Please visit ServingHealthy.com for more delicious recipes!

Grilled Carrot Dogs Yield: 4 carrot dogs Recipes are rated from 1 to 5 forks, with 1 fork being the easiest and 5 forks the most challenging.

It's almost grilling season, and these vegan "hot dogs" are amazing! If you love hot dogs but you don't want to eat meat or you are afraid of the preservatives and unknown ingredients, these dogs are the answer. Commercial hot dogs are highly processed, and processed meat is classified as a group 1 carcinogen, so why not give this healthy whole food, plant-based option a try? There are quite a few ingredients, but you can use what you have. Real hot dogs contain a wide variety of seasoning, and this recipe is a close approximation. If you need to leave out two or three items, these dogs will still provide great flavor. Prep Time 30 minutes Cook Time 10 minutes

Ingredients:

Grilled Carrot Dogs:

• 4 large carrots (you can also use parsnips)
• 1/2 cup tamari or soy sauce
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar or apple cider vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons maple syrup or honey
• 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
• 1 teaspoon liquid smoke (optional)
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic (1 to 2 cloves)
• 1/4 cup sliced onion
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds (substitute ground coriander)
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds (substitute ground cumin)
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper corns or ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon marjoram or oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds (substitute 1/2 teaspoon mustard)
• 1/2 teaspoon celery seed (optional)
• 2 Bay Leaves (optional)
• 1+ cup Water or vegetable stock as needed

For Serving::

• 4 Whole wheat hot dog buns

Optional Garnishes:

• Dijon, yellow, or brown mustard
• Sauerkraut
• Pickle relish (sweet or dill)
• Ketchup
• Jalapenos
• Diced Onions

Special Equipment:

No special equipment is required.

 

Preparation Method:

Peel the carrots and cut the thickest end of each carrot to the length of your hot dog buns.

Place the carrots in a medium sized pot that is wide enough to let the carrots lay flat.  Add the remaining ingredients with enough water or vegetable stock to cover the carrots by 1 inch.  Bring the pot to a boil and cover with a lid. Reduce the heat and let the carrots simmer for about 10 minutes, or until they become slightly soft.  Remove from the heat and let the carrots marinate for 30 minutes.

You can make the carrot dogs up to 4 days in advance. Once you have simmered the carrots, you can refrigerate the carrots in the marinating liquid for up to 4 days.

To grill the carrot dogs, heat your grill to high and grill the carrots until they are slightly charred and the outside and warm in the center. Serve on hot dog buns with your favorite toppings.

Alternatively, you can heat the carrot dogs in a non-stick pan or a cast iron skillet to get a little char on the outside. You can also heat the dogs in a microwave until hot.