A big part of celebrating the July 4th holiday for many of us is grilling. The smell of the fire and the smoky flavor is hard to resist, and when we think summer, it’s just not complete without some grilling days. We can thank George Stephen, and employee of the Weber Metal Spinning Company, who came up with the first grill in the 1950s. It was perfect timing when soldiers were settling with their families in the suburbs. Since then, we have a whole industry, not just of grills, but so many ways to grill so many foods.
Burgers and dogs are the go-to for many, maybe for some of us it’s the only day a year we splurge on them, plant based or not. But don’t limit your party to just that. My favorite part of my Dad’s holiday grilling was the potatoes and corn. He wrapped them in a wet paper towel & foil, so it was more of an event, and so good. Grilled onions & peppers for burger toppings, tomatoes instead of boring salads, veggies as a grilling side is an easy win.
Any way you do it, grilling veggies gives us a chance to eat healthier, and with more variety. And when you get into it, you may just put everything on the grill & see what becomes your favorite.
Here’s our top 10 list of veggies we like to grill.
- Brussels sprouts. They really get cooked the way they should be- great texture, and smoky green flavor. By far the best way to enjoy Brussels sprouts.
- Asparagus. The new french fry. When tops get a little charred with oil & seasonings in that crispiness, and the insides so tender, you have the perfect treat.
- Lettuce. You’ve missed out if you haven’t had butter lettuce or romaine on the grill. It’ll never be a cold salad veggie again.
- Tomatoes. The burst of flavors from small tomatoes like cherry or grape is just super. If you make a grilled pizza, top it with grilled tomatoes. Use any store-bought dough, or try this recipe from finecooking.com.
- Peppers. The sweet smokiness of roasted peppers is even better grilled. So easy, to just char & wipe off the skin.
- Squash. Sliced zucchini or 8 ball squash, topped with a little salt & pepper, or even a balsamic glaze. The mildness of squash absorbs all the smokiness of the grill and feels more filling. You can even roast your winter squash on the grill. Slice in half & let it roast!
- Eggplant. Really the best way to do eggplant. These can be your burgers in your meatless Independence Day party.
- Mushrooms. Another meat substitute, but don’t just think portabello. Smaller mushroom varieties can add a real extra something to kabobs.
- Corn. We’ve done away with the paper towel technique, and now grill it right in the husks, after soaking for 10 minutes. Or keep it real simple and just husk first and put the corn directly on the grill. We love it simply with butter & salt, but there’s so many more options as well. Here’s some awesome topping ideas from kitchn.com
- Cauliflower. I don’t even know how to describe how much I love grilled cauliflower slices!
The key to great grilled veggies is a light coating of oil, and just enough salt & pepper. They cook way better with the oil, and of course, seasoning makes all the difference in the world.
Keep it healthy.
If you’re concerned about carcinogens from grilling, that is actually from meat drippings getting on the charcoal and the elements come back in the rising smoke. So, if you have a charcoal grill, go crazy with veggies. And if you marinate your meat, it really reduces the potential cancer-causing agents, by as much as 99%. This is true for muscle meats (not organ meats) that are cooked on a charcoal grill. If you don’t char the meat, or place it directly over the flame, you’re not really allowing the carcinogens to form.
Veggies have so many good nutrients that fight cancer, it’s a no-brainer to grill them up with, or without meats, and enjoy all the tasty fun of Independence Day with them. So, break out the kabob skewers, slice your veggies, and celebrate July fourth with the grilled veggies of summer!
See what veggies you’ll have for grilling in your box this week.