Summer, just like any other season, has it's own challenges to present to the green crowd. There's the everlasting debate between taking your yearly road-trip and obeying the smog warning signs, the pungent reminder of pollution when you dip your toes in the river, and, as always, the BBQ. Social eating abounds in the summer, and it can certainly be a challenge to those trying to go vegetarian or vegan for the environment. While there may not be any turkey dinners to pick your way around, there is the 4th of July, and many delightful parties and BBQs, for which no official holiday was ever necessary.
With the summer heat steadily squelching down my good judgement, nostalgia seems to inch itself closer and closer to taking over all the solid food choices I make throughout the rest of the year. For so many years, summer was all about icecream cones, hot dogs at the baseball game, strip steak straight off the grill... well, you get the picture. The memories of summer have a power unlike that of any other season, the power to tempt you abandon your striving towards veganism and just eat that icecream... *embarrassed cough*...I mean, c'mon! It's only for a couple weeks, really, and it's wicked hot outside!
Since my unconscious seems to always plot against me when faced with tasty treats under the glaring sun, I decided to get a jump on it this year, and ready my foodalicious battle plan before my friends kicked me out from in front of the fan and my brain went back to mush. So, with my nostalgia meals beating a steady tattoo against my skull, I set off for the grocery store to look for crave-worthy vegan BBQ staples.
These days, even conventional chain grocery stores are rife with environmentally-friendly, vegan summer possibilities... not to mention air-conditioning! Fruity popsicles are always a winner, and those awesome tofutti cuties are a soy alternative that even your carnivorous friends will enjoy. I recommend the chocolate ones, myself. On a recent trip to whole foods, I also discovered several freezer cases full of regular soy icecream for those of you who enjoy the traditional bowl and spoon. There is even a chocolate peanut butter fudge option (made with coconut milk!) that is to die for.
Since avoiding calorie-tastic desserts has become quite second-nature to me, my real challenge is to keep myself on the vegan train at the ever-popular summer BBQ. Therefore, finding alternatives for the temptingest BBQ treats was the first item on my battle plan. The easiest option I've always found, politeness-wise, is to simply organize the BBQ yourself, and have it at your home. You never know what others are going to think if they invite you to a BBQ and you wind up bringing your own food. It can get awkward, trust me.
I figured this vegan BBQ party needed a test-run before I gave it the OK, so I set about the usual preparations: writing a menu, a grocery list, and, most importantly, inviting friends. Now, if you're a burger and hot dog fan, things are pretty easy nowadays. There are quite a few different soy and garden burger options out there; it just takes a bit of experimentation with brands and toppings to find the right combination for you. As far as soy dogs go, my favorite are actually Trader Joe's Italian Sausage-less Sausage. The spices add a little bit more of a 'normal' look to the sausage, so they don't give the impression of being made of play dough, like some soy products sometimes do. However, tofurky dogs, Smart Dogs, and Yves' Meatless Jumbo Dogs are always sure to please. Personally, I just picked up a couple packages of Sausage-less Sausage, a few portobello mushrooms for grilled mushroom burgers, and called it that.
Potato salad is an American BBQ staple, and it doesn't have to be eliminated. I made some Vegan Potato Salad, which ended up going over quite well, if I do say so myself.
The last thing to go on the grill was my trusty grill wok. Slice up some onions and peppers into that baby (organic, naturally!), and you're good to go. The grilled vegetables give the array on the table a bit more of a gourmet feel, and it will indicate to those who cringe at the words "tofu dog" the impression that they're about to enjoy something a little bit more exciting than just a regular burnt flesh popsicle... and you don't have to feel like you're deceiving them. After all, they really are going to enjoy them!
Even if you aren't normally a vegetarian or a vegan, a vegan BBQ can be a fun experiment. There are many myths about veganism being difficult, unhealthy, or even just plain gross, and it can be fun expel those myths with friends and beer over that time honored summer staple: the grill.
So go ahead carnivores, have a Green BBQ. It won't kill ya, and it might even make you feel just that much better about zooming past all those smog warning signs on your way to cool down by the river.
