In celebration of Vegan MoFo, I’m doing a month of themed dinner party ideas! For the beginning of this week, I’m continuing the holiday mash-up theme!
I’ve heard this theory that in whichever season you celebrate your birthday, that will be your favorite. So if you spend your birthday sledding snowy hills, you’ll have an affinity for winter. If your birthday means going to the beach and wearing cotton sundresses, then summer will be your favorite. If you spend your birthday skipping in puddles and smelling budding flowers, spring will have your allegiances. And if your birthday is spent raking crisp autumn leaves and sitting by an outdoor fire pit, fall will warm the cockles of your heart.
I doubt this is true across the board, but it certainly rings true for me. Summer holds the deck on my birthday, wedding anniversary, dating anniversary, and vegan anniversary. July is laden with joy and celebrations and is easily my favorite month of the year. Added to that, the beginning of the month starts with a bang – firecrackers lighting the night sky and flame-licked skewers on the grill.
Once the temperatures begin to drop and sweaters come out of storage, I begrudgingly accept it but not happily. The only thing that makes the bitter cold go down easier is thoughts of crackling Christmas records, festive lit-up houses, and plans of gathering together with family and friends to play an annual game of backyard football on Thanksgiving. On that fourth Thursday of November, I watch the Thanksgiving Day parade, read the newspaper, and settle in to a cup of hot apple cider. It may not be summer’s jubilance, but fall does have a few perks.
Today’s recipe is a true holiday mash-up representing both Thanksgiving and the Fourth of July. Thanksgiving is all about hearty fall foods – sourdough stuffing with carrots, celery, and bell pepper, potatoes, seitan, and sweet potatoes with vegan marshmallows. And the Fourth of July? Of course, that means sunny days by the grill, soaking in the heat off the barbie.
For this combo I’ve taken all of those holiday favorites, briefly marinated them in a tangy lemon marinade, skewered them and popped them on the grill until they were toasty and brown. After they were done, a marshmallow was added (ideally after a slice of sweet potato) and given a final toast, reminiscent of that standard Thanksgiving dish.
The chicken-style seitan from Vegan Diner is my favorite seitan for this recipe (or any fall holiday needs). The recipe is available to view now on Google Books, but I heartily recommend buying the book. It has so many wonderful recipes, including lots of comfort food that is so warming this time of year.
So what do you think? Is your birthday smack dab in the middle of your favorite season? Or are you a winter baby who abhors the cold? Tell me in the comments!
Tangy Lemon Marinade
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons freshly-squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup water or vegetable broth
- ½ teaspoon each rubbed sage, dried savory, dried herbs de Provence, and dried thyme
Combine marinade ingredients in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
Thanksgiving Kebabs
Serves 4
- 1 cup seitan (or two seitan sausages), cut into medium-sized chunks
- ½ yellow, red, or orange bell pepper, cut into medium-sized pieces
- 1 large carrot, cut into 1 ½ to 2-inch long pieces
- 4 small Yukon Gold potatoes
- 1 small to medium-sized sweet potato, cut into ¾ inch thick slices
- 1 large celery stalk, cut into 1 ½ to 2-inch long pieces
- 1 heaping cup stale sourdough bread, cut into medium-sized chunks
- 4 vegan marshmallows (I used Sweet & Sara)
Put the seitan and bell pepper into the large mixing bowl with marinade and briefly combine. Let it marinate while the vegetables steam. Fill a pot (that can hold a steamer basket insert) with a few inches of water and bring to a boil. Put the carrots, potatoes, and sweet potato slices into the insert and steam for 5 minutes. Add the celery to the steamer basket and continue steaming all of it for an additional five minutes. Test the doneness of the potatoes with a fork. If fork tines can go in easily and remove easily but without the potatoes or sweet potatoes seeming like they’ll fall apart, the potatoes are ready. (If the potatoes aren’t quite soft enough, remove the other vegetables but continue steaming until soft enough.)
Add the carrot pieces, potatoes, sweet potato slices, and celery pieces to the mixing bowl with marinade and toss to combine. Marinate for 10 minutes. Heat the outdoor grill to 450 to 500 degrees. Quickly toss the sourdough chunks with the marinade and put all of the ingredients onto long metal skewers. (Slice the Yukon gold potatoes in half just before putting onto skewers, if desired. Ideally finish the top of each skewer with a sweet potato, so that it can be next to a marshmallow when all is said and done for maximum kitsch-effect. Don’t put the marshmallows on yet, however.)
Grill the Thanksgiving kebabs for 10 minutes, rotating a couple of times to evenly brown all sides. When the kebabs are done, carefully top each skewer with a vegan marshmallow. Toast the marshmallow in the fire on the grill or with a match, being careful not to burn yourself on the fire or metal skewer, and serve.
Want to see more theme party ideas? Check out all of the ideas for the month here!
Disclosure: Links to cookbooks are connected to the Amazon Affiliate program. When you buy products through my site, I make a few cents.
I was born in April, and although I’d never thought of it before, I do so love the Spring!
There’s a lot to love about spring! It’s such a magical time of year!
I love Thanksgiving food and grilling! This is so perfect!
Yay! Thanks!
I love the match on the Dandy photo. and all the kebabs except no celery no cooked celery, *she said as she ran screaming out of the room*
I am back. I was born in the spring (April) but I think summer is my fave too, maybe that’s because I was born 2 months premature.
Phew! I’m glad that you came back after you ran away screaming from the room. I would have been worried about you. I promise I won’t ever make you eat cooked celery.
i love grilled kebabs.. of course ours are usually just rubbed with a load of garam masala:)
i love the fresh tangy marinade!
hmm do i really like october.. i dont know:) i have a like dislike thing with it, since hubbs bday is 5 days before mine.. all the stress about the gifts and stuff:) and the weather starts to get all cloudy rainy and dreary. i want some sun back! i should have been born in august:)
The theory seems to fall apart a little when it comes to people born in drearier months!
I think my parents either forgot my real birth date or they lied to me about being born in October. Based on what you’ve said, I must have been born in July, like you. Yes, my dislike of winter and love of hot weather is all becoming clear now.
I love your veggie kabobs — even the celery — and wish it would stop raining long enough for one more grilled dinner. Just one.
When it comes to whether this theory is flawed or your parents mislead you about your birthday, it seems most likely that your parents lead you astray!
Next July, I’ll be sure to pop a birthday card in the mail to you!
That’s too bad that your shiny new grill isn’t able to get some more use until next spring. Maybe you need to move it closer to an awning.
Seriously, Cadry, I think you just gave me my thanksgiving dinner. It’s just gonna be me and Chris (we aren’t going anywhere) and I love the simplicity of these guys. So awesome!
I would have to say my favorite time of year is the fall, even though my brithday is in the summer- I love wearing my boots and scarves and there’s so much cinnamon everywhere. Summer would have to be a close second, though.
I’m surprised you won’t be with one of your families for Thanksgiving! These would make a wonderful, simplified Thanksgiving dinner. I like to eat them with a great big kale salad to get some fresh vegetables in there as well. I’m half thinking of doing this for my Thanksgiving too even though we’ll be doing a big family thing, because it can get hectic in the kitchen when everyone is trying to warm their casseroles and dishes. I could be outside by the grill with plenty of space!
A summer birthday girl who loves fall the most! Okay, this theory is quickly falling apart by the minute!
Yum, your kebabs look so delicious! I’m a Summer baby too and do prefer warmer weather over cold, it’s an interesting theory!
BTW – have you tried the Peruvian seitan and potato kebabs in Viva Vegan? They are really really good!
Oh, yes! I’ve made those kebabs from Viva Vegan a couple of times. They’re very tasty! I also like to make her Latin Baked Tofu on the grill.
it’s true, as a july baby, summer is my favorite. i love the heat.
i love your mash-up of summer and fall in the kebabs! i’m particularly intrigued by the marshmallow element. it makes me wish i had a grill.
Another July baby! We’re taking over!
The marshmallow seems the most incongruous with all of the fall vegetables, but it was too good to pass up since that sweet potato casserole is such a quintessential Thanksgiving dish.
Fun idea!!
I like all seasons, but late summer and autumn are my favs… doesn’t mesh with my birth month though.
Rose, I think I’m going to have to throw this theory out the window!
Those are delicious looking kebabs!! I love how you’ve held a match to the marshmallow. Neat!!
Thanks, Susmitha! Since we have a gas grill, I knew I’d lose my marshmallows if I tried to toast them through the grates. A match was easier!
Serious kebab business here. I just love it! and I come from a kebab country
Thanks, Veg Fusion! I wish I hailed from Kebab Country. It sounds like a delicious place to be!
I totally think your theory is right. I was born in Summer (june) and I’ve always been a big summer fan. In the last few years though, I’ve really increased my appreciation for other seasons. I think they all have something pretty special to offer.
These kabobs are so seriously wonderful, I cannot wait to make some. I LOVE this idea! maybe I will make some gravy as a dipping sauce to go with them!
Yes! A gravy dipping sauce would definitely take these up a notch!
lol…you are a screaming genius! T-Day on a Stick! I would so love to serve these for my oh-so-stubbornly-carnivorous family…just plop a big colorful squash on everyone’s plate and stab one of these babies straight up on each one, or maybe a few, like a turkey tail, and say Bon Appetit! Add some fancy dipping sauces and it’s vegan artsy minimalist cuisine.
I’m a summer birthday kid and huge sunny warm weather worshipper. As far north as I live, winter lasts way too long and it’s way too grey, so I count the days until our all too brief summer days.
Oh, man! How brilliant is that turkey tail idea? Where were you when I was brainstorming!
You’re absolutely right that it’s vegan minimalist cuisine. In foodie towns they’d call this Thanksgiving Deconstructed. I’m thinking about serving this for my Thanksgiving, and some fancy dipping sauces of cranberries & gravy would definitely be delightful with this.
What a cool idea, it’s thanksgiving on a stick!
I’m a spring chick but I much prefer the summer and fall months. That could also have to do with the fact that we don’t really have a spring here, it more or less goes from cold and muddy to hot.
Yes, Thanksgiving on a stick for sure! I should start marketing it at fairs!
That theory is pretty solid. For me it’s a toss up between spring and fall…I was born in April, so while my birthday is in the spring, my half birthday (surely that counts, right?) is in the fall. Whatever the case, I’m loving the idea of Thanksgiving on a stick! That seitan recipe from Vegan Diner is one of my favorites!
Of course half birthdays count!
That must be why I love Christmas so much. It’s practically my half birthday.
Yes, that Vegan Diner seitan is the best. I like to keep a batch in the freezer for unexpected seitan needs. Best of all, it thaws beautifully and tastes even more moist and delicious!
I love this idea for kebabs.. and fall
Thanks, Michellini!
I’d buy one
Well, that makes it worth it already!
I’m dying that you put the marshmallow on there. Totally kitschy! Such a great idea Cadry and yes, now I really, really need to order Vegan Diner because I still haven’t figured out homemade seitan.
Yes, I couldn’t help myself! Taste-wise it’s kind of random, because you have to eat that first. But I just had to do it anyway!
I heartily recommend any of the seitan recipes in Vegan Diner, but especially the chicken-style. If you’re into reubens, the seitan she uses for that is also amazing.