i had my first multi-person visit at the new house the other night with some rad lady pals.

they brought beer, i made foods. still on my soycurl kick i made something akin to a pulled meat sandwich on baguette with green tomatoes, massaged kale and avocado. i served them with a side of roasted nugget potatoes cut into wedges with a pesto mayo dip (vegenaise and pesto mixed together, lazy).

i didn’t know they were bringing beer so i made a pitcher of booze drinks which we had first because beer before liquor etc. A GOOD TIME WAS HAD BY ALL. thanks for coming, ladies.

BBQ SOYCURLS

this was my first time making bbq sauce and i was winging it. disclaimer.

1/2 pack soycurls, soaked in warm water

1 white onion, diced fine

olive oil

1 can tomato paste

1 1/2 c. broth

2 tbsp mustard seeds

1 tbsp chili paste

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp white vinegar

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

1/4 c. molasses

zest of 1/2 lemon

a few shakes of liquid smoke

salt and pepper to taste

in a pot heat a small amount of oil, but enough to cover the bottom. cook onion in the pot with a shake of salt until very soft, then add mustard seeds, garlic and chili paste. cook for a minute then add tomato paste and broth. add everything else (except zest and liquid smoked) and bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer to thicken. then add zest and liquid smoke. taste and add more chili paste if you want it hotter, more molasses or a bit of brown sugar if you want it sweeter, or a bit of apple cider vinegar if you want it tarter. or leave it! i did.

squeeze all the water out of your soycurls and fry them in a bit of oil in a pan. once they get a bit of colour add your bbq sauce and cook medium low until they have absorbed a lot of the sauce and it’s thickened up even more. you’re done!

SAMMIES

(makes 4 and a bit of leftovers to put in a wrap for your roommate when she gets home from band practice)

1 wide baguette, flatten it out a bit, ends cut off

1 avocado

8 green tomatoes, sliced and roasted*

bbq soycurls

1 bunch kale, veined, chopped and massaged

1/4 c. nutritional yeast

squeeze of lime juice

1 tbsp olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced real fine

combine kale, nutritional yeast, oil, garlic and lime juice. let sit while everything else is getting ready. cut baguette into 4 equal sections and slice almost through so they flap open (if your baguette is hard put it in the warm oven after the tomatoes for a few minutes to soften up) slice avocado and distribute equally, squishing it into the bread a bit on one half. distribute roasted tomatoes equally. spoon on hot soy curls generously then top with kale. these are messy.

*roast tomatoes in a single layer with olive oil and salt+pepper at 400 until browned, flipping once (about 20 minutes, but keep an eye)

CITRUSY MINTY DRINKS + VODKA (or gin)

2 bottles or rose lemonade (i use these for drinks all the time they are so good)

a handful mint

juice of 1/2 lime

1/4 c. orange juice

in a pitcher, put in mint and lime juice. muddle it as best you can (i don’t want to add sugar because the rose lemonade is already sweet). add everything else and chill.

in a highball glass, measure out one shot of vodka (or gin) over ice and top with pitcher mixture!