Pistol Packin’ Lip Smackin’ Vegan BBQ Skewers - Kabobs

The 4^th is almost here.  So what do Americans do?  Barbecue, of course.  How about vegans?  Well, you can bbq corn on the cob, chopped salad, some quinoa… wait a minute … chopped salad?  quinoa?  That won’t work on a grill.  Let’s start all over.  How about some mouthwatering skewers with veg “chicken”?  No, no, no, not the spongy, flavorless stuff you might have tried in the past.  As you’ll see, with a few simple tweets you’ll them tastin’ lip smackin’ good.  So let’s fire up the grill and go. 

Choose ingredients for the skewers.  Here are some ideas: 

Cherry tomatoes                         Onions                             Bell peppers                       

Mushrooms                                Fresh pineapples               Fresh Mango                   

Fresh peaches                           Zucchini

Vegan “chicken” (you can substitute tofu, for you hardcore vegans)      

 

These are the ingredients I usually use.  If you come up with any outside the box suggestions... shoot ‘em to me. 

Soak bamboo skewers in water or oil your metal skewers.  Soaking bamboo skewers helps to prevent them from burning.  Cut your ingredients, keeping in mind cooking times.  I keep the same ingredient on each skewer, that way they cook more uniformly.  The drawback is the presentation isn’t as fabulous and you lose some of the benefit of flavors incorporating together as they cook.  If you choose to vary your ingredients on each skewer, try cutting them according to cooking time.  (i.e. Don’t put huge chunks of onions with your cherry tomatoes and mushrooms.  They won’t cook evenly.) 

Beyond Meat Grilled Chicken-Free Strips

Prep your vegan “chicken”.  I use either Vege USA’s “chicken” strips or Beyond Meat’s grilled “chicken” strips.  Gardein will work too.  Cut the “chicken” into skewer sized pieces.  Now you have two options.  You can choose the fast n easy way or knock’em out by adding an extra step.

Fast n Easy:  Place your “chicken” pieces in a bowl and pour marinade on top.  Stir around the piece until well coated.  Put pieces on skewers. 

Knock Out:  Pan fry the “chicken” in a light oil (I like safflower or sunflower oil).  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Cook until lightly browned.  Throw in a splash of apple cider vinegar.  Stir around and take off heat.  Skewer pieces and smoother them in marinade.

Take veggie skewers and smother on the marinade.  I like to use bbq sauce, sweet and sour, or my mom and sister use a basic marinade – olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt & pepper.  Middle Easterners are famous for their kabobs, so why not try a sauce that incorporates Middle Eastern flavors and spices.  Other go to sauces - teriyaki, Jamaican jerk, … hell, try throwing on some mojo sauce or use your imagination and make your own creation

Put the skewers on the grill and remember to turn them.  Watch you “chicken” skewers carefully, you don’t want them to dry out or burn.  Cooking the “chicken” over an open flame takes away the yak (the term Craig uses when the “meat” tastes too soy).  When they begin to char, take them off the grill.  I serve my skewers on a bed of rice.  You can also serve them on a baguette for a sandwich with some spread.