Few things say “summer” quite like a barbeque. Sunshine, food, friends – what’s not to love? Unfortunately, there’s one thing that can might prevent some of your friends coming to a barbeque: meat. Many vegetarians and vegans go hungry because they have so few options, and get stuck hoarding the grilled corn or nursing a bag of chips. To make sure everyone gets stuffed, try making few of these classic barbeque staples that both your omnivorous and animal-product-free friends can enjoy! 

Seitan BBQ Ribs

What you need:

• 1 cup vital wheat gluten (get it in bulk at WinCo)

• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast

• 1 tbsp smoked paprika

• 2 tsp onion powder

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• Black pepper

• ¾ cup vegetable broth

• 2 tbsp peanut butter

• 1 tsp liquid smoke

• 1 tbsp soy sauce

• 1 cup barbecue sauce of choice, plus more for serving

What you do: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease an 8×8 baking dish.

2. In a bowl, combine vital wheat gluten, nutritional yeast, paprika, onion and garlic powder, and pepper. 

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together broth, peanut butter, liquid smoke and soy sauce. 

4. Pour the liquid mixture into the dry ingredients and combine to form a soft dough. Knead gently for 2 to 3 minutes.

5. Flatten the mixture into the greased baking dish. Use a knife to make one lengthwise cut across the dough, then cut evenly crosswise to make 1-inch slices. This will make it easy to separate the ribs after grilling. 

6. Bake in oven for 25 minutes. Heat up your grill or lightly oil a grill pan.

7. Brush the ribs with BBQ sauce. Place sauce side down on heated grill or grill pan. Brush the top with more sauce. Grill until deeply browned, about 5-6 minutes, on each side. 

Cauliflower Buffalo Wings

What you need:

• 1 large head cauliflower, cut into bite-sized pieces

• 1 cup water

• ¾ cup all-purpose flour

• 1 tbsp garlic powder

• 1 tbsp onion powder

• ¼ tsp salt

• 1 cup hot sauce of choice

• 1 tbsp vegan butter, melted

What you do:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a bowl, whisk together water, flour, and onion and garlic powder. Add the cauliflower and toss to combine. 

3. Remove the pieces of cauliflower one by one, tapping off excess batter and placing on baking sheet. Be sure the pieces are not touching or they will stick together.

4. Bake for 15 minutes, then flip and cook for 10 minutes more. 

5. Combine the hot sauce and butter, and coat the cooked cauliflower. Return the cauliflower to the oven for 20 minutes, then serve. 

Potato Salad

What you need:

• 2 lbs small red, yellow and purple potatoes

• 2 small red onion, diced

• 1 clove garlic, grated

• ¼ cup vinegar

• ⅔ cup water

• 2 tsp maple syrup

• 2 tbsp mustard

• Salt to taste

• 4 pickles, sliced 

• 1 bundle radishes, sliced

• 4 green onions, sliced

• ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped

What you do:

1. Boil the potatoes in salted water for about 15 minutes until cooked through.

2. Drain the water and let the potatoes cool. Slice into small chunks.

3. To make the dressing, add the onion, garlic, vinegar and water to a small pot and simmer. Once the onions are tender, add the syrup, mustard and salt. 

4. Combine the potatoes and dressing to a bowl along with the pickles, radishes, green onions, and parsley. 

Easy Vegan Mac n’ Cheese

What you need:

• 2 cups macaroni

• 3 cups water

• 2 tsp dijon mustard

• ½ tsp salt

• ¼ to ½ tsp garlic powder (to taste)

• ½ cup almond or soy milk

• ⅓ cup nutritional yeast

• 2 tbsp tahini

• 2 tbsp lemon juice

• 1 cup shredded vegan cheese

• Pepper to taste

What you do:

1. Add macaroni, water, dijon, salt and garlic powder to large pot and stir well. Bring to a light rolling boil, stirring frequently. Cook until the liquid is absorbed and pasta is al dente. 

2. Combine milk, nutritional yeast, tahini and lemon juice in a bowl.

3. Add the sauce, vegan cheese and pepper to the pasta. Stir until the cheese is melted and enjoy!

Creamy Dairy-Free Fudgesicles

What you need:

• 1 ½ cup choice of non-dairy milk

• 1 cup coconut milk

• ½ cup white sugar

• 3 tbsp cocoa powder

• 2 tbsp cornstarch

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

What you do:

1. Whisk together milk, coconut milk, sugar, cocoa powder and cornstarch in a medium saucepan. Put over medium heat and bring to a simmer, continuing to whisk, and cook for about 3 minutes until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and add vanilla extract.

2. Pour into popsicle molds and freeze overnight (makes about 6 popsicles).