Dry Rub with Spices
Vegetables can handle strong, assertive spices. Mix up a harissa spice mix, use some Za’atarans, grab a barbeque powder, and rub it into whole heirloom carrots, cauliflower chunks, slabs of zucchini, and baby Bella mushrooms.
Marinade
Vegetables absorb flavors beautifully. If marinated ahead of time, you’ll have little preparation for servicing them at the table. A two-hour marinade in spices, lemon juice, and coriander, followed by a hot sear in the oven is, by far, one of the most amazing dishes you could serve!
Brine
This is a technique rarely associated with vegetables. Brining can soften the tough center of vegetables that may ordinarily take too long to cook on the grill, such as radishes, beets, cabbage, and carrots. A brine of rice vinegar, sugar, salt, and aromatics (a combination of veggies, herbs, and healthy fats like coconut milk) infuses the veggies with character while jump-starting the cooking process.
Grill or Smoke
To make meat-like vegetables, grill or smoke them indirectly at a low heat temperature (200 degrees) over charcoal and wood chips for a glorious smoky flavor. Potatoes, celery roots, broccoli, fennel, and carrots are especially ideal. A halved head of romaine, iceberg lettuce, or cabbage are particularly delectable on the grill!
This is a great start to a culinary exploration of replacing animal meats with healthier alternatives and a comfortable meat-like experience.
It could very well give you the boost you need to live a healthier lifestyle without feeling like you’re missing out on anything!