What do you give your non-meat eating friends when you invite them to a barbecue? Before, I would assume they are doomed to sides, unable to fully enjoy the experience. Now I know better, of course, and am having a good time eating and running experiments this barbecue season.
The first thing I tried are simple vegetable skewers. Thinly-sliced vegetables in a lemony marinade with some spices. I loved how the sides catch and get really crispy! The final version of this included halloumi. I even made a few of them and sent it with Markus when he went on a camping weekend with the boys earlier this month.
Next is a tofu version of the Middle Eastern shish taouk. I really love its charred, chunky, proper barbecue look. I have not been to the Middle East actually, but I am very interested in their food. All the spices seem fascinating! I suppose Turkey is the most manageable destination, not too far from Germany, but we’ll see how that goes.
The third meal in the gallery is a pulled jackfruit barbecue. It is so tasty, honestly. I remembered enjoying pulled pork in another life but have always found it too heavy. This jackfruit version has all the flavor but none of the drag. Also featured in the photo is chana masaala. Both are in lunch boxes that we ended up eating at home.
We enjoy eating these barbecue-themed meals with homemade naan with lots of garlic swimming in butter.
You may notice that all our barbecues are all made from whole food, too. It is a conscious choice. While plant-based meat alternatives are accessible and convenient, they are not appealing to me since I try to make an effort to limit processed food. Fortunately, there is nothing that can’t be asked of vegetables, tofu, mushrooms, and spices!
Apart from barbecue, we have been eating lighter meals in general because of the heat. We reach 38° C on some days! I hope it is a little bit better where you are.
Here, I have simple pasta with wild mushrooms (the first Pfifferlinge of the season!), Asian-inspired lemon tofu, and my version of the German classic Jaeger Schnitzel but with lovely oyster mushrooms.
I get my mushrooms from this one specialized stall at the Farmer’s Market and they have all sorts of cool things that they grow themselves. I have so many questions to ask but my rickety German is unable to do so. Schade.
Speaking of the market, I am crushing really hard on flat peaches. They are so sweet and odd-looking. Also, we do not have them in The Ph. The closest I can think of is mabolo but it is totally different.
Markus has been getting me into cherries, too. Back home, the only cherries I know are the shockingly-red preserved kind in this hideous syrup. I am glad to know that the fresh ones are a real treat! We buy them from this other specialized stall in the market, the cherries grown from a place out of town that is well-known for it. There is always a queue!
Finally, I have this cake screaming summer made with lemons, blueberries, yogurt, and mint. The original recipe used thyme but I suppose it is open to interpretation. I have made it three times in the last three weeks. It is just that good!
And can we really talk about summer without having tomatoes? Plump, red orbs that smell of everything nice in the world. Last month, Markus’ parents treated us to a trip to Bamberg where we had ravioli at a nice rose garden. It was so fresh and light and lovely and I thought I could give it a try.
I was intimidated like hell though – no equipment and everything from scratch. Fortunately, I found this recipe and used its techniques as an inspiration for my version. I am proud to say I finally managed to make ravioli from scratch, after thinking about it for forever!
The first is the ravioli from the restaurant and the second is my home version. It is stuffed with ricotta, Alpen cheese, and mozzarella. I did not have parmesan this time but it still turned out so tasty with a quick and chunky fresh tomato sauce.
In future versions, I am really interested in trying a mushroom and squash filling because I remember enjoying that many years ago at a historic hotel in The Ph on a quick holiday with one of my best friends. Perhaps a project for the Fall.
Seasonal eating is so much fun! Also, it can be cheaper – not always, but I feel like we are getting so much value out of the food we buy. So what have you been eating this summer?
Markus + Micah 
It all sounds wonderful except for the jackfruit, which reminds me too much of meat when I tried it! Your cooking sounds a lot like mine: try something at a restaurant and rush home to recreate it! I have been enjoying a lot of glazed tempeh, and even my life partner likes it. We also like tofu scrambles – with the right veggies & spices, they are unbelievably good. Maybe we can cook together if you visit the American Southwest! 🌞
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I feel you. Once I made tofu bolognese and it was very close to the real thing it was hard to eat. Glazed tempeh sounds wonderful. What’s the glaze? And yes to cooking together, OMG that would be heaven. I love everything about food – for me it is the ultimate expression of love and sharing it with people is a joy.
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We must be soul sisters, Micah, bc I feel the same ways about food! The tempeh is cut into small cubes & fried in coconut oil prior to the glaze being added. The glaze is a combo of fresh orange juice, fresh ginger & garlic, tamari, mirin, maple syrup, & ground coriander. Squeeze some lime juice on it after removing from heat & top with chopped cilantro. I wish I could say it is my recipe, but it came from Heidi at 101 Cookbooks. 🌞
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Oh that sounds yum! And I would love to be your soul sister. The idea makes me smile real big! I discovered tempeh in Bali years back. In the Ph, it is not a thing. In Germany, it is available from our Asian store. I have to say I don’t cook tempeh much but you inspire me to add it to our dailies!
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Everything looks soooo delicious!!
Fruit is also god grilled, esp peaches and pineapple. I’v seen watermelon grilled and usedxlike steak but have never tried it – seems illogical to me.
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Thanks! One day, I will cook for you. Markus shares the same thought, doesn’t want to cook fresh fruit, but I am open to it if they are not ripe or sweet.
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Well, a quick grill – enough to get char marks – means the sugars carmelize. So they’re sweeter but a different flavor. Check youtube!
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Yes, I’m definitely interested. Can imagine grilled pineapple!
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Grilled pineapple + teriyaki sauce on a burger (beef or mushroom) is amazing!!
Grilled peaches are good on salad or vanilla ice cream!
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I have been dying to try grilled peaches! My favorites are these flat, really fragrant peaches and they are so tasty I always eat them all before managing to experiment.
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I don’t think I’ve seen flat peaches. I was off peaches for decades after eating too many but now I like them again.
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They’re my favorite! Preferred over regular peaches that can sometimes be disappointing. We always get our flat peaches from the farmer’s market and they’re never disappointing. I love them so much.
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I am drooling. You food are so delicious. I want to be one of your vegetarian guests. I think online friends can be invited to vicariously eat food too in a party, right?
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Yes, 100%! I really wish I can cook for everyone. It’s a joy for me and hopefully for the guests, too. What is your favorite veg dish?
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I think I eat bean soup a lot. LOL. I especially like red bean soup.
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How do you cool red bean soup? I really want to add more beans into our diet.
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I soak them overnight and then use instant pot for 15 minutes. It becomes very mushy and I just add sweetener. Sorry I am not a good cook. LOL. I do the minimum only. I think some people would add dates, lotus seed (without the bitter center) and make a soup out of it, but I am too lazy…
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I think a good cook will do the least steps for max flavor. Simple recipes are the best. Thank you!
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All of this looks really good, Micah! I make channa masala at least twice a month.
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Thanks! Have you tried adding other vegetables in?
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I’ve only used tomatoes. I’ve thought about using potatoes.
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I want to go all in next time and add eggplants, zucchini, and whatever I have. Will let you know how that goes!
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That sounds really good!
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Oh my goodness all your food photos looks so delicious! And the grilled tofu and jackfruit look just like meat! I’m sure everyone, meat-eaters and vegetarians alike had a fantastic time. 🙂
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I find yours inspire me a lot. And yes, much of plant-based food rely on technique so there is texture and umami. Then it is always a pleasure to eat.
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😭 Thank you!! Yes, there truly is an art to preparing vegan food, especially when it’s intended to replace meat’s flavor and texture.
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Everything looks delicious! I love barbecue. I’m having to eat healthier…doctor’s orders. Low carb, no sugar, that sort of thing. I’ve discovered I like Stevia. AND HUMMUS with pita chips! In other words, I’m expanding my culinary tastes. So what exactly does jackfruit taste like? Hopefully, not chicken. lol. Mona
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I hope you are feeling better, Mona! I’m not sure how well I can do a low sugar diet. Jackfruit doesn’t have taste, it’s more of a texture, at least the unripe jackfruit is. The ripe yellow ones are really sweet and are made into dessert in the Ph.
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Everything looks so delicious! I have never tried jackfruit but I’ve heard that it can be used as a pretty good meat substitute! Lately I have also tried to limit the amount of processed food and meat that I eat, and I love all the possibilities that there are! I’ve also been loving flat peaches this summer, somehow the ones that I find at the supermarket are delicious (which is usually not the case)! Glad you’r enjoying summer and trying out so many new recipes!
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Maybe I can cook a jackfruit dish for you when I visit Belgium. Haha. Yes, I find veg cooking joyful and creative. Super glad you’re eating more whole food. I worry about this sometimes, as the veg industry is starting to get flooded with processed food. I mean, meat or not, processed food is processed food.
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Ahaha yes I would love to try jackfruit! I reallt have zero idea what it tastes like 😂 I am also quite worried about the increasing number of processed everything… hopefully here things are a bit regulated by the EU but still…
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“Yumbo gumbo, itty bitty tumbo,” as we like to say in our family – in other words, the food it looks pretty good to me 😊
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Looks like a line from Alice in Wonderland. I love it!
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😊😊😊
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“We enjoy eating these barbecue-themed meals with homemade naan with lots of garlic swimming in butter.” Oh, oh! Me, too! I would be thrilled to partake of one of your meals!
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I really wish I can cook for you, Rebecca. Maybe one day when we make it in that part of the world!
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Your vegetarian friends are lucky to have you cooking for them.
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Wow! Looks so lovely!
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Thank you. It is fun to cook and try out new ways of eating things. There is so much versatility in mushrooms, tofu, and vegetables that makes cooking exciting for me.
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Everything looks healthy and delicious. 😋 A beautiful presentation, too!
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Many thanks, Michele. Food is an expression of love, isn’t it? And it gives me joy to share it. If only I can feed the world!
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You are welcome. I wholeheartedly agree! 💗
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Wow. That all looks fabulous. You will have to share some recipes!
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Thank you. I linked to those I followed but you can let me know if you are particularly interested in anything so I can share. Cooking is so much fun, isn’t it?
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I’m not vegetarian, but these sound delicious and I want to try them!
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Fair enough – delicious is delicious! What have you been eating this summer in your region?
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I always do a lot of salads in the summer when it’s hot. This week I made a pasta salad. A couple weeks ago I made a salad with cucumber, tomato, basil, and peaches (weird combo, but it was so so good!)
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Does not sound weird at all! I am in love with peaches on salads, too. I am enjoying them here a lot because we don’t have peaches in The Ph.
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Your food photos are always phenomenal. Homemade ravioli!! Wow!
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Thank you, Anne. I try to take the photo fast so the food does not get cold. Do you take photos of your food in restaurants? I feel so proud of myself for finally making ravioli. I have always wanted to but have been so intimidated. I guess it is okay to make it from scratch if I am just making four plates of ravioli but it is another story if it is for six people.
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I admire you for making ravioli from scratch. Most impressive!
Sometimes I take photos of food in restaurants. I’m more likely to take shots of the people I’m with.
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Thank you. Markus really liked it. I tried freezing some to see how well that goes and it was okay. Maybe next time I can make more. Seems like a nice convenient food to have.
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Hi Micah, unfortunately we’re not ones for BBQ’s! In the distant past every time we got the BBQ out the weather always turned and we’d be running for cover! Picnics we always enjoy, though, but that is a different scenario! I don’t think we’d last very long in your temperatures, or those in the south of England where we used to live. Here we had 2 very HOT days recently but generally it’s been cooler with the usual wind and rain off the Atlantic!
YOUR cooking and BBQs sound and look delicious. I’m impressed by your homemade naan and your ricotta! Love Italian food! Oh, must stop thinking about food; I’m trying to lose a bit of weight. Actually, I’ll stop there as it’s now my time for Qi Gong. 🙏 Great to know that you’re settling down in Germany! Lovely to read this post. Say Hi to Marcus! 🌹🙋♂️
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Actually, I make these in the oven – so much easier and less smoke. I guess the weather is problematic everywhere. Sigh. Someone solve this climate crisis please. What is fresh in your market atm? He says hi back and hoping thr Qi Gong was super!
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All looks mouth wateringly delicious 😋
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Hi Alison, thank you. Cooking is therapeutic for me, also gets my brain going. I forgot where I heard this, but someone said it is easy to make meat taste good but you have to be thoughtful and creative to make nice plant-based meals. For me, I like recreating meals I enjoyed either from the past with meat or something recent from a restaurant. What are some of your favorite ingredients or meals?
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I think that’s true Micah with meat unless you are making a casserole with different bases. We eat a lot of fish and sometimes I coat it in breadcrumbs and fry or baked in the oven with tomatoes and onions. My husband loves stir fried veg so we have that three or four times a week. He loves tofu so will have to go back and look at your recipe 🙂
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Sounds delicious! We are big on eggs and stir-fries, too. I can recommend fitgreenmind on Instagram and YouTube for tofu recipes. They are easy to follow and also tasty. I got the shish taouk from her.
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Thanks will take a look 🙂
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