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Author's Note: I’ve been introduced to the following recipes thanks to Nishant Trivedi. So thank you Nishant, you always teach me new culinary tips and tricks that I value, and it’s always a pleasure preparing meals with you.
 Summer’s not over yet, and by the heat and humidity I’ve been seeing in Scranton, it won’t be over anytime soon. Grilling season is in full force, and unfortunately for us vegetarians, our grilling options are limited. One can only eat so many roasted vegetables on a skewer before one starts running in the other direction for some protein. Answer? Veggie burgers! I admit some are really bad, and taste like grinded, leftover veggie baby-food, mushed together and molded into a pattie shape. But there are some that are excruciatingly good and I’ve witnessed some meat lovers gobbling them up in delight. What goes well with veggie burgers? Chips and dip anyone? Homemade hummus is a perfect healthy addition to spice up any plate. Add some baked and buttered corn, and you got yourself a hefty veggie-griller meal. Of course, this entire meal can be made in the comfort of your own home, minus the wood fires and lighter fluid. Since these dishes can be made both in the comfort of your kitchen or outdoors on the grill, it’s a great opportunity to experiment and mix and match your prep styles...
Homemade Hummus and Chips
I love hummus, but sometimes the store-bought variety leaves a bad taste in my mouth (literally!). Either there’s too much garlic, or there’s some obscure spice flavor that takes away from the simple dish that hummus is supposed to be. This is a recipe that I used with a friend recently, and the result was fantastical.
Ingredients:
Tortilla chips
2 cans garbanzo beans
Half a lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon of minced parsley
Half a handful of red pepper flakes (more or less to taste)
I tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, finely minced
1 dash of salt
Preparation:
1) Preheat oven to 350 F. Put the tortilla chips, lightly drizzled with olive oil, spread evenly on a baking sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.
2) Combine all other ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
Buttered and Salted Corn
This is something that can be made on the grill or in an oven. It may take a bit less time on the grill (perhaps about 15 minutes), whereas it would take about 30-40 minutes in an oven.
Ingredients:
Sweet (yellow) corn
Butter (or substitute like margarine or vegetable oil spread)
Salt
Black pepper
Preparation:
1) Preheat oven to 400 F. Take the corn and de-husk it completely.
2) Spread butter liberally on the corn.
3) Sprinkle salt, to individual taste, on the corn (on top of the butter)
4) Cover the corn in aluminum foil.
5) Place in oven. Cooking times may vary for higher quantity. (1-4 ? 30-35 minutes, 4-8 ? 45-50 min)
6) Remove from oven and unwrap carefully! (Steam burns are NOT fun). Enjoy!
Veggie Burgers
Serves 2
Ingredients:
2 Wheat Hamburger buns
2 Veggie patties (my favorites are the Boca© Original Vegan Meatless Burgers)
2 Muenster cheese slices
½ Red onion, chopped into strings
½ Tomato, thinly sliced (beefsteak or on-the-vine work best for sandwiches/burgers)
Herb Salad mix (can be found in plastic boxes in the veggie section of your grocery store. Baby spinach can be substituted as well)
Light mayonnaise
Honey Mustard
Preparation:
1) Grill the veggie burgers on a skillet, or grill, according to the instructions on the box. (I like to leave it a bit longer just to get a sort of crusty outer layer on it)
2) Make sure you place the cheese on the pattie directly so it has a chance to melt before you take it off the grill.
3) In my personal experience, layering of a sandwich or burger makes a HUGE difference in taste and what I call “eatability”. This is a tried and true layering format that I think works best: (From bottom up) ? Bottom bun, Mayonnaise, Pattie with cheese, Onions, Tomato, Herb mix, Honey mustard on top bun.
Plating
Serve the veggie burger with the corn and hummus dip with chips on the side. A nice light and crisp raspberry iced tea or pale ale can be a perfect complement to your meal. Remember, take in what’s left of summer by enjoying outdoor grilling and “summer” foods before summer slips away! I always welcome feedback on these recipes, and if you would like to add your experiences/thoughts on any of these dishes, or if you have new recipes you’d like to share with the Remix community, shoot me an email at
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with the subject line “Team Masala.”
Alright, folks, enjoy food, enjoy life, and I’ll see you next time!
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