Take out your grill this summer and make some delicious meals. Even if you are dieting, the barbecue grill is for you. Grilling brings out the unique taste and texture of vegetables.

The intense dry heat of the grill carmelizes plant sugars. And this makes the vegetables taste very sweet.

Some vegetables, like corn, form a sweet outer shell. Onions, soften to a buttery texture. Bell peppers soak in the smoke and become almost meaty.

Grilling vegetables takes much less time than any meat.

Start with fresh good-quality produce. When vegetables age, they become dehydrated and they taste dry. Don't use any vegetables that are wrinkled or have damages to their skin.

Use lots of color when grilling. Mix peppers, such as, red, green, orange, and yellow. If you want to turn up the heat, add a hot pepper such as a serrano.

You can grill almost any vegetable. Try grilled tomatoes, artichokes or zuccini. Just sprinkle some olive oil and salt and pepper before you grill. Or you can sprinkle vinegar and some herbs on them first.

Use high heat when grilling tomatoes. Only turn them once and remove from heat. Use them as an appetizer or on sandwiches. You can make a meal of only low-calorie grilled vegetables. They can also be used tossed with more olive oil as a side dish.

Grilled tomatoes can be made into bruschetta. Use them on Italian bread slices that are toasted.

You can puree the vegetables and add herbs and chicken broth and make a delightful soup.

Gourmet cook and author. Visit my website: http://www.phyllisrecipes.com Soon and often!!

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