Father's Day Vegan Barbecue
On the first official Father's Day in 1910, Dad didn't receive the proverbial tie or even a baseball hat. He wasn't treated to a special dinner at a restaurant nor did he enjoy the merrymaking and revelry of today's Father's Day celebrations. Instead, he was honored at a solemn church service. Just a year earlier, while Sonora Louise Smart Dodd was attending a Mother's Day church sermon, she realized that fathers, too, should have a special day, one where families could show their appreciation. Her dad, a Washington state farmer, Civil War veteran, and father of six children, raised the family himself after his wife died giving birth to their sixth child. To express her admiration, love, and respect for her father, Sonora petitioned the Ministerial Association of Spokane, Washington to initiate an official holiday on her father's birthday, June 5, 1910. Government offices, however, seldom act quickly and June 19 was set aside instead. The ceremony that followed was a sedate church service that paid homage to fathers, a far different celebration than our present, typical gift presentation and festive brunch or dinner. Many U.S. presidents supported the idea of a national father's day and contributed officially and unofficially to its recognition and establishment. President Woodrow Wilson celebrated the occasion within a few years after Ms. Dodd's efforts. President Calvin Coolidge gave his recommendation to establish Father's Day in 1924, but no official declaration was proposed until 1966 when President Lyndon Johnson made Father's Day an official holiday by issuing a presidential proclamation. However, it was President Richard Nixon who signed the 1972 law declaring the third Sunday in June as Father's Day. Some dads delight in a pre-Father's Day shopping spree at the hardware store, the electronics store, sporting goods store, gourmet wine shop, or the men's clothing store. Perhaps a family movie makes the day perfect for Dad. Whatever his choices, Father's Day is the ideal time to spoil Dad. While many restaurants offer dinner specials on holidays like Father's Day, dining out does not compare to the enjoyment Dad experiences when the celebration takes place at home. Kids love to pitch in to make special cards for Dad, set the table, and even work right alongside Mom to prepare a special meal. Though not a written edict, a synonymous relationship between Dad's day and a barbecue has emerged. If Dad is the type who enjoys tending the barbecue, give him plenty of opportunity to take charge. Spare nothing--have the entire family select the festive trappings starting with a brightly colored apron and a chef's hat for Dad. Create the ideal barbecue setting with a red-and- white-checkered tablecloth and napkins to match. Raise a glass of Tomato Tornado, a robust beverage with a tomato juice base to begin the Fathers' Day celebration. Perhaps each member of the family can plan a special toast that need not be lengthy or belabored. Dad will appreciate the thoughtfulness and sincerity. Then for a captivating appetizer, dip chunks of barbecued Skewered Seitan into the community bowl of succulent Hawaiian Teriyaki Sauce. Though a traditional Father's Day menu is quite carnivorous, the compassionate approach features hearty feasting on delicacies of the plant kingdom. Dad won't miss the meat with the zesty flavors of marinated Veggie Texas Kebabs that consist of skewers threaded with marinated onions, mushrooms, bell peppers, tofu, and tempeh that are then slathered in Dragon's Breath Barbecue Sauce, a positively irresistible mopping sauce. Since a barbecue meal isn't quite complete without a simmering pot of beans, Dad can look forward to the lusty flavor of Bean Bash in Dragon's Breath Sauce. Accompanying the Texas Veggie Kebabs is Dad's Favorite Potato Salad, a mouth-watering medley of white and sweet potatoes enhanced with red and green bell peppers, sweet onions, diced apples, and bits of veggie bacon. Make sure Dad receives his 5-a-day-plus veggies with Brassica Slaw that features plenty of crunchy vegetables like red and green cabbage, carrots, shredded kale, broccoli, and raisins in a well-seasoned dressing. A Roasted Tomato Onion Relish, drizzled with olive oil and seasoned mild or spicy to please Dad's taste, completes the dinner plate. Be sure to include some whole-grain rolls that are warmed and served with individual bowls of Dragon's Breath Barbecue Sauce for home-style dunking. After the meal settles a bit, roll out the Rude Chocolate Sauce and the Seasonal Fruits for a do-it-yourself dipping dessert. Cut some thick chunks of fresh pineapple and serve along with strawberries, cherries, and other seasonal fruits so everyone can enjoy plunging the fruits into a pool of rich hot chocolate sauce. Father's Day Menu Appetizer
Skewered Seitan Hawaiian Teriyaki Sauce Entrée
Dragon's Breath Barbecue Sauce Dad's Favorite Potato Salad Brassica Slaw Bean Bash in Dragon's Breath Barbecue Sauce Roasted Tomato Onion Relish Whole wheat rolls with bowls of barbecue sauce for dunking Dessert
Seasonal Fruits: pineapple, bananas, strawberries, cherries
A lusty beverage with a bristling tang partners well with the appetizer course. With practically no preparation at all, this robust drink gets the celebration off to a great start. Keep this all-occasion drink recipe handy for serving at any season.
TOMATO TORNADO
Yield: 6 six-ounce (180 ml) servings
1/4 cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar 1 teaspoon Chinese Five Spice powder 1 teaspoon Tamari or soy sauce 4 dashes Tabasco Sauce 6 Spanish olives Combine all the ingredients, except the olives, in a 2-quart (2 liter) pitcher and stir well. Chill thoroughly. Just before serving, make a slit at the base of each olive and stand it on the rim of each glass.
Typical of Asian seasonings, this combination of sweet, sour, and salty flavors blends together to enhance almost anything infused with it. In this dish, the sauce makes a heavenly pairing with seitan, a hearty protein made from wheat gluten. Depending on the number of people at the celebration, consider doubling the recipe or cutting it in half. For six people, prepare 1 1/2 recipes of the sauce to allow a good portion to be set aside for dipping the Seitan appetizer and plenty for marinating the Kebabs. The sauce can be made several days in advance.
HAWAIIAN TERIYAKI SAUCE
Yield: 2 cups (480 ml)
3/4 cup (180 ml) Bragg Liquid Aminos or soy sauce 1/4 cup (60 ml) water 1/4 cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil 3 to 4 tablespoons organic cane sugar 3 tablespoons blackstrap molasses 1 green onion, thinly sliced 6 cloves garlic, minced 1 1/2-inch (3.5 cm) piece ginger root, peeled and minced or grated 1/4 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon Chinese Five Spice powder Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Seitan is a ready-to eat, high-protein product available in the refrigerated deli section of large natural food markets and frequently comes in half-pound packages. Made from wheat gluten, seitan (pronounced SAY-tan) has the chewy texture of meat, yet is totally vegan. Receptive to flavorful marinades or sauces, seitan whets the appetite for a great barbecue experience and requires no advance preparation.
SKEWERED SEITAN
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Wooden skewers 1 1/2 pounds (680g) seitan
Pleasing to look at and delightfully aromatic, this colorful platter of skewers instantly livens the meal and will certainly earn a thumbs-up from Dad. The kebabs can be assembled and marinated a day ahead to ease the day's preparations. Because wooden skewers burn so quickly, we recommend metal skewers for longer-cooking foods like these kebabs.
TEXAS VEGGIE KEBABS
Yield: 6 servings
1 pound (450g) tempeh
1 red bell pepper
2 or 3 large fresh mangos
Dragon's Breath Barbecue Sauce
A homemade barbecue sauce wins over the prepared varieties every time because you can adjust the spice and seasonings to your own family's preferences. If a few family members' taste buds lean to a spicier level simply make the basic recipe and take a portion off that can be seasoned to their fiery desires. Enjoy the barbecue sauce on a host of other dishes like baked tofu, tempeh, or seitan, or as a condiment on bean patties or vegetarian burgers.
DRAGON'S BREATH BARBECUE SAUCE
Yield: 5 cups (1.25 liters)
1 large red bell pepper, diced 3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced 3 tablespoons water 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 28-ounce (795g) can whole, crushed, or diced tomatoes
NOTE: The recipe makes a good quantity of sauce, so you can use some for last minute brushing on the Texas Veggie Skewers, some for simmering the Pinto Beans, and some as dunking bowls for the Whole Grain Rolls.
The perfect entrée accompaniment, this relish is almost effortless, yet proudly parades its appealing flavors. If ever two vegetables were meant to unite, without debate, these two are the perfect couple. You can decide whether to serve this relish gently warmed or at room temperature.
ROASTED TOMATO ONION RELISH
Yield: 5 to 6 servings
8 medium tomatoes
2 to 3 tablespoons extra virgin oil
Old-fashioned cole slaw teams two vegetables touted for their great health benefit: cabbage and carrots. Add kale, broccoli, and red cabbage to the mix and chomp on an even healthier combo of veggies that are known for their ability to stave off those nasty FR's (free radicals).
BRASSICA SLAW
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
3 cups (720 ml) thinly sliced red cabbage 3 medium carrots, peeled and coarsely shredded 1 cup (240 ml) finely chopped broccoli 1 large leaf of kale, finely sliced 1/4 cup (60 ml) black raisins 1/4 cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice 3 tablespoons organic canola oil 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
3 cherry tomatoes
Combine all the ingredients, except the tomatoes and the parsley, in a large bowl and toss well to distribute vegetables and seasonings evenly. Garnish with the cherry tomatoes nestled into a bed of parsley at the edge of the bowl.
The mere mention of potato salad conjures images of an old-style deli displaying a medley of salads in the see-through case. For Dad, a new version of the old favorite emerges with the addition of sweet potatoes, apples, and a tasty vegan mayonnaise. Destined to become a new favorite, this hearty potato salad offers a delightful mosaic of flavors.
DAD'S FAVORITE POTATO SALAD
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
1 1/2 pounds (680g) sweet potatoes, either yellow or orange, peeled Water 2 teaspoons salt, divided
1 large red bell pepper, diced
Paprika
What's a barbecue without beans? Embracing those wonderful little nuggets is pure delight when they're bathed in a mouthwatering barbecue sauce.
BEAN BASH IN DRAGON'S BREATH BARBECUE SAUCE
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Water
7 cups (1.75 liters) water
Dragon's Breath Barbecue Sauce
NOTE: When time does not permit for preparing dried beans, use canned beans. Drain the liquid, combine the beans with the sauce, and slow bake for a delicious dish.
Following a hearty meal where the colorful abundance invites second helpings, the guests appreciate a brief respite before gathering for dessert. Because of its lightness, fruit is always an excellent choice for a sweet finish. The added fun of enhancing the fruit with chocolate, a favorite sweet, brings the occasion to a delightful climax. For convenience, prepare the chocolate sauce in advance and gently warm just before serving.
RUDE CHOCOLATE SAUCE
Yield: 6 servings
2 cups (480 ml) soymilk 3/4 cup (180 ml) plus 2 tablespoons organic sugar 8 ounces (225g) unsweetened baker's chocolate 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Fruit Platter
NOTE: For a less fussy, family-style presentation, bring the saucepan of chocolate sauce to the table, place it on a trivet, and dip away. After all, it IS a Rude Chocolate Sauce!
References History Channel. "History of Father's Day." Infoplease. "Timeline of Father's Day History." Morning Glow. "Happy Father's Day."
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