Meatless Monday - Summer Grilling Edition

Chimichurri is a flavorful Argentinian herb-based sauce or marinade. It's great on chicken, steak, vegetables, fish, or even tofu, but for this Meatless Monday, I served it with grilled tempeh.

Grilled Tempeh with Chimichurri Sauce

1 package your favorite brand of tempeh
1 tbs. olive oil
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Cut tempeh into medium sized squares or triangles. Brush lightly with olive oil and season with a little salt and pepper. Grill tempeh on either an outdoor grill or indoor grill pan on medium heat for about 2 minutes on each side until it begins to brown and grill marks appear. Top with chimichurri sauce - see recipe below.

Sauce:

1 cup fresh oregano, washed and dried with stems removed
1 cup fresh parsley, washed and dried with stems removed
3 tbs. red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt or to taste
1/4 tsp. ground pepper or to taste
2 tbs. water (plus a little more if necessary)

Place all ingredients into a food processor or blender and blend until it is a smooth puree. Add water one tbs. at a time if the sauce is too thick. Can be prepared 3-4 days ahead.

Grilled Yellow and Zucchini Squash with Herb Butter and Lemon

4 assorted organic and/or locally grown zucchini and yellow squashes
1 tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1 tbs. your favorite brand or homemade garlic and herb butter
4 sprigs fresh thyme
Juice of one lemon
salt and ground pepper to taste

Slice the squashes lengthwise - not too thin. In a rectangular baking dish or a baggie, combine olive oil, salt, pepper, and the leaves from 2 of the thyme sprigs (discarding the stems). Add squash and toss to coat. This can be done ahead.

Heat an outdoor grill or indoor grill pan to medium-high. Cook squash 3-5 minutes per side depending on thickness, until softened. Place hot squash into a baking dish and top with herb butter, remaining thyme, and lemon juice.

Mixed Greens Salad with Beets, Goat Cheese, and Lemon Vinaigrette

1 package mixed mesclun greens or arugula blend
4 roasted beets, sliced (you can buy these prepared - Melissa's or Trader Joe's brand is good)
1/2 cup soft goat cheese
Fresh ground pepper to taste
Lemon vinaigrette (or dressing of your choice) to taste

Toss all ingredients in a bowl and serve with grilled tempeh and squash