Warmer weather is here and that means BBQ season is about to be in full force! I am a sucker for BBQed food myself.
BBQed food doesn’t have to be meat-filled or super indulgent. Being a vegetarian, I won’t be grilling any meat burgers or steak – however there are tons of options to throw on the grill that aren’t these things!
I have some recipes today that will help support your healthy eating efforts, instead of sabotaging them.
BBQ Lentil Stuffed Sweet Potato
Equipment
- tinfoil
Ingredients
- 4 small to medium sweet potatoes
- 1 cup 1dry lentils
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 2 shallots diced
- 2 carrots peeled
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 cup BBQ sauce
- 1 cup baby kale
Instructions
- Preheat the outdoor grill for medium-low heat. Tightly wrap potatoes in tin foil. Place potatoes on grill, close lid and cook for 40 minutes. Check if potato is done – a fork should easily slide in the potato. Depending on the size, you may need to cook potato for 20-30 minutes more.
- While potatoes are cooking, add 3 cups water to a large pot; bring to a boil. Add lentils; bring water back to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer, cover, and cook for 15-20 minutes, until lentils are tender. Remove from pot and set aside.
- In the same pot over medium heat, warm oil. Add chopped onion and carrots; cook for 5-7 minutes, until tender and browned. Add garlic; cook for one more minute.Add the BBQ sauce into the pot; stir until all the veggies are coated. Bring to a boil; cover, and reduce to simmer for 10-12 minutes. Add the lentils to the sauce; stir to combine. Add more water if needed.
- Add oil to separate saucepan. When heated, add kale to saucepan. Mix with a spatula, until edges are browned.
- Slice the potatoes down the middle. Spoon the lentil filling into each sweet potato. Top with sauteed kale.
“Beyond Meat” Burger
Ingredients
- 12 sliced mushrooms sautéed until browned
- 1 cup quinoa
- 12 oz tempeh chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
- 1/4 cup quick cook oats
- 2 tbsp grated beets
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp liquid smoke
Instructions
- Cook the quinoa and set aside one cup.
- Sauté the mushrooms until tender and browned.
- Add all ingredients to a large bowl food processor and process until mostly chopped, and incorporated, and the mix resembles "hamburger."Â
- Divide into four pieces (or more or less, depending on how large you want your burgers), and shape into patties.
- Sauté patties in a pan with optional oil and serve on buns with your choice of condiments.Â
Grilled Tofu Skewers
Equipment
- Bambo skewers
Ingredients
- 14 oz Tofu
- 1/2 cup BBQ Sauce
- 1 pint Cherry Tomatoes
- 1 Zucchini sliced into half moons
- 1 Green Pepper sliced
- 1/2 Purple Onion sliced
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
Instructions
- Press tofu for 20 minutes. Once done pressing, chop into cubes.
- Transfer the tofu to a medium mixing bowl and pour the BBQ sauce over it then give it a good stir. Cover and let marinate for at least 30 minutes.
- If using bamboo skewers, soak them in water while you prepare the veggies. Drizzle the olive oil over the veggies. Toss the veggies together so that they're coated in oil.Â
- Preheat the grill to between 400-450F. Skewer the veggies and tofu while reserving the leftover BBQ sauce. Place the kebabs on the grill and grill for about 15-20 minutes total (15 = more tender crisp / 20 = softer, throughly cooked), slathering with more BBQ sauce and making 1/4 turns every four to five minutes so that the veggies and tofu are equally cooked on all sides. Charring is good!Â
Portobello Mushroom Pizzas
Ingredients
Instructions
- Prep your mushrooms by brushing clean, removing the stems and gently scraping out the dark/brown part to make room for stuffing. Place on a grill heated to 400 F and grill each side for 3-4 minutes, until they are browned.
- Meanwhile, add olive oil to pan and add chopped garlic and spinach. Sautee until the spinach is wilted.
- Take the mushrooms off the grill. Take a paper towel and dab each of them to remove the liquid.Â
- Spoon pizza sauce into mushroom cups. Next, layer sauteed spinach and top with feta cheese.
- Place back onto the grill for 12 minutes.
Grilled Pineapple
Ingredients
- 1 Pineapple sliced
- 2 tbsp Maple Syrup
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the grill on medium heat.
- Combine the maple syrup and cinnamon in a bowl. Drizzle the syrup over the pineapple, tossing to coat each wedge completely.Evenly space the pineapple across the grill and cook for 3-5 minutes per side, until brown grill marks are formed. Enjoy!
Tinfoil Baked Apples
Ingredients
- 2 Apple
- 1 tbsp Maple Syrup
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
Instructions
- Slice apples and cut out the cores. Place onto a double layer of aluminum foil lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle with cinnamon and maple syrup.
- Fold into a foil packet and place onto the grill for 10 minutes, flipping halfway.
- Carefully open foil packet and let cool slightly. Enjoy!