summertime is grillingtime.

I can officially say it: summer has begun! Despite what the calender says, my summertime sonar always begins beeping frantically after the first grillout of the season; I am happy to report that, after a stuffy winter indoors, I had the joy of experiencing this very event over this past weekend. My husband and I (and our beagle) decided to take advantage of the recent string of temperate, humidity-free nights and prepared a wonderful meal on the grill Friday night. Bring it on, dog days!

This is my second summer season as an herbivore, and I'm proud to say I'm a little less picky and more creative in the department of coming up with enjoyable vegetarian fare this time around. When I first made the decision to go meat-free, grilling out meant one choice and one choice only: processed soy patties AKA "veggie burgers."* I was still operating in the mindset of a meat-eater, which meant grilled meals had to have a sandwich and/or meat/meat substitute as the main course, with chips/a starchy item and maybe just PERHAPS a vegetable (usually corn on the cob) as sides. 

Over the past year, however, my definition of what makes up a meal has transformed from this tired old standby to one that places nutritional value and varied flavors as the primary objectives. It allows for a lot more experimentation in food preparation, as well as a highly successful vehicle to introduce new items into my diet. As I've mentioned in a past entry, I was a complete stranger to fresh vegetables when I ditched meat, so any way to tiptoe into a more varied plant-based diet (so as to avoid too much overwhelming change at once) was (and still is) highly embraced!


Now, instead of separate items on a plate, I emphasize the mixing of whole grains, protein (usually beans, sometimes tofu), and fresh vegetables into one delicious conglomerate whole. (Generally I try to keep the ratio at a half vegetables and a quarter each of protein and grains, but this rule isn't hard and fast, just a general guideline.) That said, beans and whole grains (quinoa, brown rice, wild rice, barley, millet, etc.-- just to name a few!) can be prepared ahead of time and put together with any combination of vegetables, which can be grilled. As I'm sure you can assume, this leads to a WIDE variety of options for the final product, and it can really be catered to any craving that may present itself! See? Who needs meat to make a satisfying meal anyways? :)

For our first annual grilling, I may have gone a bit overboard on variety, I admit. (But really, is there such a thing?) However, it's that time of year where I'm voracious for the start-up of our local farmer's market, so it was all-too easy to overindulge on fresh spring produce when shopping at a small local grocer offering so many options! For my vegetable medley, I included zucchini, potatoes (creamer and Yukon gold), carrots, okra (a first both my husband and me), summer squash, sweet vidalia onions, green beans, and a few cloves of garlic. I coated the lot in a few tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil (just enough so everything was coated evenly) and seasoned with garlic powder (one can never use too much garlic!), red and black pepper, dried tomato, oregano, and a dash of sea salt. Since I'm new to grilling vegetables, I wanted to keep it relatively straightforward to start out, with intentions to increase the spice profile in complexity in the future.

In order to keep the vegetables separated from the grill (which has contact with the meat), I placed them in a grill skillet (as you can see below the bowl in the picture above). We left them uncovered, occasionally flipping them to ensure they were evenly cooked. In total, they were on the grill for about an hour. 


After all was said and done, the flavor was fine (perhaps desiring a bit more, but that is to be expected when simple and straightforward is the initial seasoning goal), though some of the vegetables were bit undercooked for my liking. I think in the future, I will cover the grill skillet with foil to trap heat in and perhaps cut the vegetables smaller. There are plenty of options for improvement here, and after all is said and done (and eaten), I remain hopeful for what this sets the foundation for.


All in all, the experiment was a success. I enjoy projects like this, as it reaffirms that cooking/baking/preparing food isn't some mysterious, inaccessible alchemy; rather, it is based around experiential growth and learning, evaluation and revision. With an open mind and perceptive eye, anyone can do it, no matter how simple or complex the intended outcome. For me, this was the first step outside of the vegetarian-griller's-processed-soy-patty rut I found myself in last summer; it was an active, approachable endeavor that shall kindly segue into many more of the same this summer, I'm sure. 


Thank you once more for reading, and feel free to comment/e-mail with some of your favorite recipes for the grill! Happy start of summer to you all.


with metta, 
Charlot

*I don't want to put forth the impression that I think badly of veggie burgers-- in fact, I usually keep some in my freezer for those pop-up grilling get-togethers summer is so notorious for. However, when meals are given the opportunity for premeditation, I now try to think outside the box a bit, as I've learned that processed soy (tofu, veggie burgers, any other "fake meat" products) should be indulged in only on occasion. While they are a FANTASTIC and tasty alternative to meat-based burgers (great for the transitioning vegetarian), the fact still stands that they are incredibly processed and lacking in the nutrition any whole food product could offer.