Without a doubt, eating vegetables is a practice that’s good for us. Sure, there are differing opinions about which ones to eat more of (brassicas) or less of (nightshades), but when push comes to shove (and barring no extenuating circumstances, of course), no health care professional worth their weight in salt will ever tell you to eat fewer vegetables.
Diets high in vegetables (and fruit) lower our chances of developing heart disease, reduce our risk of getting type 2 diabetes, lower our blood pressure, and help to prevent cancer. And we’re only singing a few of the praises of a high-veg diet!This veggie satay is all about finding more ways of bringing vegetables into your daily routine, plain and simple.
Which veggies, you ask? Whichever ones you want! With veggie production at its peak this time of year, finding fresh, local, seasonal (and therefore, tastier) vegetables is almost as easy as tying your shoes.
Don’t like zucchini? No problem. Sub in for whatever tickles your fancy. The point is–and we’re going to get a little bossy here–we could all eat more veggies! And this veggie lover satay is one super delicious way to get in another dose of vitamin “V”. No excuses allowed ?
Veggie Satay
- 2 bell peppers (choose from red, yellow, or orange for their vibrant colour and sweeter flavour)
- 1 green zucchini
- 1 yellow zucchini
- *You can also add in or replace any of the above with onion, eggplant, or mushrooms (or any other vegetable you like).
- 1 Tbsp coconut oil
- Salt and pepper, to season with
- Black sesame seeds for garnish, optional
Peanut Sauce
- 1 Tbsp coconut oil
- ½ a small red onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
- ⅓ cup natural peanut butter, smooth or crunchy
- 1 tsp coconut sugar
- 2 tsp tamari
- ⅓ cup warm water, plus more if necessary
- 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
- ¼ – ½ cup roughly chopped cilantro
- 1 scallion, thinly sliced on a bias for garnish, optional
- Black sesame seeds, for garnish, optional
Veggie Satay
1. Cut all of the vegetables into 1.5” chunks, roughly the same size and shape for even cooking. Preheat the broiler. While it’s heating up, toss the vegetables with coconut oil and season generously with salt and a little bit of pepper.
2. Thread the vegetables onto skewers and place each skewer on a baking tray. (If you’re using wooden skewers, soak them in cold water for about 30 minutes prior to cooking with them.) Alternatively, toss them onto 2 baking trays, making sure they aren’t overlapping or touching one another or they’ll steam.
3. Place the trays in the oven on the rack one higher from the centre. After about 4 minutes, turn the skewers or give the trays a shake to move the vegetables around. The vegetables should have started browning. Put the tray back into the oven until the vegetables are golden brown and tender, about another 4 more minutes. Remove from the oven and serve with peanut sauce (below).
Peanut Sauce
1. While the veggies are cooking, sweat the onion in melted coconut oil over medium-low until translucent. This will take a few minutes.
2. Add in the garlic and ginger and cook for another 2 more minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the peanut butter, coconut sugar, tamari, and half of the water. Thin it out with more water, as necessary.
3. Stir in the lime juice and cilantro. Serve topped with thinly sliced scallion and black sesame seeds for garnish, optional.
