Entertain Outside with these DIY Meatless Charcuterie Ideas!

One word - one big word CHARCUTERIE pronounced "shar/KYOO/ter/ee". This one word has a lot of attitude. It can sound pretentious, too fancy-pants, too French, too something! Charcuterie describes any kind of cured meat, that is typically associated with specialty and gourmet meats that are prepared using artisanal preservation processes. Preserving is an age old technique dating back before the era of refrigeration. Typically, charcuterie is served on a board/platter or plate and are primarily for carnivores, but it can be fit for a raw vegan as well.

Think of the board as your blank canvas, you can be as creative as you will with it. What the heck, this is America anyway, it can be a melting pot of cultural goodies. Various artisanal processes of preserving can be the main thread that makes it a charcuterie, whether using meats, vegetables, fruits, or cheeses.

With that said, let's dive into some food for thought. Shall we? Any style of eating, whether it's Mediterranean, vegetarian, vegan, raw vegan, pescetarian, locavore, gluten- free, raw, paleolithic....whatever suits your fancy is fare game.

Here are some ideas of what could be on meatless charcuterie boards:

Jams/preserves and mustards - fig jams, garlic and onion jams, cranberry jam, lemon preserves and your favorite mustard

Preserved/pickled veggies - pickles, kimchi, sauerkraut, beets, okra

Raw veggies - radishes, grape tomatoes, sugar snap peas, cucumbers, celery, carrots Veggies sliced as thin as carpaccio and tossed with a lemon and truffle olive oil - zucchini, beets radishes, sweet potatoes, turnips, rutabaga work well - a mandolin is the best tool for thin slices.

Cooked veggies - baked thick slices of sweet and regular potatoes, mushrooms and top with pestos - parsnip truffle fries - now I'm getting hungry.....

Veggie burgers/sausages - so many recipes and ready made burgers/sausages to buy- my favorite is Trader Joe's cowboy quinoa burger or Sweet Earth's Tuscan Veggie sausage

Nut, veggie and mushroom pates - more on this later A flight of hummus - so many varieties Side idea - use these veggie slices as a wrap to scoop up the nut or mushroom pates or make them up into a ravioli

Fruits cut or sliced - green apples, figs, grapes -side note - try to stay away from melons they should be eaten alone due to their fast transit time in the gut.....you get the idea.

Other meatless items to add to your DIY charcuterie board:

Assortment of olives and nuts

Breads and crackers

Nut cheeses/Cheeses

Marinated tempeh or tofu

Marinated beans or Bean salads

Roasted garlic - a big bulb sitting on a board who could resist...drizzled with balsamic reduction and olive oil...yum!

As I'm listing all that could be on a meatless charcuterie board - I'm finding it endless. So, I am going to move on... Let's get into some nut, veggie and mushroom pates recipes. One of my favorite nut pates is of an Italian descent, and this veggie/bean pate is to die for, too!

Nut pate:

- 1/2 cup raw cashews

- 1/2 cup raw walnuts

- 1/4 cup sundried tomatoes- Trader Joe's has and oil packed jar of marinated sun dried tomatoes but I suggest rinsing the oil off for best taste.

- Garlic 1-2 cloves, crushed

- Oregano 1/2 tsp, more if fresh

- Sea salt, a pinch

Veggie/bean pate:

- 1 jar of marinated (or not marinated) artichokes

- 1 cup navy beans (substitutions could be 1/2 cup walnuts or cashews, 1/2 cup goat cheese or tofu)

- Garlic 1-2 cloves

- Lemon juice 1/2 lemon

- 1/2 tsp your favorite mustard

- 1/4 tsp white pepper

- Apple cider vinegar (a splash)

- Pinch sea salt

Mushroom pate - quick recipe:

- 1frozen package of assorted mushrooms already marinated and cooked

- 1/2 tsp thyme

- 1/2 cup walnuts

Sauté to warm then pulse in food processor to a consistency you like.

Mushroom pate - from scratch recipe:

- 1lb. assorted mushrooms

- Olive oil or ghee to sauté approx.1 tbsp garlic

- 1-2 tsp thyme

- 1-2 ounces of Vermouth or sherry

- 1/2 cup walnuts

Sauté then pulse in the food processor.

I encourage you to try this fun easy way to entertain - guest help themselves, it accommodates many styles of eating, clean up is a breeze and so many tastes are enjoyed.

Eat well, be well -

😊 Michelle

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