson is a veteran restaurant chef, cooking teacher, and an acclaimed writer. She pens a regular column for VegNews Magazine and has written for Vegetarian Times, Health Naturally, Restaurant Business, National Culinary Review, American Culinary Federation Magazine, and Better Nutrition. She has written numerous cookbooks including the best-selling title The Sacred Kitchen. She wrote a weekly column entitled "The Veg Edge" for The Virginian-Pilot newspaper of Norfolk, Virginia, which also appeared in the Albany, New York, Times Union newspaper under the title "The Veg Connection." Robertson grew up eating and cooking the delicious foods prepared by her Italian-American mother. She became an expert at classical French cooking while working at a variety of fine restaurants in Pennsylvania and South Carolina. She left the restaurant business in 1988, adopted a vegan lifestyle, and began spreading the word about flavorful vegetarian and vegan cuisine in classes, workshops, newspapers, magazines, and cookbooks. Robertson currently writes, promotes her books, and teaches classes on her innovative vegan cuisine in Virginia, where she lives with her husband and two cats.