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vegetarian

Grilling Wrap Lemon & Herb Green Beans

Grilling Wrap Lemon & Herb Green Beans

By Cedar Wrap Recipes, Recipes, Vegetables
Side dishes sometimes become somewhat of an afterthought, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Seasoned green beans make a great side dish for almost any main course, and wrapped in Cedar Wood grilling wraps, they are so fast and simple to prepare. It’s surprisingly bright and flavourful, and also vegan and gluten-free.

Cedar Wrap Lemon & Herb Green Beans – serves 2-4

You’ll need:

  • Cedar Wood Grilling Wraps
  • Green Beans
  • Olive Oil
  • Fresh Mixed herbs, chopped (parsley, sage, oregano, basil)
  • Lemon zest
  • Salt
  • Pepper
Grilling Wrap Lemon & Herb Green Beans

Step 1:
Par cook the green beans in a pot of boiling water or steam them until just underdone. They should be vibrant green and still a little crisp.

Step 2:
Soak the grilling wraps for about 10 minutes.

Step 3:
Place green beans in the wrap, parallel with the grain of the wood.

Step 4:
Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with herbs and lemon zest.

Step 5:
Roll the wrap around the green beans, secure with twine and grill until done, about 10 minutes.

If you are motivated by a desire to eat more fresh, seasonal produce, you simply can’t go wrong with this one. The magic of this recipe is that it only requires a handful of ingredients, and you probably already have most of them on hand. Whether you are grilling up some meat or poaching a simple fish fillet, this is a great pick for whatever you want to pair it with.

December 13, 2021
Asparagus with Carrots Smoked in a Natural Wood Wrap

Asparagus with Carrots Smoked in a Natural Wood Wrap

By Cedar Wrap Recipes, Recipes, Vegetables
Don’t you love that time when asparagus are in season? Here’s a quick and healthy side dish you can make with cedar wood grilling wraps that is simple to prepare on a weekday for dinner or a fancy option when you have company. Either way, you’ll love how easy it is to prepare and above all, how delicious it is!

Asparagus with Carrots in cedar wood wraps – serves 2

You’ll need:

  • 2 grilling wraps with string
  • 2 tsp of finely grated fresh ginger
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp finely grated orange zest
  • 10 spears fresh asparagus
  • 1 large carrot
  • 2 small sprigs of fresh thyme
  • 2 tbsp chopped onion
Asparagus with Carrots Smoked in a Natural Wood Wrap

Step 1:
Pre-soak the cedar wood wraps in water for at least 10 minutes. Weigh them down with something to be sure they’re fully covered by the water. Preheat the grill on medium.

Step 2:
Grate the ginger for about 2 teaspoons and mince the garlic clove. Mix it together in a shallow dish along with the mustard, soy sauce, oil, and orange zest.

Step 3:
Snap the asparagus spears to the length of the wraps. Slice the carrots lengthwise to two or more slabs ¼” (6 mm) thick.

Step 4:
Open the wraps on your work surface so that the grain runs side-to-side. Add the carrots to the dish, turning to coat. Lay them in the middle of the wraps, parallel to the grain. Lay a sprig of thyme on top of the carrots.

Step 5:
Repeat the coating process with the asparagus, piling the spears on top of the carrots and thyme. Scoop up any bits left on the dish and add them to the pile. Sprinkle the onions over. Fold up first one edge of the wrap and then tightly fold the other over it. Secure it with the string.

Step 6:
Have a spray bottle of water handy take care of things in case the wraps ignite. Lay the packets on the preheated grill and close the lid. Cook for 5 minutes or until done.

It’s been said that asparagus a “wine-challenged” food, but a crisp and refreshing wine like Sauvignon Blanc, unoaked Chardonnay, and Pinot Gris pair beautifully with this dish. It’ll enhance that lovely spring summer vibe. Aromatics such as Riesling and Gewürztraminer are also a good match, and so is bubbly. Anything except for tannic and oaky wines, really. The char character from the grilling works wonderfully with Pinot Noir as well, as it is light-bodied and earthy.

December 13, 2021
vegetables in a grilling wrap

Vegetable Bouquets Smoked in a Natural Wood Wrap

By Cedar Wrap Recipes, Recipes, Vegetables
Contrary to popular belief, Cedar wood is not just for barbeque grilling, and the special smokiness is not only suited to fish and meat.  You can also use cedar wood planks and wraps when cooking in the oven, and it enhances the flavour of most vegetables beautifully, too. These fabulous Cedar wrapped vegetable bouquets are made with herb butter coated asparagus, carrots, and capsicums, arranged in a Cedar Works cedar wrap then roasted in the oven.

Cedar wrapped Vegetable Bouquets – Serves 4

You’ll need:

  • 4 Cedar Works Cedar wraps
  • 1 carrot
  • 1 red capsicum
  • 1 yellow capsicum
  • 300g asparagus
  • 2 tbsp melted butter
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
  • Salt and pepper to taste
vegetables in a grilling wrap

Step 1:
Preheat oven to 200 °C.  Prepare the cedar wraps and string by soaking them in water or white wine for 10 to 15 minutes.  Trim the woody ends from the asparagus and slice the capsicums.  Use a vegetable peeler to shave long, thin slices from the carrot.

Step 2:
Stir the chopped parsley into the melted butter.

Step 3:
Lay out the soaked cedar wraps and divide the vegetables evenly between them.  Drizzle the vegetables equally with herb butter, paying special attention to any exposed ends that stick out from the wrap, then season with salt and pepper.

Step 4:
Close up the wraps and tie each one with a piece of soaked string. Place on a baking pan and roast the parcels in the oven for 15 minutes or until the vegetables are crisp tender, then serve.

We’ve selected asparagus, capsicum and carrots for this recipe, but many other vegetables are also suitable for cedar wrapping.  All you need to do is make sure that they’re cut to the proper size and thickness to make sure everything cooks evenly.  For example, instead of slicing carrots into rounds or sticks, you can use a peeler to shave long, thin strips. That’s how they cook at the same rate as the faster-cooking capsicum and asparagus.

December 13, 2021
Grilled Veggie Kebabs Smoked on a Natural Wood Plank

Grilled Veggie Kebabs Smoked on a Natural Wood Plank

By Cedar Plank Recipes, Recipes, Vegetables

Kebabs are a great way to get your meat and vegetable fixes all at once. Keep in mind though that meat, vegetables and fruit do not all cook at the same speed. Even different types of produce require different cook times.

A zucchini cooks differently than an onion, and chicken of course takes longer to cook than prawn. Our advice is to keep it simple and to use individual skewers for each type of kebab. Separating different meats, vegetables and fruits onto different skewers will cook things evenly.

A great kebab calls for a marinade. The goal is to get as much flavour as possible into your kebabs before they hit the grill.  A mix of garlic, rosemary and olive oil does wonders for pork tenderloin kebabs, or you can wrap the meat in bacon. If you’re grilling seafood, a marinade of garlic, coriander, basil, paprika, lime juice, honey, salt, and olive oil is great.

You can use wooden skewers, but make sure to soak them first. Using rosemary sprigs as skewers is another fun idea. Make sure to soak your cedar wood plank before grilling, too. You’ll find the instructions on the packaging.

Kebabs are a beautiful addition to an al fresco meal, and the rosemary and cedar planking add beautiful flavour layers to the meat and vegetables.

Serve 2 or 3 skewers per person

You’ll need:

  • cedar planks for grilling
  • skewers or fresh rosemary sprigs
  • any meat or seafood you like, in even pieces
  • onion chunks
  • sweet bell pepper pieces
  • pineapple chunks (optional)
  • whole mushrooms
  • cherry or grape tomatoes
  • a marinade of choice
  • salt and pepper

Step 1:
Soak cedar planks according to the directions on the package. Stick the assorted marinated meat, veggies or fruits on the skewers. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Step 2:
Place the prepared skewers on planks (3 or 4 to a plank.) Place the planks on hot side of grill, cover and allow to cook until your protein and veggies reach desired tenderness. They will be infused with the yummy cedar smoke flavour but keep an eye on them and make sure they’re not scorched to death.

Serving suggestions:

Kebabs are brilliant served with a light green summer salad, potato wedges, crusty bread rolls, rice pilaf or coconut rice. If you’re going for a Mediterranean theme, whip up an easy mint and cucumber yogurt dip to go with your meal. It’s delicious. Other sauces that go well with kebabs, depending on your choice of meat and veg, are garlic mayonnaise, peanut satay, and sweet chili.

July 7, 2021
Vegetables including asparagus & mushroom on a grilling plank

Grilled Asparagus & Mushrooms Smoked on a Natural Wood Plank

By Cedar Plank Recipes, Recipes, Vegetables

The flavours from asparagus and mushrooms combined with the smokiness of cedar wood plank grilling aren’t easy to describe, but the word delicious is the first that comes to mind. This easy recipe will surely impress your vegetarian friends. It is a fantastic side dish for all sorts of meals, whether your diet is plant-based or not.

Cedar plank grilling is perfect for all sorts of vegetables, just make sure you choose veggies that cook in about the same time. Red peppers, asparagus, mushrooms, zucchini, onions, green beans, brussels sprouts (cut in half), broccoli and carrots (cut into small chunks) all work well. Potatoes take a little longer to cook but you can pre-cook those in the microwave.

You’ll need:

  • 1 large cedar plank
  • A bunch of fresh asparagus
  • Any type of mushrooms
  • Fire salt (or a mix of sea salt, paprika, chilli powder and garlic)
  • 3 tbsp olive oil

Step 1:
Rinse and snap off the bases of the asparagus, then coat them and the mushrooms or the other veggies you’re using with a tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle lightly with Fire salt or the seasoning of your choice.

Step 2:
Prepare your cedar wood grilling plank by soaking it in water for about an hour. Heat grill to 120° C and place the soaked plank over direct heat for 5 minutes. Remove it and oil the heated side.

Step 3:
Place the cedar plank with oiled side up on your grill, place the vegetables on top. Cook them for 10 to 15 minutes over direct heat until tender but firm. Keep a squirt bottle of water handy in case your cedar plank catches fire.

You can serve these as a side dish, on its own, or toss them over salads. If you don’t have a barbeque or grill, you can just as easily prepare it in the oven. Roasted cedar plank vegetables are super easy to make, taste delicious and will impress your guests. If you use the oven, all you do is soak the plank for at least 15 minutes, arrange vegetables, season and bake.

July 7, 2021
Mushrooms on a grilling plank

Grilled Portobello Mushrooms Smoked on a Natural Wood Plank

By Cedar Plank Recipes, Recipes, Vegetables

Vegetables, especially those beautiful big “meaty” portobellos mushrooms, taste amazing when cooked on a plank. Stuffed portobello mushrooms are a real treat, and an excellent way to impress your guests. Grab the biggest mushrooms you can find for that wow-factor.

There’s a huge variety of fillings you can use for a dish like this, but we decided on an summery Italian flavour used veggies only. We chose squash, zucchini, corn, and beautiful fresh capsicum for the filling. The delicate smoky flavour is delicious and will enhance all the vegetable flavours.

We used a beautiful shredded asiago cheese from our local Mediteranian deli, but you can use any cheese you like. From gooey mozzarella to strong Stilton, anything goes. Vegan cheese in an option if you want to keep your dish 100% plant based.

Summery Cedar Grilled Portobello Mushrooms – Serves 4

You’ll need:

  • 4 large, firm Portobello mushrooms
  • Olive oil
  • 2 cups of (vegan) cheese
  • 1 small buttercup or butternut squash
  • 1 large or two small courgettes/zucchini
  • 1 cup of corn kernels – fresh or from a can
  • 3-4 green, red, orange and/or yellow peppers

Step 1:

While your cedar wood soaks in water, cut the veggies and grill them up. Toss them with a little olive oil, salt and pepper and place them on the grill. Remove the grills and stems from the mushrooms to create a nice flat surface for stuffing. You can cut them into pieces and add them to the veggie mix when you fill the caps.

Step 2:

Brush your mushrooms with olive oil and place them on the grill for no longer than 3 minutes, with the caps side up. Take them off the grill and let them cool. If moisture appears, pat them dry with a paper towel.

Step 3:

Fill the caps with shredded cheese and layer your veggies on top so it shows the different colours. Sprinkle some more cheese on top and place them on the plank. Keep the grill temperature around 150 C for the best results. While the mushrooms are cooking, you’ll hear the cedar wood cracking and a sweet smell will fill the air. The cheese on the bottom will melt beautifully, and the veggies will turn golden in about 15 minutes.

Step 4:

Garnish your stuffed mushroos with fresh grilled corn, some basil, and a drizzle of olive oil then serve.

Serving suggestions:

You can serve your cedar plank grilled stuffed portobello mushrooms on a bed of wilted spinach, with a fresh garden salad, or with a garlic pototo mash and broccoli. It’s a lovely light option for a meat-free dinner. A prosecco or another light white wine with this is a match made in heaven, but a nice red also works. Check out or other recipes if you’re looking for more ways to impress your dinner guests.

July 7, 2021