What's grillin' for the 4th?

Simplicity.

This is a word I have been forced to become acquainted with.

I tend to complicate my life, fill my plate to overflow, and always have way more things in a day to do than I have day.

So when it comes to cooking, I use my creativity to make things scrumptious (must taste good!) as well as fast/simple/quick/ect. For our lunch meals it's either leftovers or it has to take no more than 15-20 minutes to put together. Or else. Everything goes to pieces. In my house that is (imagine 3 kids, 3 and under, running around while I chop and stir and taste, this cannot last very long before very bad things potentially will occur..).

I thought today's creation may be of interest to you since the 4th of July is coming up, and for many that means grilling of some sort. And this does not have to involve roasting/charring/grilling something that once was living. Grilled veggies are fantastic (grilled asparagus and corn are my favorites!) and there are dozens and dozens of delicious brands of veggie meats such as hot dogs, sausages, and burgers. Remember to include fresh ingredients (be creative!) like green leafy lettuce, tomatoes, red/yellow/green peppers, avacados, and onions as well as flavorful dips and sauces (A-1, barbaque sauce, ketchup, mustard, relish...).

I'm not going to share the recipe, because well, it's so easy it doesn't really require a recipe. Instead, here are the ingredients: ample amounts of fresh basil (from my garden!), vine ripe tomatoes, slices of firm tofu, a grilled portabella mushroom, vegan mayonnaise, freshly ground pepper and golden basalmic vinegar, over a sprouted grain bun.

I used my George Foreman grill (excellent for creating a sort of pannini style grilled bread) to toast the buns and grill the mushroom. In less than 10 minutes, I had a hot, delicious burger--lot's of flavor, variety, and texture.