Try grilling fruits and vegetables this summer

Summer’s on the way. Can you smell the aroma of food hot off the barbecue grill?

Add some sizzle to your dinner plates with grilled fruits and vegetables. Throughout the summer, enjoy some seasonal fruits and vegetables. Later in the season, try grilling fresh vegetables straight from your garden or a local farmers market.

Try these grilled vegetable ideas:

* Cut vegetables into large flat pieces of even thickness.

* Leave thin vegetables such as asparagus, and water vegetables, such as tomatoes, whole.

* Prepare bell peppers by cutting off the top and bottom of the pepper; remove the core and cut pepper in half from top to bottom.

* Lay vegetables on a cookie sheet. Brush them with olive oil or vegetable oil. Turn them over and repeat. Sprinkle with fresh or dried herbs or spices of choice.

* Grill the vegetables until they have grill markings on both sides. Remove them from the grill and place into a bowl or pot. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap to prevent steam from escaping for 5 to 10 minutes. This will finish the cooking process without drying them out.

Try these grilled fruit ideas:

* Sprinkle apple or pear wedges with cinnamon and a little brown sugar. Grill for about 5 minutes on each side.

* Grill slices of pineapple.

* Grill peaches for a side dish with pork or beef.

* Slice grilled fruit; and some lime juice and peppers for a tasty salsa to enjoy with whole-grain crackers or baked tortilla chips.

Food safety tip:

Wash fruits and vegetables well with plenty of running water. If you buy pre-cut fruits and vegetables, be sure they have been kept refrigerated.

Question: I haven’t done any gardening in years. Do you have any resources?

Yes, the local Extension Service office has a variety of gardening resources in print form and on the NDSU Extension website at www.ag.ndsu.nodak. edu/. Check out the “garden to table” publications that provide information about growing vegetables and preparing and preserving them. Also, you could consider doing gardening containers of tomatoes, peppers, herbs and other vegetables. These grow well in pots on a sunny step.

Did you know?

Gardening counts as moderate physical activity. Aim for 30 minutes of moderate physical activity on most days of the week. Consider gardening with children.

Kids will learn new skills and have fun watching things grow. Children who help grow fruits and vegetables also are more likely to eat them.

For more information on this topic, contact Luella Morehouse, FNP Education Assistant, NDSU Extension Service Stutsman County, 116 1/2 First Street East, Jamestown, ND. Morehouse may be reached at 252-9030 or luella.morehouse@ndsu. edu.

Tags: farmers market, life, food, family, vegetables, recipe, barbecue, bbq