Vegan Grilling!

It's summer in Humboldt! For Father's Day we bought a nice gas grill for dh and have been enjoying the taste of grilled veggies, tofu and pizzas - yes pizzas! It's amazing how easy grilled vegetables are to prepare and grill. The following are a few tips for grilling, along with a quick and easy grilled pizza recipe.

Onions:
Cut into think slices and pierce with a toothpick to hold the rings together.

Bell peppers:
Cut into quarters. Anything smaller runs the risk of falling through the grill holes.

Mushrooms:
Wash and plop these tasty morsels onto skewers. I've read that you're suppose to soak the skewers in water so they don't catch on fire. Ours haven't caught on fire, but if you have the time, it seems like a good idea.

Zucchinis:
Cut into thick, oblong strips

Brush sides of the veggies with olive oil and place on a hot grill. Watch to ensure they're not burning. Always cut more veggies then you think you really need. It's great to have left over grilled veggies to use on sandwiches, on top of pizzas, etc. Though in our family, there haven't been any leftovers yet!

Tofu:
Use extra firm tofu,press tofu, and slice into 1/4" sections. Marinate tofu in your favorite marinade for at least 30 minutes before grilling. I use a combination of tamari, rice wine vinegar and jarred ginger. Grill over a pre-heated grill for 6-7 minutes on each side, brushing occasionally with extra marinade or oil to ensure it doesn't burn.

Grilled pizzas: These grill pretty fast, so make sure you've got the veggies grilling before you start grilling the pizzas.

Ingredients:
4 pitas
pasta sauce/pesto sauce
favorite pizza toppings
vegan cheese (optional)

Brush oil on the bottom of the pitas.Pour sauce on tops of pitas, then cover with favorite toppings and cheese. Grill over a pre-heated grill for ~ 5 minutes. Makes 4 personal pizzas.

Some pita pizza ideas:
1) Pesto sauce, with spinach, zucchini, and artichokes
2) Layer of refried beans, topped with olives, tomatoes and salsa. When done grilling put some avacado on top
3) Layer of bbq sauce, some marinated bbq seitan, onions and bell peppers.

Some other vegetarian/vegan grilling articles:
The Vegetarians guide to a grilled 4th of July
VegCooking - includes yummy dessert recipes like grilled pineapple and peaches

Happy Grilling!