Recipe: Grilled Veggies

Add color, flavor, and nutrients to your summer feasts with grilled veggies. They cook quickly, so use tongs to safely flip and remove them from the hot grill. Make it a meal—pair the veggies with chicken or fish.

Prep time: approximately 15 minutes
Cook time: approximately 15 minutes
Total time: approximately 30 minutes
Serves: 8
Serving size: approximately 1½ cups

Ingredients

• 2 heads romaine lettuce
• 2 summer squash
• 2 zucchinis
• 1 fennel bulb
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 yellow bell pepper
• 8 ounces baby bella mushrooms
• 1 eggplant
• 1 red onion
• 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil, plus more if needed
• Juice from 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon salt-free Italian medley seasoning
• Salt, to taste
• Pepper, to taste

For garnish:

• 2 tablespoons slivered fresh basil

Instructions

Wash all produce. Trim and quarter the heads of romaine. Trim and slice the summer squash and zucchini into ¼-inch rounds. Trim and cut the fennel bulb into 6–8 strips, lengthwise, discard the fronds and stalks or use in another recipe. Trim, seed, and cut the peppers into approximately 2-inch squares. Trim and slice the eggplant and red onion into ¼-inch rounds.

Preheat grill to high heat. Clean and oil the grill grates. You can also make this recipe on a non-stick grill pan. Allow it to get very hot on the stove top before adding the veggies.

Add veggies to two large mixing bowls. Drizzle with oil, lemon juice, and seasoning. The fennel and red onion may separate. Just try to keep them together as best you can. 

Grill veggies on high heat for 5–7 minutes. Flip using tongs, then grill another 5–7 minutes. Cook the romaine for 2–3 minutes on each side. Depending on the size of your grill, you may need to cook your vegetables in batches.  

Remove food from the grill and place on a large serving platter. Drizzle with additional olive oil, if desired. Add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with slivered basil. 

Serve. 

MOBE Kitchen Tips:

• To “trim” the vegetables, remove any parts that you don’t want or need for this recipe.
• Sprinkle flaky sea salt on top of the grilled vegetables to add a light, salty crunch.
• A fennel bulb typically is sold with its green stalks and fronds. This recipe uses only the bulb, but the tough stalks are also edible. The fronds can be chopped and used as an herb. Fennel has an anise, or almost licorice-like, flavor. It’s also a delicious addition to this Grilled Salmon Spring Salad with Lemon Thyme Vinaigrette.

Recipe Notes:

• Substitute your favorite seasonal veggies.
• Peel the eggplant if you’d like.
• You can use lime juice instead of lemon juice.
• Try Dijon vinaigrette on the veggies rather than olive oil and lemon juice.
• Vegetable grilling baskets or grids are great for this recipe.
• Build a balanced meal. Add grilled chicken or fish to your plate. Or choose a vegan protein like grilled tofu. Serve with whole grain rolls or brown rice.
• For different flavor profiles, experiment with different salt-free seasonings.
• Looking for more summer dishes? Try our Turkey Burgers and Grilled Peaches.

Nutrition Facts per Serving

Calories: 120 / Total Fat: 6g (8% DV) / Saturated Fat: 1.5g (8% DV) / Trans Fat: 0g / Cholesterol: 0mg (0% DV) / Sodium: 40mg (2% DV) / Total Carbohydrate: 18g (7% DV) / Dietary Fiber: 5g (18% DV) / Total Sugars: 7g / Added Sugar: 0g (0% DV) / Protein: 4g / Vitamin D: 0mcg (0% DV) / Calcium: 50mg (4% DV) / Iron: 1.2mg (6% DV) / Potassium: 710mg (15% DV)

Allergen Statement: n/a.