Any good vegetarian "picnic" recipes?

[Scribble]

I'm planning the "menu" for my grad party and there's quite a few people coming that are vegetarians...and I have no idea what would be good to make. We're having the typical affair of hot dogs, burgers, and sides. I'm thinking about doing up mushroom-top burgers but I want to have sides available too. Any ideas for a main couse and sides?

[GinaKina]

I have tonssss of vegetarian recipes, and a whole book on vegetarian food for entertaining. Anything specific you are or aren't looking for?

[fridayheather]

If you guys are doing burgers, there are lots of good veggie burger options: boca, morningstar, etc. For sides, you can do potato salad, deviled eggs, a veggie tray, busch's makes really good vegetarian baked beans .

You may want to think of having a couple of vegan items too, but I'm not up to snuff on vegan (which is no animal products at all).

[LittleBit84]

Pastaaaaaaaaaa

LOTS of PASTA.

[bunnydette]

If you are BB-Qing try veggie kabobs, veggie burgers, buy some pre-cooked veggie ribs and a veggie taco salad is good to.

[Aunt Sponge]

Pineapple and cucumbers are awesome when cooked on a grill.

You can make sandwich spreads like tomato and olive pesto. (olive oil, tomatos/olives, garlic and onion, maybe some sugar and other herbs and seasonings - blend it up) it's great.

Fried green tomatoes make for a great lunch-meat alternative, as well.

And my Aunt is a vegan and makes a tofu-loaf that she slices thin and serves as lunch-meat (it's tofu that's blended with seasonings, spices and some olives and backed in a pan to take on a 'loaf' and then sliced and served)
That was a long time ago - by now surely they have a tofu-lunch meat just like it.

And, of course, if they're puritan vegans (anti sodas, preservatives) frozen-fruit slushies are awesome.

[square bear]

Pasta salads, regular salads, fruit salads, chili,

at my grad party we did a make your own sandwich bar with different types of breads and cheeses, veggies, etc. that way the veg heads could put what they wanted on their sandwich.

for grilling: boca burgers! they're just amazing.

[Del]

Google Vegan Tofu Mock-Tuna Salad.... It's a great picnic thingy.

Then there's pasta salads. Tofu dogs. All the many kinds of veggie burgers. Tofu Corn Dogs (bu Morning Star). Etc.

Please consider having a separate grill for the vegetarians/vegans if you're planning on grilling their food. And please, please make sure it is well cleaned. It's not something a lot of meat eaters think about, but I personally couldn't eat anything (as nice as the thought may have been) vegetarian that had been cooked on a grill with meat products / juices / smoke all up in it. I know I'm a hardcore vegetarian like that, but I am far from the only one, so I wanted to mention that 'cos I know it's just something that doesn't seem like a big deal sometimes, but it is.

[Aunt Sponge]

Good thought, Dell - I'll keep that in mind when my family comes to visit

Depending on the grill that's available to you, Scribble - s small hibachi or tabel-top grill might work well for veggies. For the reason Del suggested but, also, because veggies, etc, cook at a different rate and heat than meats/etc.

[RonniesWifeJen]

I can look up menu ideas and get a whole menu together for you if you like. It's best to give you tips for cooking with vegans and vegetarians.
1. Make sure all items used for cooking do not touch meat products and are cleaned well.
2. To clear things up and make sure there are less questions either color code everything or make sure all alternative dishes are vegan.
3. Try to make sure you think about a balanced diet. Do your homework. Offer dishes with protine without it being fake meat. Not all veg/vegans like fake meat/ meat like products.
4. Make sure they are aware that you are catering to them. They are more likely to come. I know a lot of Vegans who avoid those kinds of things or eat ahead of time.
5. For ease try shopping at a market that specializes in foods that are vegan. Usually they will be tagged. You'd be surprised how many places are out there, let the internet be your guide.
6. have a decent variety but don't feel like you can't use the same thing in multipul dishes, just use it in a different way

Now to menu item suggestions:
1. I really like the idea of the kabobs but don't just limit yourself to veggies, you can do fruit kabobs too. A lot of fruits are great on the grill not just pineapple.
2. Have a nut tray, nuts are a great source of protine and you can pick up nuts at just about any store.
3. do a bean salad
4. pasta is good but you have to make sure you check what's in it. you could do tomatoes cut up, olive oil, olives, and other things like mushrooms. Be creative. Pesto is great in a pasta salad.
5. tofu spring rolls, these are easier than you'd think, I can teach you how in a flash.
6. Chips and salsa are a hit at any BBQ it applies to vegans too, you just have to be smart about your chips.
7. corn on the cobb just don't use butter on it, use an alternative or nothing at all. There's a lot of great glazes on the internet
8. Corn salad
9. raw fruit and vegetable platters, make sure the dip is vegan friendly.

You can find vegan recipies for just about anything including bread pudding. Just look around.