Reprinted from the Health District's quarterly publication mailed to district residents (summer 2000)
TOPIC: Round up your friends: Time for a good grilling
 
by dianne moeller

It’s summertime—time to gather on the patio and take advantage of our pleasant Colorado evenings. This year don't limit your outdoor cooking to grilled burgers and hot dogs—vegetables, appetizers, desserts and even pizza can be made right on the grill.

Here are some tips to help you get out of the kitchen and into the grilling season:
Vegetables
The natural sugars in vegetables caramelize and intensify during grilling, creating a sweet, smoky taste. There's nothing more beautiful—or delicious—than a large platter heaped with an assortment of grilled vegetables in all shapes, sizes and colors. Eat them right off the grill, toss into pasta, layer into sandwiches or add to a big summer salad.

Slice vegetables about 3/8" thick for quick grilling and brush them lightly with olive oil to keep them from sticking. Purchase a grill rack or use skewers to keep small vegetables from falling through the grates.

summertime grilling tips

Get organized! Get the food and grilling utensils ready before you get started. Vegetables and fish grill quickly and you don’t want to burn dinner!

Avoid charred foods! When exposed to high heat (like grilling), meat, poultry and fish can form substances that cause cancer. 

Prior to grilling, marinate meat and microwave it for three to five minutes to cut down on grilling time and formation of carcinogens. Be sure to trim fat from meat before grilling.

Want to add that smoky flavor? Soak hickory or mesquite wood chips in water for about an hour before tossing them directly onto the charcoal. If you are using a gas grill, put chips in a perforated pie tin so ashes don’t collect in your grill.

Don't bother with hours of marinating as most vegetables won't absorb it (with the exception of eggplant and mushrooms). 

Vegetables cook quickly on the grill; most are done in 5 - 10 minutes over medium-hot coals (or a medium flame on gas grills). For best results, keep the grill lid up and turn once or twice. Vegetables are done when tender and juicy and lightly grill marked. Try brushing the vegetables with a reduced balsamic vinegar (vinegar that has been heated until the volume is reduced) after grilling and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.

Pizza on the Grill?    Spinach Feta Pizza recipe
You're in for a treat! Start with a medium-hot fire and lightly oil the grill or use a vegetable grill rack. Use any pizza dough (mix or homemade), grill until the bottom is browned, about 5 minutes, then flip and add your favorite toppings. Close the lid and grill for 5 - 8 minutes until lightly browned, grill-marked and the toppings are heated through. 

Skip the Meat, Try Grilled Tofu or Tempeh
Marinated tofu and tempeh make easy, delicious and healthful grilled summer meals. For firmer, chewier, grilled tofu, freeze the tofu, defrost, squeeze out the water—then marinate before adding to vegetable skewers. For an unforgettable sandwich, grill teriyaki- or BBQ-marinated tofu or tempeh until grill marks appear, and then tuck into French bread, topping with grilled peppers and onions. 

Don't stop there! What about grilled fruit for dessert? Imagine skewers of grilled pineapple, apples, pears or bananas. Or throw a whole, unpeeled banana into the dying coals and roast for 15-30 minutes, turning occasionally. The skin will turn black, but the inside will be soft, sweet and custard-like. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar and eat with a spoon. 

Stay out of the hot kitchen this summer-discover the freedom and incomparable flavors of grilling.