This dessert was absolutely fabulous, and a great end to our vegetarian grilling adventure. I used my new juicer and some really delicious fresh oranges, and I think it made all the difference (so shy away from the ol’ Tropicana if you can). We served this with some vanilla frozen yogurt, and it was heavenly!
Combine first 6 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add apple slices; seal and marinate in refrigerator 1 to 2 hours, turning bag occasionally.
Prepare grill.
Remove apple from bag, reserving marinade. Place apple slices on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 3 minutes on each side, turning and basting frequently with reserved marinade. Arrange apple slices on a platter; drizzle with any remaining marinade.
For our vegetarian/grilled dinner party, I served these kebabs as the entree. The marinade was great, but unfortunately the tofu didn’t seem to really absorb much of it. Perhaps a longer marinating period would help?
We ommitted the rice, since we were having a bunch of other food, but we added some sweet potato cubes (par-cooked) to the skewers and they were actually the tastiest part of the dish.
Preheat oven to 375°.
Arrange tofu in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 25 minutes or until tofu releases 3 or more tablespoons liquid.
Prepare grill.
Combine chopped onion and next 8 ingredients (through garlic) in a large bowl. Add tofu, mushrooms, and onion wedges; toss gently to coat. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.
While tofu and vegetables marinate, prepare rice. Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan; stir in rice. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Stir in raisins and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Let stand 5 minutes; fluff with a fork.
Remove tofu and vegetables from bowl; discard marinade. Thread tofu cubes, mushrooms, and onion wedges alternately onto 8 (6-inch) skewers. Lightly coat kebabs with cooking spray; sprinkle with remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt. Place kebabs on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 4 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Serve with rice.
One of our favorite couples to go out with has a big problem – the Mrs. is a vegetarian. I know what you’re thinking – they must be VERY cool for us to hang out with them in spite of such a glaring personality flaw. 😉
I kid, of course. We wanted to have this dynamic duo over, so I took on not one but TWO culinary challenges. First, I would make sure the meal was both vegetarian AND delicious. And second, since the weather was warming up nicely, I would make sure that every course – including dessert – had some sort of grilled component.
This was the appetizer I served, and it was very light and refreshing. For those of you who are not fennel fans, have no fear – caramelizing it with the onions mellows it out significantly. Plus, there is so much good stuff going on in this salad, you won’t taste any licorice-esque flavors at all.
Prepare grill to medium heat.
Cut eggplant crosswise into 8 (1/2-inch-thick) slices. Lightly coat both sides of eggplant slices with cooking spray; sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Place on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 7 minutes on each side or until browned. Set eggplant slices aside.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add fennel and onion; sauté 8 minutes or until vegetables are tender and lightly browned.
Combine remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, arugula, vinegar, and oil in a medium bowl; toss gently to coat. Divide arugula mixture evenly among 8 appetizer plates; top each serving with 1 eggplant slice. Arrange about 1/3 cup fennel mixture on each eggplant slice; top with 2 tablespoons tomatoes and 1 tablespoon cheese. Sprinkle the chopped basil and thyme evenly over cheese.