Vegetable BBQ

Introduction

Grilled vegetables or salads are not the only veggie dishes that can appear at the BBQ party. There are more and more vegetable substitutes of meat prepared for grilling in the vegetarian version (e.g., soy sausages) available in stores. However, if we have more time, it is worth preparing your vegetarian dishes.

What vegetable products should you choose to make a veggie grill tasty and healthy?

The vegetarian grill should be not only tasty but also healthy. For this purpose, it is worth choosing products that will be a source of protein, dietary fiber, unsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, and polyphenols. At the same time, they should be low in saturated fatty acids, trans fats, sodium, and artificial additives (e.g., flavor enhancers). Below are some examples of products that are worth serving during a vegetable barbecue.

Vegetables

The choice of vegetables for the barbecue depends on our taste preferences. When vegetables are put directly on the grill or added to skewers, we often choose eggplant, pepper, and zucchini. On the other hand, tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, and arugula often appear in vegetable salads. Let’s check the health-promoting properties of the selected vegetables.

• Eggplant – its characteristic color is due to antioxidants. Thanks to their ability to neutralize free radicals, antioxidants protect us against aging, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. Eggplant also contains a lot of potassium – an element worth paying attention to during the holiday season because it is involved in regulating water and electrolyte balance.
• Peppers – a rich source of beta-carotene and vitamin C, two strong antioxidants. In addition, it provides dietary fiber, which helps maintain healthy body weight and has a positive effect on carbohydrate metabolism.
• Zucchini – it is easy to digest, so it does not burden our digestive tracts, like popular sausages or grilled pork neck. In addition, it is low in calories (100g provides about 16 kcal), and its delicate taste goes well with many products.
• Arugula – it is worth adding it to salads served with grilled dishes. In addition to giving a unique taste, it enriches them with calcium, folates, beta-carotene, and vitamin K.

Tofu

Tofu is a product well known to people who follow a vegetarian diet. Since it is made from soybeans, it is a good source of protein – an ingredient that should be paid special attention to in a vegetarian diet. What’s more, it is a source of isoflavones –  ingredients that can alleviate menopausal symptoms and also have anti-cancer properties.

Olives

When preparing grilled vegetarian dishes, it is worth reaching for olives (both green and black). They can be both an interesting addition to salads and skewers. Olives are a source of vitamin E and other compounds with antioxidant properties (including quercetin).

Ideas for grilled veggies

Vegetable dishes are not only vegetable salads. There are many more ideas for preparing meatless dishes.

• Marinated tofu – it works well as an addition to various dishes, e.g., vegetarian shashliks and salads. We will prepare the marinade in just a few minutes. We need soy sauce, rosemary, and chili peppers (we can also add other favorite spices to soy sauce).
• Vegetarian skewers – there are many ideas for preparing them. You can make them, for example, from marinated tofu, vegetables (eggplant, zucchini, shallots, peppers), olives, and mushrooms.
• Grilled sweet potatoes with yogurt and dill sauce – coat the sweet potato slices in olive oil mixed with your favorite spices, and then toss them on the grill. It is worth adding a homemade sauce to the grilled sweet potatoes, which you will make in a few minutes. Just mix yogurt with fresh dill, a little lemon juice, a pinch of salt and pepper. If you want to make a garlic sauce, add garlic squeezed through a press or granulated to the yogurt.
• Grilled stuffed champignons – stuff the mushrooms with a stuffing made of onion, garlic, ham, and parsley, and then put on the grill (preferably on special trays).

Summary

It’s a myth that grilled foods are limited to meat-based foods. There are many ideas for making a delicious and healthy veggie grill. We can choose from an increasing number of ready-made meat substitutes and prepare our own dishes (e.g., from vegetables, mushrooms, olives, tofu). Their preparation is not difficult at all, and there is a good chance that even the greatest carnivores will be delighted with their taste!