How to Feed a Vegetarian: Summer Barbecue Edition

By Beth

I've been a vegetarian for about ten years now.  It isn't really that big a deal, everybody chooses their own diet and mine does not include meat.  It does however, sometimes pose a problem for kind and friendly people who would like to invite me for dinner.  In case you ever find yourself wondering what to feed a vegetarian, I'm going to give you some suggestions.

First off, since I have Spring on the brain this week, we are going to talk about the big summer barbecue. Burgers!  Hot dogs!  Ribs!  Vegetarian nightmare, right?  Well, it can be, but it doesn't have to be.  Start with throwing a couple of veggie burgers on the grill.  Those thing are actually good, I promise.  I'm partial to the Morningstar Farms spicy black bean burgers, myself.  Or, skip the veggie burgers and grill some portobello mushrooms.  All you need to know about portobellos is that, prior to cooking, you need to turn those bad boys over and scrape off the black gills with a spoon.

Next up is side dishes.  These are usually pretty vegetarian friendly, just leave the bacon out of the baked beans or warn your vegetarian guests about it.  Or, if you need some inspiration, try this delicious and easy edamame salad:

1 cup shelled edamame (soybeans)
2 cups corn, cut from kernel or frozen
1/4 cup minced red onion
1 small tomato, finely chopped
1 jalapeno, minced
1 tsp fresh lime juice
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, mashed to a paste
2 Tbsp chopped cilantro salt and pepper to taste

Now - get out there and invite a vegetarian to dinner!

Comments

[abby]

I'm a vegetarian as well...I almost always bring a frozen veggie burger in my purse. :)

[Shoe Lush]

Thanks for this recipe! I have two bags of frozen edamame in the freezer and now I know what to do with some of it.

Also, I am flirting (as Alicia Silverstone would say) with going vegetarian (and possibly vegan) for health issues so any vegetarian recipes you'd like to share, please send them my way.

[Kate]

@abby - Me too!