Grilling isn’t just for meat. It makes veggies mouthwateringly irresistible! Grab zucchini, summer squash, eggplant, corn on the cob, peppers, onions, carrots, mushrooms, and even lettuce at a Harvest Home Farmers’ Market. Give them extra taste while you avoid cooking dishes to go with that BBQ-ed meat. (A great way to cut down your labor while increasing everyone’s health.) Happy Labor Day to You!
Marinate: Bring out the grilled veggies’ flavor, hold in the nutrition & add subtle flavor by marinading first. Store-bought marinade should contain either olive or canola oil. These oils cling to veggies while they grill, preventing smoking or flaming, which are not healthy. Make your marinade (See recipes below.) Mix the veggies and marinade. Refrigerate for ½ hour to an hour, but no more than 8 hours (or they get mushy).
Just the right size: Cut large veggies like eggplant or zucchini length-wise or in rounds for more grilling surface area. Use skewers for small veggies like cherry tomatoes, tomatillos, or peppers. Or loosely wrap small veggies or pieces of cut-up veggies in aluminum foil. For more tips, click here.
Where to put a veggie on the grill: “If it cooks for 20 minutes or less, put it on the grate directly over the flames. If you need to cook it for 20 minutes or more, keep the veggies away from direct heat.” (E. Karmel: Taming the Flame)
Our Favorite: Corn on the cob, cooked in the husk! Remove the silk from the top of the ear. Soak in a bowl of water with 1 tablespoon of salt for 10 minutes. Put on medium hot grill, close lid and grill for 15 to 20 minutes, turning every 5 minutes.
Plant-Based Takes the Plate
Recipe: Herb-marinated Grilled Veggies
Ingredients:
¾ cup of olive oil
¼ cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon each of chopped fresh rosemary, fresh thyme leaves, fresh basil, and fresh oregano
½ teaspoon each of salt & freshly ground black pepper
3 bell peppers: red, green & yellow
3 zucchini
2 large onions
1 eggplant
To Make It
Combine everything except the veggies
Cut bell peppers into large pieces, discarding seeds and membranes. Cut zucchini and onions into large pieces. Slice eggplant into 1/2-inch slices. Add vegetables to the marinade; toss to coat. Cover and chill for 2 hours.
Remove vegetables from marinade, reserving marinade. Grill, uncovered, over medium-high heat (350º to 400º) 10 to 12 minutes or until just tender, basting occasionally with reserved marinade. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Grilled Romaine “Salad”: You have to try it. Amazing!
Ingredients
3/4 c. mayonnaise
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. honey mustard
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Salt And Freshly ground black pepper
1 large head romaine lettuce, quartered
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 c. grape tomatoes, halved
To Make:
Whisk together the first six ingredients to make Caesar Salad Dressing.
Brush Romaine quarters with olive oil and cook on medium-hot grill for 2 to 3 minutes per side until slightly charred & wilted.
Remove from the grill. Drizzle with dressing and top with tomatoes
Tips & Tricks: grilling success
Basic Grilling Tips
Clean the grill thoroughly with a brush before using, making sure there is nothing left from the last grilling. Lightly brush your grill with olive oil to prevent sticking.
Using olive oil or canola oil is recommended as both of these tend to prevent unhealthy smoking or “flaming” while grilling
Add extra fresh chopped herbs in the last few minutes of grilling or just before you serve your dish to increase flavor.
Marinade Magic: Soak veggies in different marinades to create new dishes that help you eat more veggies!
Savory Summer: Especially good if grilling tomatoes. Mix 2/3 cup of olive oil, 1/3 cup Balsamic vinegar, ½ cup of finely chopped onion (try red onion), 1 Tablespoon of fresh basil, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, salt & pepper to taste. Soak veggies for 2 hours. Excellent on chicken, too
Slightly Asian: Mix ½ cup of olive oil, ½ cup of low-sodium soy sauce, and ½ cup of lemon juice with 1 crushed clove of garlic. Soak for about an hour. Also good on chicken
Spicy Orange & Cilantro: Mix 4 tablespoons of olive oil, 2 tablespoons orange juice, 2 tablespoons orange marmalade, 2 Tablespoons of chopped fresh cilantro, and 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes.
Light Lemony: Mix 2 tablespoons olive oil, 4 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 tablespoons lemon zest, and 1 teaspoon of finely chopped garlic.
Don’t forget the Fruit: Grilling fruit caramelizes the sugar.
Large fruits like peaches, bananas, plantain, pineapple, apples, and even melon are best and make a delicious dessert. Try some of these ideas here.
