Vegan diets are on the rise in Australia, with many people choosing to cut out animal products for sustainability, ethical or health reasons. However, this doesn't mean having to forgo the quintessential Australian event - A summer BBQ.  Here are some simple ideas and recipe for when you want to throw a shiitake on the barbie! 

 

In light of our (hilarious) pun let's start with mushrooms. Shrooms come in lots of different varieties, are packed with nutrients such as potassium, magnesium and B vitamins and most types have a (dare we say it?) meaty texture when grilled on the BBQ. You can choose a larger variety such as Portobello and use it to make a burger or barbecue smaller types with some garlic and olive oil as a side dish. 

Vegetable burgers, sausages... and everything else you can think of

You can find some great plant based options for BBQ's in the supermarket. Keep in mind these aren't all made equal and it's worth checking the ingrediants list to make sure there aren't too many artificial preservatives or fillers in them.

 

 

Slices of tofu or tempeh grill perfectly on the barbecue and you can add a squeeze of lemon and dash of salt and pepper for extra zest - just like you would with a fillet of white fish. 

 

 

After lots of trial and error I have concluded that asparagus and thinly sliced zucchini are the best to cook on the barbecue. Other options that are tasty but take a bit longer to cook through are sweet potato slices, eggplant, capsicum, onion, corn and broccolini. 

 

 

Combine some or all of the above mentioned vegetables and tofu or tempeh on a skewer and enjoy a delicious, nutritious grilled feast! Just cut the vegetables and tofu up into small, bite sized pieces and feed onto the skewer, grill for 5-10 minutes and enjoy! 

 

For more plant based recipes check out In The ZONE