Vegan Miscellanies

Vacation, Grilled Food, and a Place in the Hammer

I only get a couple of vacation weeks a year, so I took my first week off the last week of April. Jihan managed to get the same week off, and we had both business and pleasure to take care of during that week. We did the pleasure part first, going up to a small rented cottage in Minden, Ontario, with our bikes on the back of the car. Friday and the weekend we used to look for a new place in Hamilton, our old hometown.

Though vacation week, after a sunny, summery week, turned out to be fairly cool, we did manage to get a little cycling and hiking done.

A lot of people neither like to engage in physical activities like cycling and hiking during their vacations, nor spend much time cooking for themselves. For them vacations are about complete relaxation. We like to be active in nature and get creative with our cooking.

Because of the somewhat cool and wet weather, and the barbecue's unsheltered location, we decided to use our electric CuisinArt griddle and grill for coconut milk pancakes (like the coconut milk crepes, only a little thicker) in the morning and wonderful grilled creations in the evening.

One evening I grilled up some veggie burgers, giant mushrooms (size and shape like portobello, but white), and sliced zucchini. I put the grilled veggie burgers and barbecue-slathered giant mushrooms inside rosemary ciabatta buns (grilled lightly after putting on vegan mayonnaise), together with mustard, slices of vegan jalapeno cheese, organic kosher-dill pickles, onion, and fresh tomato. On the side we had the grilled zucchini and a simple baby spinach and red bell pepper salad. Jihan made the salad and the dressing that went with it.

Another evening I grilled sweet corn on the cob, more veggie burgers, and barbecued veggie kebabs made of  king oyster mushroom, onion, zucchini and red bell pepper slices. I drizzled extra virgin olive oil over the kebabs as they grilled, before basting them with barbecue sauce. On the corn on the cob we simply put a little unsalted margarine and sea salt.

Also in Minden, we discovered a cafe that, while neither entirely vegetarian nor vegan, was owned and operated by a young woman and her father who were very open and willing to veganise dishes. I'll write about the Gravity House Cafe Coffee House separately.

After we returned from the cottage we spent a couple of days in Hamilton to look for a new place. The hammer, as it's sometimes called, is our old hometown, and it happens to be halfway between where I work and where Jihan will study in the coming year. I'm sure the new place in Hamilton will be referenced on this blog in the coming months, as will the city itself.

Grilled Portobello and Tofu Sandwich with Grilled Veggies

Though this was a wonderfully delicious and juicy meal, there was one element missing -- greens, either leafy or sprouted. We simply didn't have them at hand when stomach and taste buds began shouting orders.

Throw some veggies (your choice) on a very hot grill. After a couple of minutes, turn them over, squirt a little water over them and cover with a pot lid to steam for a few more minutes. Sprinkle a little sesame oil over now grilled and steamed vegetables. Mix well, then take off grill and set aside.

Cut stem off mushrooms and place caps, upside down, on grill along with slabs of tofu. After a few minutes, turn mushroom caps and tofu slabs over to grill other side. Evenly cover grilled side of both mushrooms and tofu with hoisin sauce (for those who don't like the sweetness of hoisin, a good barbeque sauce works just as well). Turn over and cover other side with sauce. When both sides are evenly covered in sauce and heated through, remove from grill.

Enjoy in a sandwich with vegan mayonnaise, grilled onions and greens. Dig in and get messy.  These babies are juicy! The grilled veggies are great on the side.