In the heat of summer, AKA grilling season, vegetarians and other health-conscious eaters shouldn’t get left out in the cold. Not only are there plenty of wholesome choices for grilling, some of those options are delicious super foods that may have many more traditional eaters reaching for them, too.
Sure it’s quick and easy to throw some Hebrew Nationals on the grill when you’re serving those who want to stay away from pork and artificial ingredients. Given that they’re tasty, 100% kosher beef franks with no fillers or artificial anything, Hebrew Nationals are a healthier alternative to traditional hotdogs. But would you want to eat them at every single cookout? Besides, vegetarians won’t go near them. So why not consider these alternatives?
Falafel is a Middle Eastern delight, consisting of seasoned balls or patties primarily made from chickpeas (garbanzo beans). A terrific vegetarian source of protein, chickpeas are also high in fiber, minerals, and vitamins. Falafel is most often deep fried and served warm in pita bread with cucumbers, lettuce, tomatoes, and tahini (sesame seed paste).
Falafel readily lends itself to the grill, and can be made from scratch or purchased as a mix (with the caveat that any processing will lower the nutritional value). The sesame seeds, from which the tahini is made, are rich in protein and nutrients. Tahini can be made from scratch as well or purchased by the jar at ethnic markets or in the ethnic food aisle of grocery stores. Delicious and satisfying when served right off the grill in the traditional manner, falafel is also easy to adapt to your taste by adding eggplant and peppers to the mix of vegetables you serve with it, or swapping the tahini for some hot sauce or your favorite pickle relish.
Veggie burgers get a bad rap from those who’ve never tried them, but aficionados know how splendid they can be. They’re filling and flavorful, and there are many pre-made kinds available for purchase. But you may want to make some of your own using one of the plethora of fantastic recipes available online. Try using legumes, another excellent vegetarian source of protein, to create hearty and nourishing fare. Legumes, such as beans and lentils, are low in fat, free of cholesterol, and high in folate (which helps with new cell development) and several important minerals.
Consider preparing and grilling some black bean and quinoa burgers. Between the black beans and the quinoa, they pack a powerful one-two punch of protein. Quinoa, while generally thought of and used like a grain, is actually a seed, making it gluten free. It’s also a complete protein containing all the essential amino acids. There are many veggie burger recipes with variations on the black-bean-and-quinoa-as-main-ingredients theme. Some recipes call for sweet corn and chipotle, others call for sun-dried tomatoes or tomato paste, and still others call for sweet potatoes. This is your chance to experiment with different recipes and ingredients–perhaps you’ll come up with something no one else has tried!
Or, stick with the known by trying a recipe for one of the most famous veggie burgers recipes of all, Mollie Katzen’s lentil-walnut burgers. Lentils are high in cholesterol-lowering fiber, and walnuts are high in antioxidants and contain significant amounts of omega-3s, making the pairing an amazingly heart-healthy and tasty combination.
Katzen knows a thing or two about how to make appetizing vegetarian dishes; she’s one of the best-selling cookbook authors of all time. Her ground-breaking classic, “The Moosewood Cookbook,” from which her lentil-walnut burgers recipe is taken, has introduced countless chefs and wannabes to the delectable world of vegetarian cooking. Mollie Katzen’s recipe for lentil-walnut burgers: http://www.molliekatzen.com/recipes/recipe.php?recipe=lentil_walnut_burgers
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