As the weather gets warmer, so does the natural appeal to stick on an apron and head for the garden to cook every other meal. But if you’re on the hunt for a healthier and more sustainable summer of food, you may be tempted to reach for a veggie patty rather than your usual butcher’s choice.

This doesn’t need to be a total switch around, but it could be the first step in reducing your meat consumption and an opportunity to try new recipes and experience new flavours — all with a plant-based twist.

This grilled seitan has a ginger beer BBQ sauce

Seitan is the viral TikTok sensation that has food lovers rushing to the kitchen to try this chicken-textured vegan alternative. Made primarily with flour and water, and knotted for texture, seitan is packed full of flavour and high in protein.

This recipe is perfect for the BBQ, pairing the grilled seitan with a homemade BBQ sauce that uses ginger beer as a base for a sweet and tangy flavour.

For the seitan

1.  Combine 500g of flour and 300ml of water in a large bowl and knead well. Cover and leave to rest for one hour.

2.  Continually rinse the dough in cold water until the water in the bowl is clear.

3.  Season the seitan dough with paprika powder, garlic powder, thyme, salt, and pepper. Allow the seitan to marinate for 45 minutes.

4.  Pull the seitan dough into a long rope and tie multiple knots. This allows the dough to have a stringy, chicken-like texture.

5.  Simmer the seitan dough in a pan with vegetable broth for about 2 hours.

6.  Glaze the seitan in your homemade BBQ sauce and grill over a flame for about 10 minutes.

For the ginger beer BBQ sauce

1. In a saucepan, combine:

     • 1 small onion, finely chopped

     • 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar

     • 3 tbsp soft dark brown sugar

     • 3 tbsp soy sauce

     • 3 tbsp Worcester sauce

     • 3 tbsp tomato ketchup

     • 750ml of Fentimans Ginger Beer

2. Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered for about 30 minutes until reduced by half, thickened, and sticky.

3. Glaze your seitan with the sauce before and after cooking on the BBQ.

This burger has a mint pairing with gin and tonic

Some of the herbs you might grow in the garden can play a role in both what you eat and what you drink. This simple vegan burger recipe includes mint to add a sweet and refreshing note to your BBQ selection, while the herb can act as the perfect garnish for your grill-side beverage.

For the burger

1.  In a blender, combine:

     • 300g of frozen peas

     • Handful of mint

     • 500g of chickpeas, drained and rinsed

     • 1 onion

     • 200g of breadcrumbs

     • 30g of sunflower seeds

     • 1 garlic clove

     • Salt

     • Pepper

     • Olive oil

2. Once the ingredients have been blended into a rough paste, flatten it into individual patties.

3. Grill on the BBQ until the outside of the burger has a golden-brown colour.

4. Place your burger in a bun and dress with your favourite fillings.

For the perfect drink to pair

With your leftover mint, garnish your gin and Fentimans Premium Indian Tonic Water with a few leaves tumbled in a glass with ice. It adds a refreshing note and completes that summer BBQ vibe.

This cocktail is 100% vegan and 100% delicious

There’s no better way to complete your plant-based BBQ than with a plant-based drink. Plant-based diets recognise the vibrance of flavours and the unlocked potential of the natural world in creating exciting, new recipes. Using botanically brewed beverages as a base for your drink, this cocktail adds a little heat to your garden party.

For the blackberry pink peppercorn cocktail:

1. Add three blackberries, some honey syrup, and a squeeze of lemon juice to a cocktail shaker and muddle.

2. Add a shot of vodka, some pink peppercorns, and ice to the shaker. Shake until chilled.

3. Strain into a glass over fresh ice and top up with Fentimans Gently Sparkling Elderflower.

4. Garnish the drink with peppercorns, blackberries, thyme, and a lemon slice.