The Deliciousness of the Labor Day Weekend Cookout
Labor Day is quickly approaching. At least for me since I’ve been sidelined much of the summer. Gosh, this summer seemed no more than the blink of an eye. I, for one, am not ready to see the cold and dark days of winter. Not yet. In the meantime, we do get to celebrate the last official weekend of the summer. And in true American style, it is not a celebration without the summer favorites that we can enjoy.
Times being what they are, you are probably not going to hold a large gathering this year. But all the more reason to have your regular cookout for your immediate family. Sizing down the party doesn’t mean you have to downsize the fun you can have with your partner and your children. And of course, food is always the biggest part of any holiday.
But before you sit down to enjoy that BBQ, why not work up your appetite? You could start the evening before with a backyard camping trip. Tents, sleeping bags, flash lights, scary stories. The next day continue the fun with a scavenger hunt. Or volleyball. Have you tried doing an oversized Twister game? Same for Tic-Tac-Toe. Corn holes, badminton, flag football anyone?
Once you have burned up almost all your energy, it’s time for the cookout. If you are a newbie vegan, you may want to look for some vegan versions of your favorite picnic foods. Why not start with some of the following?
1) Don Lee Farms SuperFoods Veggie Burgers
2) Don Lee Farms Veggie Burgers with Sweet Potato and Sunflower Seed Blend
3) Beyond Burgers
If you are a Costco member and in the mood for burgers, look for these in their freezer case. These seem to be perpetual items in their freezers, at least for right now. Another advantage to these burgers is that they do not take as long to grill as a meat burger. Anything that saves time is a bonus in my book.
4)Field Roast Mexican Chipotle Grain Meat Sausage
I like to prepare these sausages with sauteed onions and bell peppers. I can then put them on a bun or use them as a topper for pasta.
These are a seitan product, rather than fake meat or a veggie substitute like the burgers above. You can usually find these at your local grocery. Please note that seitan is a wheat product. So if you have an allergy, meaning you are gluten-intolerant, any seitan product is not for you. This applies to the wheat in buns as well.
Costco also carries ginormous bags of hamburger and hot dog buns. I personally like their Artisan Rolls which can be found in their bakery. These are good not only for burgers and other types of sandwiches, they can be cut and toasted for a Panzanella Salad. When it comes to buns, I prefer whole wheat over white. Whatever type of bun you do pick, do look at the ingredients list to check that they have neither eggs or other dairy products in them.
5) Carrot Dogs
Sara likes to make Carrot Dogs when she and her husband are wanting a hotdog but want a healthier, non-meat version. This is the one way her husband will willingly eat a carrot, and will even ask for them. The Carrot Dog recipe she uses comes from the website, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine or pcrm.com.
6) Baked Beans
These are a favorite side dish for backyard BBQs or picnics. If you are using canned beans, check that there are no meat products included. If you are making the beans yourself, try substituting agave or maple syrup for the brown sugar. Use less than you think you will need. Because these are liquids, you will need to decrease the amount of other liquids in your recipe. Also, these are sweeter than sugar so you can use less.
7) Pasta Salads
Pasta salads are one of my favorites and come in many versions. These, too, are a staple for summer and are especially great at the last summer cookout, since you can add from summer’s bounty with fresh veggies and fruit. If you use a mayo dressing, look for a vegan version without eggs or other dairy.
Sara likes this recipe for vegan potato salad because it reminds her of the potato salad I made when she was growing up. You can find the recipe at Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine or pcrm.com.
9) Potato Salad #2
Sara likes this salad even more because of its eggy flavor which she says is a closer match to the potato salads of her youth. She found this recipe in the cookbook, The Superfun Times Vegan Holiday Cookbook by Isa Chandra Moskowitz.
10) Summer tomatoes
Summer tomatoes are so wonderfully delicious, especially if you grow them yourself. I like a platter of halved cherry tomatoes over sliced Heirloom tomatoes. I normally add thin slices of red onion or shallots, with basil or mint leaves or sliced chives. To change it up a little, sometimes I will add slices of peach or avocado. I then season this lovely salad with pepper and Organic Harissa seasoning mix made by Spicely Organics and whatever vinegar strikes my fancy that day. You may add some olive oil if you wish, but I find that I don’t miss it.
11) Eat Pastry Vegan Brownie Dough
Once again, this is a product I found at Costco. (I do so like shopping at Costco–it’s not too obvious, is it?) It was made for those who like raw cookie dough, but it can also be baked or microwaved.
12) Fruit pie
If a fruit pie is your dessert of choice and you want a quick pick, look no further than your local grocery. Most of these pies no longer have butter crusts and will be an easy, time-saving choice. This is one of those items that are “accidentally” vegan. That means that this was not intentionally made for the vegan market. And while vegans can eat these pies, they are not meant to be healthy. Like Oreos!
13) Fruit!
Fruit is my favorite summer dessert; it is also my favorite lunch, salad, snack….There are days that I eat more fruit than veggies. It’s because its season seems overly short to me, so I guess I’m trying to make up for that! Fresh summer fruit is so drool-worthy, who can resist? Organic watermelon is probably the king of summer fruits, but peaches and cherries are my favorites. But then there are the nectarines, strawberries, blueberries, plums, and other types of melons. How do you ever get enough of these wonders in such a limited time?
All these ideas are fairly easy, requiring little time. And it never hurts to get the children involved in the food prep ahead of the day. As they learn and then master kitchen skills, your children (and your partner, too?) can make your kitchen prep lighter. And it’s a way to have a conversation with your children. You can learn the most amazing things from them when you are sharing chores. It makes your load lighter and fosters the closeness most parents long for with their children.
I hope you are looking forward to this coming Labor Day and that it is one of the happiest days you’ve ever known. It is the joy we’ve known that acts as the leavener for the heaviness of the dark days we experience. Our wish is that you are able to fully enjoy the camaraderie of this day.
Let us know if you tried the potato salad and carrot dog recipes we referred you to. I hope you enjoy them so much that they become a regular mainstay in your menu rotation. Did you make any changes? Did you try any of the other foods we mentioned instead? How did you and your family enjoy the food, and more importantly, the day? We are looking forward to hearing your favorite memories of the day.
