It’s seriously upsetting that time flies by so fast – it seems summer had just begun and now we’re in August. I had toyed with buying myself a kayak or paddleboard this summer, as I have never owned a boat or anything to go out on the water on, but ended up needing windows on the house. It’s always something.
Anyway, let’s eat. It’s been mentioned that I don’t do enough for people who follow a vegetarian or plant-based diet. I apologize. So, this month we’ll go to the grill with some vegetable dishes. These recipes come from the Forks Over Knives People. If you are considering a plant-based diet, their cookbook is a good place to start.
What I like most about these recipes is that most of the main ingredients don’t come from a package or can. And what better time to buy fresh than during the summer when the farm stands are rich with produce from their fields. I rolled out the grill and tried all these recipes – they were delicious. I hope you’ll enjoy them too.
Grilled Vegetable Kabobs
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1-1/2 Tbs. of minced rosemary
1-1/2 Tbs. minced thyme
Salt & fresh ground pepper to taste
1 each of red and yellow peppers, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 pint of cherry tomatoes
1 each medium-sized zucchini and yellow squash, cut into 1-inch rounds
1 medium red onion, peeled and cut into chunks
Prepare your grill. Soak wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes. Combine the vinegar, garlic, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
Skewer the vegetables, alternating between the different colors for a nice presentation. Place the skewers on the grill and cook, brushing the vegetables with the vinegar mixture and turning every 3-4 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and starting to char. This takes about 12-15 minutes. My serving suggestions are to serve these over your favorite grain or greens for a nice salad. Serves 6.
Grilled Fajita Platter with Smokey
Tomato Salsa
6 Roma tomatoes, halved
8 scallions, trimmed
3 limes
1 to 2 fresh jalapeño chiles, halved and seeded (see tip, recipe intro)
2 cloves garlic, halved
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 lb. asparagus, trimmed, or 12 oz. green beans, trimmed
2 bell peppers (any color), cut into 1-inch strips
1 red onion, cut into 1-inch wedges
1 zucchini, cut into 3-inch strips
2 15-oz. cans no-salt-added pinto beans, drained (3 cups)
12 6-inch corn tortillas
1 avocado, halved, peeled, and thinly sliced
Lime wedges
Halve 2 of the limes, reserving the third. For salsa, place a grill basket or cast-iron griddle on the grill rack. Preheat grill to medium-high. Grill tomatoes, scallions, lime halves (cut sides down), jalapeño, and garlic 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly charred, turning once.
Place tomatoes in a food processor. Coarsely chop scallions and jalapeño; add to food processor with the juice of one of the grilled limes, the garlic, cilantro, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Process until desired consistency. Season with black pepper. Brush 1/3 cup of the salsa over asparagus, bell peppers, red onion, and zucchini. Grill vegetables over medium-high heat for 7 to 10 minutes, turning occasionally until tender and charred in places. Transfer to a serving platter.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine pinto beans, 1/3 cup of the salsa, the juice of the remaining grilled lime, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Heat over medium, partially mashing the beans with a fork.
If you like, warm the tortillas over the grill for 1 to 2 minutes or just until softened.
Cut the remaining lime into wedges. Place the grilled vegetables on a platter with the beans and tortillas. Serve with the remaining salsa, the avocado, and lime wedges.
Sun-Dried Tomatoes & Chickpea Sliders (these were very cool!)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh mushrooms
1/2 cup coarsely chopped zucchini
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 cup no-salt-added chickpeas, rinsed and drained, and liquid (aquafaba) reserved
1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (not oil-packed)
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, crushed
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup cornmeal
1 large zucchini, cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick planks (slices)
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
8 slices Roma tomato
In a large skillet, cook the first four ingredients over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding water, 1 to 2 Tbsp. at a time, as needed to prevent sticking. Place in a food processor with the chickpeas, sun-dried tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and lemon zest. Cover and pulse until chunky but not pureed. Add 1 to 2 Tbsp. of the aquafaba if the mixture seems dry or isn’t sticking together. The mixture should be moist but not wet. Season with salt and pepper.
With wet hands, shape bean mixture into eight patties. Chill for at least 20 minutes. Lightly dredge patties in cornmeal to coat.
Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Cook sliders for 8 to 10 minutes or until browned and heated through, turning once. Brush zucchini planks with some of the balsamic vinegar. Cook in grill pan for 4 to 6 minutes or until crisp-tender and grill marks appear, turning once. Cut planks into 16 pieces for “buns.” Place sliders and tomato slices between plank pieces. Drizzle with any remaining vinegar. Serves 8