Garden Experiment - It has survived!

So, along with my food posts, I am also updating the blog with my very unprofessional, experimental foray into gardening. There has been no formal research about this tiny, crowded raised box garden, and I haven't even solicited free advice from local green thumbs. Nope, I am just wingin' it. I grew all of these from seed and transplanted them into this make-shift garden box. So far, zucchini and red leaf lettuce seem to be the most robust, but I am holding out for the tomatoes and pray for the hot peppers! Here is shot of the baby garden and the tender shoots while Baci, my cat lurks around the perimeter.

The Grill is Not Just for Men Who Love Meat!

It is definitely spring. The azalea's are bursting into bloom and the thick winter grass is in need of some serious TLC. It is that tentative moment before the heat of summer when we venture outdoors without the bulky winter coats, pale skin exposed to the long missed warmth, allergies reminding us that the world is a buzz with life. Yes, spring is a happenin' time, and nothing marks its coming more for me than the smokey aroma of the outdoor grill. Yes, you read me right, I mean that classic contraption cultivated for men's culinary carnivorous delight (excuse the excessive alliteration!). Ahem, well, I am here to tell you that the grill can be vegan BBQ friendly, and it may even get some of your grillmasters to leave some room by the flame for zucchini, asparagus or squash. Ladies who love veggies, listen up, the grill is your new BFF!

Forget the mysterious hot dog, or the oh-so-boring meat pattie, slap on some of your favorite vegetables and maybe some hot tempeh and people will be asking to take a bite off of your plate. For my first spring BBQ, I marinated some tempeh steaks as hot as I dared and added a basket full of crisp sides. If you don't have a grill, then a grill pan will work just as well, but you'll miss out on all the fun of being outside!

Vegan BBQ
1 package tempeh
1 red pepper cut into small pieces
1 onion cut into quarters or eighths
1 asparagus
1 medium squash cut into spears
1 large tomato

Marinade: 1/2 C red wine, 2 T soy sauce, 3/4 C hot sauce, 2 T lime juice, 3 garlic cloves pressed

1. Cut the tempeh to half of its width. Thinner slices will soak up the flavor better. Cut the thin sides into four rectangle steaks. Marinate for about an hour or longer. *
2. While the tempeh is marinating, cut up all your vegetables and sprinkle them with olive oil, salt and pepper. Skewer some if desired.
   
3. Warm up your grill and let it go for about 1/2 hr until it is smouldering and hot.
4. Place everything on the grill. Note that the peppers, onions and tempeh will take the longest, so I tend to put those in the middle, and then gradually add the tomatoes, squash or zucchini and asparagus. I also like really charred things so I leave everything on the grill until it is black and juicy in the vegetable's case, crispy for tempeh.
   

Enjoy this! What is better than eating a plate full of charred vegetables and super hot tempeh outside? Nothing.





* If you are not used to tempeh, you might want to boil it in water or steam it for about 10 minutes as this takes away some of the bitterness. I tend to like the stronger flavor of tempeh so I don't do this step. You could also easily marinate tofu steaks as well.