Whole Living Lauren: My Favorite Backyard BBQ Recipes
by Lauren Blake of Whole Living Lauren
Strawberry Quinoa Salad with Zesty Orange Vinaigrette
This simple and easy to throw together salad is bursting with plant nutrition. It is everything I want in a salad-fresh, hearty, colorful and insanely delicious. It also screams summer. Just look at all those delicious strawberries! It's a pretty straight-forward salad but with layers of flavor. There is a nutty quinoa base, a zesty orange vinaigrette and crunch from the sunflower seeds. And the mint leaves... talk about refreshing! The quinoa and sunflower seeds round out the salad with protein and healthy fat, making it hearty enough for a balanced meal OR a delicious side dish.
Black Bean Loaded Veggie Burgers (V + GF)
Looking for a healthy and delicious veggie burger to throw on the grill this weekend? These Black Bean Loaded Veggie Burgers will become your new best friend. Do you want to know my beef (pun intended) with some veggie burgers? Ever noticed that certain "veggie" burgers don't actually contain any veggies in them at all? These burgers are a far cry from those overly processed frozen patties you might find lurking around the freezer isle. Instead, they are made from all real food ingredients and REAL veggies!
The base starts with onion, garlic, mushrooms and red bell pepper, sautéed to deepen their color, flavor and texture. Then comes a light seasoning and mashed beans, oat flour and almond flour-all packed with fiber and protein. These burgers are tender, slightly crisp, hearty, savory, satisfying and ridiculously addictive. They are sure to be the star of your next BBQ or tailgate!
Peach Almond Vegan Galette
Have you hopped on the galette train yet? If not, what are you waiting for?! I love making this homemade pastry for special events (or just on a Tuesday) because it is simple, eye catching and absolutely delicious. The pastry crust only has a few ingredients which is a big improvement from the processed, packaged crusts you find at the store.
As far as the filling goes, galettes can be made with any kind of fruit. Keep in mind that all fruits have different moisture contents. Peaches hold up pretty well and are a fabulous filling choice. Cornstarch will help to thicken up any running juices. And if a little spills over, it's totally OK. You're going for that 'rustic' look. On that note, don't worry about making your galette look exactly like the pictures-each one should be unique and different, like you!