The grocers’ tables are piled high with delicious summer vegetables! In-season veggies are a win in so many ways: Prices are low because production is high. Picked at the height of the season vegetables rock the nutrition charts. Best of all, vegetables are easy to include in your meal when prepared on a grill.
Slice, kabob, or take your favorite vegetable for a spin in a rotisserie basket. Don’t have a grill? Find out which type is the best for you. Then grab your favorite veggie and get grilling.
Carrots: not just for salads
Try temptingly beautiful Grilled Carrots. Tender young bunch carrots are perfect for grilling whole. Leave a bit of the green stem attached for upscale plating.
Corn: two ways
There is no need for butter or other flavorings when corn is soaked, husk and all, in salty water. Grilled Sweet Corn steams to perfection. Peel, plate, and enjoy the hint of smoky flavor in the tender kernels.
For Seasoned Grilled Corn, pull back the husks before cooking to expose the ears. Do not remove the husks entirely. Season with your favorite flavors (butter optional), fold the husks back into place, and grill.
Eggplant: creamy and delicious
Slice eggplant horizontally or vertically, brush with olive oil and garlic, sprinkle with fresh cracked pepper, and grill. Grilled Ratatouille takes plain old grilled eggplant and turns it into an irresistibly healthy Mediterranean feast.
Fennel: bulbs and leaves
Clean the bulb, trim off the stem, cut in half, brush with oil, and then grill for 10 minutes on each side. Do not eat the stem above the bulb. Grocery store fennel is likely to be quite old and the stems not edible.
Don’t let those leaves go to waste! Use them as a wrap for fish. In Fennel Smoked Salmon, fennel flavors the fish and helps hold the fish together when you flip it.
Peppers: just pop them on the grill
Grilled Peppers are simple to make. Leave them whole, stuff them, or slice and thread onto a kabob. If peppers upset your digestion, you may find that grilled peppers – with the blackened skin scraped off – are music to your tummy. For those with cast iron stomachs and a bit of wiggle room on the calorie log, try Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Jalapenos.
Onions: sweet as candy
Grilled Vidalia Onions are an incredibly mindful experience. If Vidalias are not available, grill any sweet onion in the same way.
Tomatillos: for a Tex-Mex twist!
Tomatillos are the interesting little fruit in the mild green sauce found on the tables in Mexican restaurants. Make your own tomatillo topping for hamburgers with this recipe for Grilled Tomatillo and Red Onion Relish.
Zucchini: inexpensive and prolific!
A little bit of olive oil and a pinch of salt is all you need to make Grilled Zucchini and Summer Squash. The simple treatment lets the natural flavors shine through.
Mindfully Considered
Make dinner simple by grilling vegetables alongside the meat of the day. Or just fill the grill with as many veggies as you can! However you grill them, take advantage of the season to eat as many inexpensive veggies as you can. One may become your new favorite way to add health and flavor to your day.
What is your favorite summer vegetable? Share your grilling tips with everyone here! What topic would you like to see in the Healthy Eating section?
