So this Sunday was the 4th of July which equals mucho bar-b-q's. For a vegetarian with carnivorous friends and family, you can often find yourself with only a plate full of rolls and potato chips to eat. Here are a few of my favorite, bar-b-q recipes that are quick and easy-I mean let's face it, there's only so many Veggie burgers you can stuff down before you want a little variety. And these recipes are so yummy, even the most skeptical meat-eater will enjoy them.
BBQ Tofu Burgers
The original recipe inspiration came from my Vegan Soul Kitchen, cookbook. I love having lots of flavor (something that is often lacking in vegan and vegetarian food!) so I added FortiSalt and Garlic powder along with the bbq sauce. The original recipe calls for a lot of ingredients but I simplified it for those nights you really want something good and healthy but don't want to have to put forth a ton of effort! This recipe is so simple-cut a block of drained firm or extra firm tofu in half (through the middle ) to make two "patties". Put in a pyrex baking dish, spray with FortiSalt, sprinkle with garlic powder, and cover in your favorite bbq sauce. Bake on 350° (with the pyrex dish covered in foil over the top to prevent the top of the "burgers" from burning) for about an hour-I never measure and kind of just go off of how it looks and smells to know it's done-you just want it warm all the way through basically. Put it on a hamburger bun and enjoy all the bbq-y goodness!
The Oldie but Goodie Meatless Shishkabob (sp?)
This is a classic. You can add whatever your fave vegetables are to this classic dish: bell peppers, mushrooms, carrots...the possibilities are endless but for me it's all in the flavoring. See the bottom recipe for my new favorite marinade that's perfect for adding some really good flavor to your meatless shishy. =)
Meatless Sloppy Joes
Another classic done meatless that tastes just as good. Mix in a crockpot: 3 cans of organic (drained) kidney beans, 3 cans of organic diced tomatoes, 1 can of fire roasted organic diced tomatoes, and one small can of organic tomato paste. Normally I am not an advocate of using canned foods (aluminum=baaaaaaaad), but in extreme moderation it can be a timesaver on those busy days you don't have time to do it from scratch. Season with a little white pepper, paprika, and garlic powder to taste. Cook in the crock pot on low (I put it on in the a.m. and let it cook all day while I'm at work). Put on organic whole wheat hamburger buns and nom! nom! nom!
BBQ or Grilled or Broiled Portabella Mushrooms
I definitely saved the best for last on this one. An idea that came from Planet Green, portabella mushrooms are an excellent choice for a vegetarian menu because of their meaty, filling quality. Emeril Lagasse has an awesome recipe for Portobello Mushroom-Blue Cheese Burgers that I haven't tried yet but definitely intend to! When I made mine, I used the following marinade, brushed on to the mushrooms which had the stems removed (don't throw them out, chop em up and use them on your salad!) *You can either grill them or put them on a baking rack in the oven over a cookie sheet and broil them on about 400 for approximately 10 minutes-check frequently because they burn easily!
Yummy Garlic-Herb Marinade-Use it on everything!!!
In a food processor:
Start with some olive oil (alway use first cold pressed-you don't want all the olivey goodness filtered out!)...
Add some FortiSalt-I take the lid off and just pour it in-much faster than spraying for this recipe!
Add some Basil...
And my favorite herb: ROSEMARY!!!
Play with the proportions until it makes a semi-thick paste and add as much or as little of the herbs as you want depending on your taste preferences. Like I said, I never measure!
Use a marinating brush to cover both sides of the mushrooms (As demonstrated by my son in the first pic)
*Throw in the grill and cook until tender or broil in the oven on 400 for about ten minutes as I mentioned earlier. Another yummy take on portabella mushrooms is to just cover the underside with feta cheese and broil on 400 for ten minutes...that's what I had for dinner tonight and it was sooooooo gooooood. Warm feta cheese is like a little slice of pure goodness-it melts in your mouth-LITERALLY.*
Enjoy these recipes, I'll be adding lots more as I embark on my adventure through veggiehood! Much love!
