Tea-marinated Summer Veggie Skewers

Late summer is here, the peak time of harvest and bounty! This is a great time of year to connect with nature and nourish your body.  So, why not get outside and check out what your local farmers market has to offer? Peppers, tomatoes, onions, zucchini, & summer squash are all in season so don’t pack away the grill just yet…

Tea-marinated, Summer Veggie Skewers

This subtly tangy, Asian-inspired marinade is flavorful, versatile, and delicious. Skewered with colorful veggies, marinated tofu take on a hearty, meaty texture to satisfy any carnivore. For tofu skeptics, the marinade pairs beautifully with fish and poultry, too.

ORGANIC INDIA’s Tulsi Lemon Ginger tea infusion combines lovely lemon essence and piquant ginger to awaken your senses and support wellness.

Serves 4

For the marinade:

• 2 ORGANIC INDIA Tulsi Lemon Ginger tea infusion bags
• 1 cup boiled water
• ¼ cup tamari soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon peeled fresh ginger root, minced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

For the skewers:

• 1 package (14-ounce) extra-firm tofu
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 green bell pepper
• 1 red onion, skin removed and cut into wedges
• 1 large zucchini

Directions:

1. Remove tofu from package, wrap in a dish towel, and top with a heavy object such as a stack of books to press and remove the water for 10 minutes. [This step could be eliminated if you like with minimal difference.]
2. Prepare the marinade: Add ORGANIC INDIA tea infusion bags to 1 cup boiled water and allow to ten minutes. Discard the tea bags, and add the soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and sesame oil to the tea.
3. One the tofu is pressed, unwrap from towel and slice into 12 even pieces. Lay pieces in a glass casserole dish and cover with marinade.
4. Marinate tofu for at least 1 hour or overnight, turning the tofu pieces midway through marinating time.
5. Prepare the vegetables: slice zucchini, seed and cut bell peppers roughly into squares. Strive to cut all the ingredients to approximately the same size.
6. Assemble your skewers: stick vegetables and tofu alternately on metal skewers or bamboo sticks.
7. Coat a pan, grill pan or grill lightly with cooking spray and heat until sizzling; place skewers on grill and cook for a couple of minutes on each side, until the vegetables soften and tofu turns golden brown. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired.