Recipe: Teriyaki Tofu Vegetable Kebabs

I know, I know... I said the next several posts were going to be about sushi. But what can I say - I have the attention span of a three-year-old. I'll get back to it, I promise.

I've been distracted by the brief span of warm weather we've had here in Ohio (both days of it!), and when warm weather hits, my attention turns to... the grill!

My in-laws wonder why I still have a grill - they think it's just for burning up hamburgers and steaks. But vegetarians and vegans can do lots of great things on the grill. Here's one of 'em:

Teriyaki Tofu Vegetable Kebabs

1 package of extra firm tofu (the kind packed in water, not that icky "silken" stuff
1 red bell pepper and 1 green bell peopper, each cut into 1' x 1" (roughly) square pieces
1 package (8 oz) white button mushrooms, whole
1 zucchini squash, sliced into 1/2" thick rounds
1 yellow squash, cut into 1/2" thick rounds
6 oz teriyaki marinade (no, I don't make my own)
4 bamboo skewers (you can get about a hundred of these for a dollar at any big-chain supermarket)

Step 1 (Optional, but recommended)

Toss the package of tofu in the freezer and leave it overight. Take it out in the morning and let the package set at room temperature until thawed. Freezing improves tofu's consistency, and gives it a (dare I say it!) meaty texture.

Step 2

Drain tofu. Press with paper towels or a clean dish towel to remove excess water. Cut tofu into 1" cubes.

Step 3

Load tofu, green/red bell pepper pieces, mushrooms, and zucchini/yello squash pieces onto each of the skewers in an alternating pattern. Leave 2" on each end of the skewer so you can turn it (and so stuff doesn't fall off). Place skewers in teriyaki marinade.

Step 4

Light grill and set to medium-high heat. Turn the kebabs in the marinade every few minutes to make sure they're covered.

Step 5

Place kebabs directly on the grill. You can use cooking spray, but I've found that if the kebabs are properly lubricated with marinade, they don't seem to stick anyway.

Turn kebabs about every 5 minutes or whenever you get bored with standing in front of the grill.

In about 20 minutes, you'll have piping hot, yummy tofu vegetable kebabs!