Two weeks ago I drove down to the Outer Banks of North Carolina for the very first time! Colington Island, to be exact. So lovely!
I met my best friend Jenna (currently in her last year of med school at UVA), her mom (also my dear friend & favorite dentist) Rena, & little Fergie girl (their adorable little hypoallergenic rescue pup). We spent the weekend catching up over good food & drinks by the water. So peaceful. A much needed girls getaway!
On Saturday we hit the beach. We soaked up the sun in our little bikinis as we listened to music & talked about boys, careers, & deep life sh*t. Prior, we had made a pit stop at Brew Thru – the legendary drive through convenience store – and snagged some incredible beer (we tried the LemonGrass Wheat Ale by Outer Banks Brewing Station) & a bottle of rosé. Necessary. Life hack – drink a beer and then go into the ocean with a friend and pretend you are mermaids – the key is jumping in and out of the water like dolphins, really – feel like pure gold. After a few hours playing between the sand and the surf, a large cloud rolled in… undeniably a summer storm. Totally fine by us, we were ready to eat.
Okay, okay… now on to the f o o d.
I love barbecue. There aren’t many barbecue sauces that I don’t fancy. And this Carolina Style Barbecue Sauce from Earth Fare is no exception. It is perfectly tangy with the addition of mustard. D e l i c i o u s!
I also love to grill. Come on… light her up! Grilling may not be the healthiest styles of cooking, but it sure feels like the most primitive (which for whatever reason, I really enjoy).
And a huge thank you goes to Earth Fare’s… their BULK AISLE is 100! Among e v e r y t h i n g else, they have the Organic Yellow Corn Grits!
Anyway, these Carolina Style BBQ Skewers are so juicy and full of flavor. Served up over creamy, cheesy grits… mmm absolute BBQ PERFECTION, if I do say so myself!
CLASSIC. SIMPLE. SAUCEY. SMOKEY.
Note: THE FIRST STEP TO THIS RECIPE IS TO CUT AND MARINATE THE TOFU IN THE BBQ SAUCE. Ideally, you will want the tofu to marinate for 24-48 hours.
Carolina Style BBQ Skewers over Cheesy Grits
Ingredients
- 2 cups organic yellow grits
- 3 cups almond milk
- 3 cups filtered water
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter I prefer Miyokonos
- 2 tablespoons bee free honey or agave nectar
- 2 teaspoons or to taste salt I prefer Pink Himalayan
- 1 teaspoon or to taste pepper finely ground & I like a lot
- 1 pack tofu extra firm & packed if possible
- 2 red pepper
- 1 red onion
- 1-2 yellow squash
- 1-2 zucchini
- 1 bottle carolina style BBQ sauce I prefer Earth Fare's!
- vegan parmesan cheese optional - finely grated- I prefer Vio Life
Instructions
Cheesy Grits
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Bring the milk and water combo to a boil. Add the grits gradually to the boiling liquid. Turn down the head and simmer on low, stirring frequently, for 30 minutes or until preferred consistency.
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Add the nutritional yeast, honey, salt & pepper. Optional add grated vegan parmesan. Stir to combine.
Carolina Style BBQ Skewers
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Cut the tofu into 8 large cubes. Place in a glass storage dish and pour a cup of barbecue sauce over the top. LET MARINATE FOR 24-48 HOURS.
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Chop the zucchini, yellow squash, red onion, and red pepper. The goal is to chop everything to similar widths (about an inch).
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Spear the tofu and vegetables using either soaked bamboo skewers or metal skewers. Coat generously with oil.
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Grill on medium-high heat for about 7 minutes on each side, or until beautiful grill marks appear on the outside and the kabobs are cooked through. I like to brush the kabobs with extra barbecue sauce during and after grilling.
