Two Vegetarian BBQ Sides

I just finished writing out the recipe for slow cooker BBQ ribs which my husband is going to make late tonight (its already 10) so they are ready for our friend to come over tomorrow afternoon. I hope they eat them all because my self control around ribs is not that strong. I think that is the hardest thing about having so many food intolerances... if the food isn't in my house, I have no problem. I can resist at other people's homes and at restaurants but at the house it is almost impossible. With my husband being home slowly recovering from his accident so many of the foods that I have a hard time resisting are in the house... chips, bread, meat, etc. I'm trying hard but I think tomorrow night my stomach will hurt!

So here are two vegetarian (I even think vegan) BBQ sides. I had such a taste for BBQ beans last Sunday and even with my traumatic experience, I was able to make them. I also saw cauliflower on sale at the store, and although I had never eaten it before, I wanted to add it to my roasted vegetable recipe. I was really surprised on how well everything turned out and the fact that I ate the cauliflower and didn't gag. It was actually good, but I couldn't eat too much because of my gastroparesis. I am planning on making these sides this summer for one of our family reunion picnics. Both dishes would work wonderfully with grilled entrees or are great by themselves for vegetarians who love the taste of BBQ.

Barbecue Baked Beans

Ingredients

1 Tbs of olive oil

1 cup of onions, chopped

4 cloves of garlic, chopped

4- 15 oz cans of navy beans, drained

1/4 cup of molasses

1/2 of barbecue sauce

1/4 cup of yellow mustard

1 Tbs of apple cider vinegar

2 tsp of crushed red pepper flakes

Salt and pepper to taste

Put olive oil in saucepan and saute onions and garlic until soft. Add the beans, barbecue sauce, mustard, molasses, vinegar, red pepper and salt and pepper to taste. Mix ingredients and then put heat on slow. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring often.

Roasted Barbecue Vegetables

Ingredients

2 potatoes, cut into 1 inch chunks

2 sweet potatoes, cut into 1 inch chunks

1 large onion, cut into wedges

2 cauliflower heads, cut into florets

BBQ rub/seasoning (I used Famous Dave's rub)

4 Tbs olive oil

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Put cauliflower and onions into a bowl and toss with 2 Tbs olive oil. Sprinkle with BBQ rub, as much as you would like to flavor the vegetables and toss again. Put vegetables on a foil lined cookie sheet and put on a middle rack. Cook for 25 - 35 minutes stirring and turning over occasionally.

Boil a pot of water. Place the potatoes in the pot and parboil for 2 minutes. Drain, then put the potatoes in a bowl and toss with 2 Tbs of olive oil. Sprinkle with BBQ rub using as much as you would like to flavor the potatoes and toss again. Put the potatoes on a foil lined cookie sheet and cook for around 45 minutes. Both the cauliflower and potatoes can be in the oven at the same time and you may want to start with the potatoes so that all the vegetables are done at the same time. Mix the onions, cauliflower and potatoes together and add salt and pepper or more bbq seasoning if needed.