grilled vegetables

BBQ's aren’t just for burgers and hot dogs you know. One of my food beliefs is that everything tastes better when it’s grilled -  fruits, vegetables, old shoes, anything. It's a fact. Along with being healthy, the wonderful thing about grilling is that anyone can do it. It's as easy as brushing on some olive oil & tossing it on the flames. But many times people don't think outside of meat when grilling and forget about the glory of a grilled veggie.  You can eat them as a side, or toss into your regular dish for more flavor. So before you fire up the charcoal, swing by the produce section and grab some veggies!

How to grill vegetables-

Slice vegetables into long strips and brush both sides with olive oil. (Obviously you can just put veggies like asparagus, broccoli and mushrooms on grill whole.) Cook over medium heat, 3-4 minutes on each side, or until grill marks form. Sprinkle some salt, pepper & garlic salt on them when they’re finished.

What can you grill? These are some my favorites...

Zucchini-

I make these grilled zucchini whenever  I want to impress someone who is reluctant about my vegetarian grilling... and it always works.

  

Mushrooms-

I recommend brushing mushrooms with a mix of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Skip the burger & put a Portabello Mushroom Burger on a bun! Toss a portabello mushroom cap on the grill and top with grilled red pepper, onion, avocado and a fun cheese like provolone, gouda, blue cheese or swiss and place on a grilled ciabatta. Add pesto or garlic mayo if you want to be fancy. Ah, the possibilities are endless with this one.

image from EzraPoundCake.com

Eggplant-

Put on a sandwich, make eggplant parmesan or roll ups or again, add to pasta. Try Giada's Grilled Eggplant with Goat Cheese, Basil & Pine Nuts here! (Image on right.)

Asparagus-
Top with parmesan cheese. Eat alone or toss in a pasta.

Broccoli-

I had never thought of grilling broccoli until I had it that amazing burrito. I've been addicted ever since. You can eat it alone or topped with parmesan. Or throw some grilled broccoli in omelettes, pasta and on pizza.



Onion-

Grilled onion adds a wonderful flavor to anything....



Image from CooksIllustrated.com



Tips: 
Try grill spray if veggies stick. 

For small vegetables like mushrooms and broccoli- try a grill basket, like this one, so they don’t fall in-between the grates.  

[vegetarian grill recipes, vegetarian BBQ,  grilled vegetables, how to grill vegetables, grilled zucchini, healthy grilling]