From the tiniest two-person barbecue to the most massive of community cookouts, grill season hath officially begun, folks. And while burgers and dogs may abound, it's important not to forget our beloved vegetables. They're healthier, cheaper, and much less likely to stain your shorts when they fall from your flimsy-ass paper plate.
This year, I inaugurated the season with Quinoa and Grilled Zucchini, a lovely, mellow grain salad from the ever-gorgeous 101 Cookbooks. The recipe combines eggs, pine nuts, goat cheese, and a subtle avocado-cilantro dressing to tasty effect, and includes a large helping of flame-broiled summer squash for texture and a char-tinged flavor. Plus, it's not half as hard to assemble as it looks. Trust.
I did alter Heidi Swanson's original recipe a bit to lighten the caloric load. Changes included halving the pine nuts, taking out the egg yolks, reducing the olive oil to a single tablespoon, and swapping in low-fat yogurt for the full-fat kind. All in all, it was good stuff, and those switches are reflected below.
Happy grilling season, everybody! And remember--eat your veggies.
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