Veggie kabobs with sour salad

Veggie Kabobs
Serves 4-6 
or vary the recipe to just make 2 or 3 skewers for yourself!


Inspired by the book Great chefs cook vegan by Linda Long

Seasoning:
1 tsp sea salt
scant 1/2 tsp ground black pepper (or to taste)
1/4 tsp ground cumin
grated rind of one orange (just use the medium part of a cheese grater to grate the outside of an orange)

2 tsp olive oil

Kabobs:
1 green, 1 yellow and 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1" chunks
1 onion, (red or yellow) halved, then quartered
2 portabella mushrooms, cut into 1" chunks

12 bamboo skewers, soak in water until you need them

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix the seasonings together.  Place veggies for kabobs in a large bowl and toss with the seasoning a couple times.  Drizzle olive oil on the veggies and toss until coated.  Set aside to absorb the seasonings while you make the salad.

Sour salad/Dipping sauce:

3 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 c red bell pepper
1/4 c roma tomato
scant 1/4 c apple cider vinegar
1 c herbs such as parsley and cilantro or basil
2 green onions
1/4 c olive oil

Blend everything besides olive oil and half the apple cider vinegar together in a food processor until well combined.  Whisk in the rest of the vinegar and oil.

Skewer the vegetables, layering by color and type.  Line a baking sheet with foil and arrange skewers.  Cover with more foil and let cook 10 mins.  Uncover and turn the oven on Broil.  Place baking sheet under the broiler for 6 minutes, flip for another 6 minutes or until both sides are cooked and tops are slightly charred.

Very thinly, slice some tomatoes, radishes and grapes.  Arrange on plate and scoop some of the salad/dipping sauce in the middle.

The bell peppers and onions are great but the mushrooms definitely steal the show.  They really soak up the spices and have an amazing flavor,  I wanted a kabob simply of that!  When everything is together, the flavors balance out so well.

I loved the seasoned mushrooms so much, this will probably be my new way of cooking them!  I'm already picturing a hundred ways to try it! --

Seasoned whole as portabella steaks:  Let sit 10 mins in seasoning, bake in oven on 400 degrees for 15-20 mins and use in place of a burger in a sandwich!  Add some sprouts and vegan mayo....my mouth is watering.

Baked the same way as above but cut into slices like steak, served with grilled veggies and A1 steak sauce, I'd be in heaven.  (Not sure if A1 sauce is vegan, check the ingredients or make your own here.  Haven't had it since I was a kid!)

Use anyway you would use the fake soy beef chunks you get in the freezer section..  Just cut them into the size you need and bake in the same way as the above kabobs.

Toss with rice and veggies...  The possibilities are endless.