This week hails America’s Birthday. The Fourth of July is just around the corner and with it comes barbeques, lemonade, potato salad, coleslaw, and pounds of marinated proteins on the grill.
What if you are vegan? What if you don’t participate in the yearly ritual of slapping a slab of meat on the grill and charring it til it’s done? I’ve got some answers for you. I’ve done this for years and have found that folks are really receptive to the dairy-free salads and tofu hot dogs that I bring to grill. I’ve also hosted cookouts where it’s veggie burgers, tofu hot dogs, and loads of sides that are made with unconventional ingredients.
Here are two of my favorite dishes for celebrating American Independence Day: Tofu hot dogs with homemade pickle relish, ketchup, and mustard, and coleslaw with a zesty vegan mayonnaise dressing. There are several delicious brands of tofu hot dogs available in most markets. See below for my personal pickle relish recipe as well as my go-to coleslaw.
They are crowd pleasers – and if you don’t tell anyone they won’t know its vegan!
- 2 pickles, finely chopped
- ¼ red onion, finely chopped
- ¼ tsp garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp. evaporative cane sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- Chop the pickles, onions and garlic. Mix all the ingredients together and refrigerate overnight. Serve with tofu hot dogs and coleslaw.
