The summer has arrived and there is nothing I love more than a BBQ with friends and family on a hot sunny day! Long gone are the days where the only vegetarian and plant-based options were a sad side salad with some bread or a tub of coleslaw, we now live in a wonderful time where meat-free options are abundant and seriously tasty! I recently discovered Meatless Farm products and I am in love! The Meatless Farm Co has spent two years working with chefs and nutritionists to develop fresh, plant-based mince, burgers and sausages that are healthy and delicious. A high protein alternative made from plant-based ingredients such as pea and rice protein and they’re also packed with vitamins and minerals.
For this BBQ feast I have used Meatless Farm sausages, which they are so versatile and can be used in a variety of different dishes. They are great to eat on their own, grilled and served in a bun with your favourite BBQ sauce, hot sauce or mayo. I also used them in some simple skewers with grilled veggies and they were so delicious everybody loved them! To add a fresh and tangy flavour, I whipped up a quick salsa verde to drizzle on top of the skewers which is also great on salad or with some grilled veggies.

By making your BBQ plant-based this summer you will also help to significantly cut CO2 emissions in the UK. For example, did you know that if every UK household switched just one more red meat meal to a plant-based meal per week, it would cut the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions by 50 million tonnes? This is the equivalent to taking 16 million cars off the road! 

Thanks to brands like Meatless Farm, switching to delicious and more eco-friendly meat alternatives has never been easier! Try them for yourself this summer and I promise you won’t be disappointed! 

Sausages & Veggie Skewers with Salsa Verde 

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 pack of Meatless Farm Sausages 
1 large courgette 
1-2 peppers or 4 baby peppers 
4 cherry tomatoes 

For the salsa verde:

2 cloves of garlic 
2 generous bunch of parsley 
1 bunch of fresh basil 
A handful of capers in brine 
1 tsp of dijon mustard 
2 tbsp of apple cider vinegar 
4-5 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil

Cut the courgette into thick slices and the peppers into chunks, if you are using baby peppers like I did cut them in halves length-way. Cut the Meatless Farm Sausages in half and start adding them to the skewers, alternating the sausage pieces with chopped vegetables. Add 1 cherry tomato at the end to “close” the skewer. Grill the skewers on the barbecue for 5 minutes per side or alternatively roast them in the oven for 15-20 minutes at 200 degrees celsius.

To make the salsa verde simply place all of the ingredients into a food processor and blitz until fairly smooth. 
Serve the skewers with a generous drizzle of the salsa verde on top.

Roasted Pepper Hummus

Ingredients:

1 tin of drained and rinsed chickpeas 
The juice of 1 lemon 
1 red pepper – deseeded and chopped into pieces 
2 tbsp of tahini 
1 garlic clove 
1 tsp of smoked paprika 
2-3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil 
Salt to taste 

Add the pepper to a tray, drizzle with some salt & pepper and roast in the oven at 200 degrees celsius for 20 minutes until soft. Add the cooked pepper to a food processor together with all the remaining ingredients. Blitz until you have creamy consistency. Add a bit more water or oil for a runnier consistency.

Beetroot Hummus 

Ingredients:

1 tin of drained and rinsed chickpeas 
The juice of 1 lemon 
1 small beetroot – peeled and chopped into pieces  
2 tbsp of tahini 
1 garlic clove 
1/2 tsp of cumin powder 
2-3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil 
Salt to taste 

Add all the ingredients into a food processor. Blitz until you have creamy consistency. Add a bit more water or oil for a runnier consistency.

Tahini & Siracha Potato Salad 

About 300gr of baby potatoes 
2 tbsp of tahini 
1 tbsp of sriracha 
A small handful of capers, drained 
1 red chilli, finely sliced 
Salt & pepper to taste 
Small handful of finely chopped parsley 

Boil the potatoes in salted water until they are soft. Drain them and let them cool down. Mix the tahini with the sriracha until you have a creamy dressing. Add the potatoes to a large bowl and add in the capers, chopped parsley, chopped chilli and pour over the dressing. Give it a good mix so all the potatoes are coated and enjoy!