On Grilling Tempeh Burgers

So maybe you are planning to do some grilling this holiday weekend (July 1st for us Canadians, July 4 south of the border). And maybe you would like to grill up a few tempeh burgers. I thought I would take a trial run and see what the results were. My advice is this: don't use the grill as the primary method of cooking these burgers. Although the burgers hold up well on the grill, they dry out too much. I would suggest cooking them as usual on the stove, keeping them in the fridge, then reheating on the grill.

Meat: That Stuff Will Kill You

The U.S. National Cancer Institute recently released the largest study ever done on meat consumption. The findings? Those who ate 125 grams of red (beef and pork) and processed meat a day had a 30% greater chance of dying of heart disease and cancer than those who ate 20 grams a day. The study found that potentially carcinogenic N-nitroso compounds are formed in the gut when heme iron from red meat and gut bacteria trigger meat protein to combine with nitrites.

I read about the study in the recent issue of Nutrition Action. The coverage was interesting. According to Walter Willett of the Harvard School of Public Health, "if you go from eating meat twice a day to once a week, you can eliminate most of the risk." Most of the risk? Why not eliminate all the risk? Isn't this like recommending smoking one cigarette a day to reduce the risk of cancer? Nutrition Action gets in on the game, too. Even though grilling meat increases your risk of cancer, the editors offer a list of tips for "good grilling" to minimize the risk. And, while they condemn red meat for its environmental impact (55% of the erosion, 37% of pesticides applied, 50% of antibiotics consumed, 32% of nitrogen and 33% of the phosphorous load into the water supply in the U.S.), they let fish and poultry off the hook.

It's time for health advocates to promote veganism and quit this ridiculous charade of minimizing the risk of meat.

Tandoori Seitan

This is the final installment of kid-friendly Indian dishes. Obviously this dish was inspired by my insistence that people, and in particular kids, like to eat things off of sticks. I also wanted to experiment with BBQing seitan, operating on the rationale that baked seitan tastes pretty darn good so how much different would it be to BBQ it? So, can you BBQ seitan? The answer is yes, but with two caveats. First, you really have to keep the heat low. Seitan is not meat and thus does not ooze fat and blood and whatever else comes out of flesh when you cook it. Therefore, if you go firing up the BBQ like you are grilling a steak, then you, my friend, are going to end up with a dry, crunchy, and altogether unpleasant meal. Second, you need to regularly turn and baste the seitan to keep it hydrated. The end result was a very meat-like skewer. Maybe too meat like. They were a little chewy, but the kids absolutely loved them--especially because they could poke each other with the skewers when the meal was over.

INGREDIENTS

- 6 mini bamboo skewers

- 1 1/4 cup vital wheat gluten

- 1 tsp salt

- 2 tsp tandoori spice mix (my father-in-law bought me some at an Indian grocery in Brampton--make sure it's not too spicy-hot for the kids, and use less if it is.)

- 1 tsp soy sauce

- 2 tbsp oil

- 1 cup water

- 1/3 cup soy yogurt

- 1 tbsp oil

- 1 tbsp tandoori spice mix (or to taste)

- salt to taste

- 1/2 cup water

METHOD

1. Put your skewers in a pan of water and set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, mix flour, salt, and spice mixture together. In a separate small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, oil, and water.

3. Add wet to dry and mix well. This will result in a pretty tough and rubbery seitan. If everything isn't perfectly mixed and the seitan looks marbled, don't sweat it it will still taste good.

4. Mix together yogurt, oil, and spice mix in a bowl. Cut seitan into 24 chunks and add to bowl. Coat well to keep the seitan chunks from bonding with one another in the bowl. Let marinate for 30 mins in the fridge (less if you are in a hurry). Remove seitan from bowl and put four pieces on each skewer. Add 1/2 cup of water to the marinade left behind and mix well.

5. Heat grill on low. You want the temp to be about 400 to 450 degrees. Oil the grill well and place skewers on grill. Close lid and cook for 3-4 mins. Flip skewers over, lightly baste, and cook for another 3-4 mins. Keep going like this until you run out of marinade. The seitan should cook for about 20 to 25 mins, and you may not need to baste each time you turn. Just make sure it looks hydrated.

Maple Balsamic BBQ Tofu

The weather is getting warmer, the days are getting longer, and my thoughts have turned to the BBQ. I usually BBQ right through the winter, but there was no much snow this winter that I just did not feel like shovelling a path out to the grill. But, now that the porch is snow-free, it's time to BBQ again! This is a very simple dish, and the kids just love it.

INGREDIENTS

- 1 pkg extra firm tofu, cut into 8 slices

- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

- 1/3 cup maple syrup

- 2 tbsp water

- 1 tbsp olive oil

- salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

1. Whisk together all ingredients (except tofu, of course) in a bowl. Place tofu in a baking dish and pour half of the marinade over it, turning to coat. Let marinate for 30 mins, if you have the time, turning once.

2. Heat grill to med-hi. Place remaining marinade in a small saucepan and bring to bubbling over medium heat. Reduce heat and let simmer for about 10 mins, until reduced and syrupy.

3. While marinade is reducing, grill the tofu, 3-4 mins per side, then rotating 90 degrees and grilling 3-4 per side again. Baste tofu with marinade with each turn.

4. Gently toss tofu in reduced marinade and serve.

Oyster Mushroom Sushi

Back when I posted my recipe for Grilled King Oyster Mushrooms, Shohga suggested grilling the mushrooms brushed with ponzu and then using them in sushi. I thought that sounded like a great idea, so I filed it away in my brain to try later. The other day I went on the hunt for some ponzu, but couldn't find any without bonito (a type of fish). So, I decided to use some mirin instead. Since my grill was out of propane, I tossed the shrooms into a pan over medium heat and kept splashing them with mirin until cooked. I put them in the sushi roll with some chopped bok choy that I briefly pan fried in a little light soy sauce. The shrooms were slightly sweet and the bok choy added a light crunch. Dipped in some soy and wasabi, it was some mighty good sushi.

Umami Burgers

These burgers came about from trying to use up the cans of chickpeas in my fridge from making batch after batch of Lemon Meringue Tarts. I first turned to my three go to sources of umami: tomatoes, soy sauce, and mushrooms. For texture, I used barley (like my Tourtière recipe). The end result is a durable (i.e. grillable) and non-mushy burger with plenty of flavour. These burgers freeze well (just thaw them before grilling) and when cooked keep well in the fridge. They taste good cold, or microwaved a few days later. The kids love them for lunch so I grill them up on Sunday and they take them to school throughout the week.

INGREDIENTS
Makes 12 burgers
- 1/2 cup pot barley, cooked (in veggie broth or beer) until soft (about 30 mins), cooled
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 celery rib, minced
- 3 cups chopped cremini mushrooms (about 8 oz/227g)
- 1 can chickpeas, drained
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Montreal Steak Spice, ground
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 1/2 cup instant oatmeal
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1/4 cup instant tapioca
- 1 cup fresh bread crumbs (i.e. day old bread ground up in a food processor)
- seasoned salt and black pepper to taste

METHOD
1. Cook the barley until tender, drain, then set aside to cool in a large bowl.
2. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Sauté onion, garlic, and celery for 5-7 mins, until soft and onion is translucent.
3. Add mushrooms to the pan and cook for about 5 mins, until mushrooms have released their water and have cooked down a little.
4. Remove from heat and add to the barley. Mix well.
5. Pulse the chickpeas in a food processor. Be careful not to make them into a paste.
6. Add the pulsed chickpeas to the bowl, along with the tomato paste, soy sauce, spices, nutritional yeast, oatmeal, flour, and tapioca. Use a wooden spoon to mix well.
7. Add the fresh bread crumbs and mix well. Season to taste.
8. Let the mixture rest for 5 minutes.
9. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a silicone spatula, press the mixture into a crumpet ring (or what have you) to make 12 burgers on the prepared baking sheet.
10. The burgers are more durable when they are cool. Slide the baking sheet into the freezer while you fire up the grill.
11. Grill on a med to med-lo grill (around 400-425 degrees) for about 5 mins per side (so keep the heat moderate so the outside does not burn before the inside cooks). Brush the grill and the burgers with oil to keep them from sticking. The burgers should be firm to the touch and not mushy when they are done.

Shamburgers and Fries

A friend of mine recently commented that the names for vegan food (Tofurkey, for example) drove him nuts. So, I called tonight's meal "shamburgers" just to goad him into posting a reply on the blog. Heh heh.

Actually, these burgers weren't that great--good tatse, but mushy and very hard to grill. I doubled yesterday's sausage recipe (but added some soy sauce, HP sauce, sage, and parsley), added 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs when forming the patties, and brushed with oil before grilling. I won't post the recipe until I can perfect it--the patties need more cohesion. I will take any and all suggestions.

The fries were great. Wash potatoes and cut into sticks. Toss in canola oil and bake in a 450 degree oven for 20-25 mins, turning halfway through. Sprinkle with sea salt. (I bake mine on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper--this way they don't stick and bake up nice and crisp).

BBQ Bananas

Today I got the idea to BBQ bananas. A quick Google search revealed that my brain wave was far from original. Oh well. But, I figured that since grilling fruit (pineapple, peaches) makes it sweeter and tastier, why not try bananas? I also figured that topping them with some caramel sauce would be pretty good. The boys then suggested that caramel and chocolate would be even better. The jury is still out on the final product. The taste was good, but my brain got confused when it recognized banana taste but not typical banana texture and temperature. Sons #1 and #2 ate half of their bananas but slyly downed all their chocolate and caramel, while Son #3 ate all of his plus the extras his brothers left behind.

INGREDIENTS

- 4 large ripe bananas

- caramel sauce

- chocolate sauce

METHOD

1. Grill bananas, skins on, for 8-10 mins over a medium hot grill until skins are blackened.

2. Remove bananas from skins, slice in half, and top with caramel and chocolate sauce.

Fire Roasted Vegetables en Croute

This dish came together from a desire to clean out the fridge and a need to make Son #1 a vegan pizza for a birthday party he was attending. I originally intended to just make pizzas for the rest of the family, but as I started grilling I decided to go more stromboli style and I'm glad I did. The drizzle of BBQ sauce brings it all together and takes the dish out of Italian territory and more into some ambiguous fusion zone. The veggies here are just suggestions since there was no coherent plan behind the dish. I think some eggplant and zucchini would fit in well. The roasted tomatoes are essential, though--they add great flavour and make a kind of sauce when you mix everything together.

INGREDIENTS
- 1 recipe pizza dough
- 1 cup white beans (cannelini) tossed with 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 medium red potatoes, grilled (cut in half, toss in olive oil and salt and pepper. Grill over medium heat for about 15 mins, mostly on the skin side, until soft)
- 1 roasted green pepper (roast on high heat until all skin is blistered. Skin and de-seed when cool)
- 12 medium cremini mushroom, grilled (toss in olive oil and salt and pepper, grill cap side down for about 5-7 mins over medium heat (until they release their water)
- 6 cloves roasted garlic (wrap unpeeled garlic in foil, roast over medium heat for about 15 mins)
- 1 large cooked carrot (grilled, steamed, whatever--mine was leftover in the fridge)
- 2 medium roasted tomatoes (place on grill and roast for 15 mins over medium heat--skin will blister and tomato will begin to release water)
- 1 tsp basil
- salt and pepper

METHOD
1. Mix beans with paprika and set aside. Cook whatever veggies you are using on the grill. Dice everything except the mushrooms (leave whole) and mix together in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper and adjust basil and paprika to your liking.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees with a pizza stone in it.
3. Let mixture cool to room temperature (stick in the fridge to speed it up).
4. Proceed as per the instructions (starting at step 5) for my stromboli recipe. You really can pile the veggies up here, so go for it! Stuff that thing full!
5. When baked, drizzle slices with BBQ sauce and serve.

Sweet n' Sour Skewers

This is really just a variation on this recipe, but with a fancier presentation sure to wow your guests at the next BBQ (or, cookout, for you Americans). The pineapple provides the sweet, the citrus provides the sour, and the grilling just enhances the tastiness.

INGREDIENTS

Amounts will vary on how many skewers you want to make.

- red pepper

- green pepper

- onion, quartered

- firm tofu, pressed and cubed

- pineapple

- 1 tbsp olive oil

- juice of 2 limes

- juice of 1 lemon

- juice of 1 orange

- splash of tequila (optional)

- 1-2 tsp chili powder

- 1 tsp cinnamon

- salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

1. Cut veggies into large chunks and toss in oil, juices, and spices. Let marinate if you have the time.

2. Stick veggies tightly on skewers, and grill on a well-oiled grill over med-hi heat for about 15 mins (until veggies are done). Make sure to rotate the skewers to get the veggies cooked evenly, and to brush the veggies with the extra marinade at least twice.

Grilled Jerk Tempeh and Mushrooms with Roasted Peach Salsa

I decided that since it was Sunday I had some time to do a wee bit of grilling. They don't have a propane BBQ where I am staying so I purchased some hardwood charcoal at Trader Joe's and went totally old school. The idea for the dish started with a packet of jerk seasoning I bought at the Reading Terminal Market the other day. As far as jerk seasoning goes, it is fairly mild. I thought it would taste good with tempeh and so I began constructing what was in my mind was a terrine-like dish. In the final analysis, I don't think it works as a coherent dish, but all the different elements of the dish are tasty (I particularly like the roasted peaches). I am posting the recipe and you can do with it what you want. Instead of tempeh on the top and bottom I think it would work better to pile everything on a slice of tempeh.

INGREDIENTS

Marinade

- 1 tbsp oil

- 1/4 cup orange juice

- juice of 1 lime

- 1/2 tsp salt

- 3 tbsp jerk seasoning (or to taste)

- 1 pkg tempeh, cut in half vertically and horizontally

- 1 portabello mushroom

- 1/2 red pepper

- 1/2 cup (frozen) corn

- 1 large peach peeled and halved

- salt and pepper

- 1 cup chickpeas

- 1/2 tsp jerk seasoning

- 1/4 tsp salt

- splash of oil

METHOD

1. Combine ingredients for the marinade and marinate tempeh and mushroom for a few hours. Steam or boil the tempeh first if you think it has a "taste."

2. Make 2 rectangular containers out of heavy duty foil. Place corn in one. Toss chickpeas with spices and oil and place in another. Wrap peach in foil.

3. Start roasting the red pepper (BBQ should be nice and hot). When skin in blackened, remove from grill and place in a bowl. Cover with a lid and let steam.

4. Place corn and chickpea foil containers on med-hi grill (stir every min or so to keep stuff from sticking). Place peach on the grill, turning every few mins. Grill tempeh and mushrooms, basting with extra marinade, until done. Mushrooms should have released some water, tempeh should be golden, as should corn and chickpeas.

5. Remove skin from roasted pepper. Chop pepper and peach, and mix with roasted corn. Season with salt and pepper.

6. Mash chickpeas with a fork (add splash of water, if needed). Slice mushroom.

7. Put a tempeh slice on a plate. Top with mashed chickpeas and mushroom slices. Top with another tempeh slice (if you want) and peach salsa.

Grilled Citrus Tofu and Pineapple

Spring is coming to the frozen north! Today was sunny and warm and the snow and ice was melting away like mad. All the snow is now gone from the back porch, so BBQ was the only way to go for tonight's meal. If you have not had grilled pineapple you must try it. I am not the biggest pineapple fan, but this was fantastic. Grilling really brings out the pineapple's sweetness. And, inspired by the Happy Herbivore's quest to "put the veg back in vegan," I supplemented the tofu and pineapple with steamed carrots, kale, corn, roasted red potatoes, and mesclun salad with tomatoes and cucumbers.

INGREDIENTS

- 1 pkg firm tofu, pressed and cut into 8 pieces

- 1/2 can frozen orange juice, thawed

- juice 1/2 lemon

- juice 1 lime

- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

- 1 tbsp oil

- salt and pepper

METHOD

1. Mix together juices, vinegar, oil, and salt and pepper. Marinate tofu slices for an hour or so.

2. Grill on a lightly oiled BBQ over med-hi heat, basting with marinade, for 10-15 mins.

Grilled Pineapple: Brush fresh pineapple slices with some of the marinade and grill for about 10 mins. Make sure pineapple browns but does not burn.

Ultimate BBQ Tofu

If you follow this blog you know that I have made BBQ tofu before. So, what makes this "ultimate?" Good question! It's all about the method. I noticed that freezing tofu makes it rather like a sponge; much more able to soak up sauces. So, I thought I would try freezing the tofu in BBQ sauce, thawing it, then throwing it on the grill. The experiment was a success--full of flavour and with a great texture. It does takes some planning to make this dish, so consider throwing a few batches in the freezer at the beginning of the week.

INGREDIENTS

- 1 pkg firm or extra firm tofu, sliced into 8

- 1 recipe Sweet and Sticky BBQ sauce (but finely dice the onions)

METHOD

1. Bring ingredients for BBQ sauce to bubbling in a saucepan. Add tofu, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10 mins.

2. Remove tofu and place in a Pyrex dish (or whatever you use to freeze stuff). Cover with sauce, cover, and place in the freezer. Let freeze completely.

3. The day before you want to eat said tofu, place in the fridge to thaw. Or, just thaw in the microwave before grilling.
4. Grill tofu on a hot grill 3-4 mins per side, then rotating 90 degrees and repeating. Baste regulalry with the BBQ sauce. If you like, set aside some sauce and thicken in a saucepan on the stove, then slather over the grilled tofu.