SPARQ Indoor/Outdoor Grill is a Father’s Day Favorite

With cicadas buzzing, tulips in bloom and fireflies lighting up the night, summer is here. Along with summer comes days at the beach, outdoor gardening and, of course, summer grilling!

Make your outdoor grilling healthier and lock in flavor by using a SPARQ Soapstone Indoor/Outdoor Griddle/Grill Combo. Set the soapstone grill OR griddle side up right on your grilling rack! The grill uses high heat distribution over its entire surface resulting in evenly cooked, tastier and healthier food for you, your family and friends. The food is healthier because the grill significantly reduces the risk of producing cancer causing carcinogens from cooking over an open flame.

Here are some favorite grilling recipes from our Organic Bugs that are sure to bring raves…so feel free to give them a try this summer on your grill!

Thai-Glazed Fruit + Vegetable Grill (serves 4)

Adapted long ago from a recipe by Celia Brooks Brown, her cookbook, New Vegetarian (Ryland Peters & Small 2001), is a wonderful intro to vegetarian cooking that pleases the palate of vegans (with some egg + dairy substitutions) and omnivores alike. This is nice served with jasmine rice and steamed broccoli.

• 1 large mango, peeled, seeded + cut into 8 chunks
• 1 pineapple, peeled, cored + cut into 16 pieces
• 1 red onion, cut into 8 chunks
• 2 small zucchini, cut into 8 slices
• 2 limes, cut into 8 slices
• 8 shitaki mushrooms, stems removed
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded + cut into 8 pieces
• 4 Serrano chiles, halved

8 long metal or bamboo skewers (remember to pre-soak the wood skewers for at least 30 minutes)

Thread skewers with the fruit and vegetables. Place in a large casserole dish and brush generously with barbecue sauce. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Place skewers on a preheated stove top griddle and cook, turning occasionally and basting with barbeque sauce. You want the fruit and vegetables slightly tender and lightly charred for best flavor.

Thai Barbecue Sauce

• 1/3 cup coconut milk
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/3 cup tomato puree
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 piece fresh ginger (about 1”), peeled + coarsely chopped
• 1 whole lime, ends discarded and rest of lime (including peel) coarsely chopped
• 1 stalk lemongrass, finely sliced
• 2 large cloves garlic
• 3 Tablespoons coconut oil
• 1-2 bird’s eye chiles (or other chile 50,000-100,000 Scoville heat units)
• Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
  

Portobello Stacks + Asparagus Grill (serves 4)

This is a nice combo that is quick + easy served with a side salad! Substitute long, slender green beans for the asparagus and serve with mashed potatoes for a heartier meal!

Portobello Stacks

• 4 large Portobello mushroom caps, stems removed
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 4 Tablespoons virgin olive oil
• 4 teaspoons Balsamic vinegar
• 4 thin slices red onion
• 4 thick slices tomato
• 1 handful fresh basil, chopped
• Salt + pepper

Place mushroom caps on a plate stem side up. Spread chopped garlic evenly over the mushroom caps. Pour a tablespoon of oil and a teaspoon of vinegar evenly over each mushroom cap. Place a slice of onion on each mushroom cap then top off with a slice of tomato. Sprinkle the tomato toppers with basil, salt + pepper.

Cook Portobello Stacks on a preheated stove top griddle without turning for 10-15 minutes until the mushrooms are tender.

Asparagus

• 2 pounds asparagus, trim ends
• 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Salt + pepper

Coat preheated stove top griddle with olive oil. Grill asparagus until crispy tender (about 5 minutes depending upon thickness). Toss in a dish with lemon juice and season with salt + pepper.

Crabby Patty Cakes (serves 4)

This is a vegan recipe co-founder, Peggy English, developed as an alternative to Crab Cakes! If you are vegetarian you can substitute an egg for the flax seed meal/water mixture in the main recipe and use mayonnaise instead of a non-dairy/egg free replacement like Vegenaise (my personal favorite) as a base for the Tartar Sauce.

• 2 1/2 cups grated daikon radish
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 fresh jalapeno pepper, deseeded + minced
• 1/2 red onion, minced
• ½ sweet red pepper, minced
• ½ bunch parsley, finely chopped
• 3 Tablespoons flax seed meal mixed with 1/3 cup water, let sit for 10 minutes
• 1 cup Italian bread crumbs
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons dulce flakes
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• Coconut oil for grilling

Place the daikon radish in a large bowl with the salt and cover with water. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Drain the daikon radish and stir in garlic, jalapeno, onion, sweet pepper, parsley, flax seed mixture, breadcrumbs, pepper, dulce flakes and paprika. Mix well. Form into 8 small round patties.

Coat flat griddle with oil and preheat over medium heat. Grill patties until firm and nicely brown, 3-5 min per side. Serve with tartar sauce as a condiment. Some sides that go well with this are corn-on-the-cob (yummy with salt, pepper + fresh squeezed lime juice) and cole slaw!

Tartar Sauce

• 1 cup Vegenaise
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• ¼ cup onion, minced
• ¼ cup capers OR 1 Tablespoon minced spicy dill pickles

Put ingredients into a jar with tight fitting lid and shake until well mixed.

Find out more about the SPARQ grill.

BBQ This Summer Green and Clean