Grazing with Gary: Vegetarian recipes in time for Father's Day

Here we are halfway through June, Father's Day is Sunday, and the weather is wacky!!! So this past weekend I had one of our Auburn Journal foodies stop in at my work and request more vegetarian recipes so we will feature three, and you can serve them for Father's Day. My friend Chelsea is a Ph.D. student at Colorado State University and works with the Colorado Bean Commission. I encourage you to check out her Facebook page A Legume a Day. Her site offers all kinds of recipes with beans and the benefits of beans. Summer chickpea salad will surprise everyone at the table. Now Google "Aquafaba," the liquid that comes in cans of chickpeas. Use the liquid to replace eggs in baking; whip them up to make meringue. It is truly crazy to think … The second recipe for edamame pasta with peanut sauce is very fresh and wonderful, and you should try it. Last, this eggplant recipe is a great blend of Jamaican jerk flavors and eggplant. Kick on the grill and enjoy … Happy Cooking!!! Summer Chickpea Salad Ingredients 1.5 cups cooked chickpeas (or 1 15.5-oz. can) 1/2-3/4 cup artichoke hearts (marinated in oil) with their juices/marinade, to taste (but let's be honest – more artichoke hearts always seems to be a good idea) 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil 1 medium-sized cucumber 1 bell pepper 1/4 cup chopped parsley chives or green onions, to taste (or both, if you're feeling wild), fresh lemon juice, to taste, salt and pepper, to taste 1/2 cup crumbled feta Your favorite salad greens, for serving Directions Drain and rinse chickpeas. Place them in a large bowl. Chop artichoke hearts and sun-dried tomatoes to desired bite size. (For example, I like leaving decent-sized chunks so I can enjoy nice bites of marinated artichoke hearts – but you may prefer smaller pieces so everything is coated with artichoke hearts. Follow your heart when it comes to artichoke hearts, as the popular saying goes.) You want some of their oils/marinade/juices to end up with the chickpeas for flavor, so do not drain. Add to the chickpeas. Chop up cucumber and bell pepper. Make this salad your own by deciding what ratios you want and what size to chop your delicious bites of summery produce. Add to the chickpeas and stir. Chop up the parsley, chives and/or green onions. Combine with the chickpeas, squeezing over fresh lemon and adding salt and pepper to taste – remember, the feta will be salty, so you don't need to over-salt here. Stir well and then add the feta. Waiting on the feta helps make sure it does not just dissolve and that you will have nice crumbles in your salad. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed. You may want to add more artichoke marinade, lemon juice, etc. If you have time, allow the flavors to blend for a few hours in the refrigerator. Taste once more for seasoning before serving and adjust if needed, then spoon over a bed of fresh salad greens. Edamame Pasta with spicy peanut sauce Ingredients 1 onion, thinly sliced1-2 large carrots, sliced thinly or cut into matchsticks8-oz. edamame pasta (I used edamame spaghetti)Fresh ginger, minced, to taste (I used a ~1-in knob)Garlic, minced or sliced, to taste1-2 Tbs neutral oil (like vegetable oil)Salt, for pasta water and to lightly salt vegetables1-1.5 cups pasta water* *Make sure to reserve your pasta water when the pasta is done cooking. Spicy Peanut Sauce 1/2-cup peanut butter1/4 – 1/3-cup soy sauce low-sodium.Juice from 1-2 limes, to tasteSriracha, to taste (optional) 2 Tbs mirin (rice wine for cooking) (optional)Cilantro, chopped, to taste (optional) Directions Thinly slice the onion and carrot(s). Sauté in a large pan with the oil and a pinch of salt over medium heat. Depending on how strong of a ginger and garlic flavor you want, add them early or later on in the sauté process. For example, the longer garlic cooks, the more mellow the flavor. Set a pot of water to boil. Salt the pasta water and cook the edamame pasta according to package instructions. It's OK (and I would argue preferable) for it to be a bit on the al dente side, especially since you will be adding it to the sauce later, when it will continue cooking a bit. When the pasta is cooked, strain over a container to keep the pasta water. In a separate bowl, prepare the sauce. Mix well. If desired, you can save some cilantro to top/decorate your finished pasta dish. Once the vegetables are sautéed to your liking and the pasta is ready, add in the peanut sauce and stir to coat. Then, add in 1 cup of the reserved pasta water and stir to form a thin sauce in the pan. Add the pasta and continue stirring to evenly coat. The pasta should not look overly dry, so add in more pasta water if necessary. Reduce the heat to simmer/low and allow the pasta to sit for a couple minutes to soak up some of the sauce. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary. Serve warm, topping with more. Fresh cilantro if desired. Jerk Eggplant Kabobs Ingredients · 1 large eggplant cut in 1-2" pieces · 2 tablespoons coconut oil Marinade: · 2 tablespoons Jamaican jerk seasoning · 1 tablespoon coconut sugar · 2 tablespoons soy sauce · 1 tablespoon lime juice · 2 tablespoons mirin Instructions 1. Cut one large eggplant into 1-2" pieces. You want them large enough to fit on the skewer, but small enough to cook relatively quickly without burning the outside. 2. Place all your marinade ingredients in a bowl and mix well. 3. Add the eggplant and mix to make sure it is thoroughly coated. Refrigerate for 1-3 hours. 4. Heat the grill to 400F degrees. 5. Skewer the eggplant pieces and brush with melted coconut oil (save the excess marinade). 6. Place on the grill for 3-4 minutes per side, until eggplant is cooked through. If it starts to burn, turn the heat down or move to a cooler part of the grill. 7. Place the leftover marinade in a bowl and heat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes until warmed and bubbly. 8. Remove the skewers from the grill and serve with the reserved marinade as dipping sauce. Notes 1. The longer you marinade the eggplant, the more flavor it will have. However, do not leave it in the marinade for more than 6 hours. 2. If the eggplant starts to burn, either turn down the heat or move to a cooler part of the grill. 3. Skewering the eggplant through the skin instead of just the flesh will help to keep it securely on the skewers.