#BaptistHealthy Easy Eats: Grilled Veggie Kabobs

With Memorial Day weekend around the corner, are you planning a cookout with your household? So many times, only the protein is on the menu.  Consider this your helpful reminder that vegetables are not only a nutritious but also a delicious addition to any meal, especially when they are grilled on the barbecue or roasted.

Brighten up your cookout with colorful fruits and veggies. Some veggies are great for the grill, either alone like corn or potatoes, or threaded onto kebab skewers. When slicing, use thicker and even cuts so that the veggies cook faster and uniformly. Maximize their flavor by marinating them with herbs and spices. You can even prepare these a day ahead of time and refrigerate them until ready to eat.

Grilled Veggie Kebabs
Makes8 servings 

Ingredients

Vegetable marinade

• ¼ cup olive oil (or vegetable oil)
• Juice of 1 lemon or lime
• ½ teaspoon rosemary
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon dried parsley flakes
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Grill-friendly Veggie Skewers

• 1 small case of mushrooms, about 10-15
• 1 eggplant, ¾ inch thick circle cut
• 2-3 zucchini, ¾ inch thick circle cut
• 2-3 yellow squash, ¾ inch thick circle cut
• 1 large onion, red or white, cut into 1.5 inch squares
• 2 bell peppers, any color (red, green, yellow, or orange), cut into 1 inch squares
• 1 cup of cherry tomatoes

*Don’t have skewers? Skip the skewers and cut veggies ¾ inch thick lengthwise, instead of circular.

Preparation

• Rinse all veggies under running water and cut as indicated above.
• In a large bowl, whisk together all the vegetable marinade ingredients. Then add in all the veggies and toss together to evenly coat veggies with marinade. If preparing ahead of time, cover and refrigerate.
• For grill: thread alternating veggies one by one in a skewer. Leave about ½ inch between veggies. Grill over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes, flipping once about halfway.
• For oven: preheat oven to 425 F. Evenly distribute veggies on a large baking pan. Roast veggies for about 35-45 minutes or until tender. Flip veggies once about half way.   

Nutritional information (per serving): Calories 80, Fat 5g, Carbohydrate 8g, Sodium 78mg, Protein 2g.

About the Author:
Lucette Talamas is a registered dietitian with community health at Baptist Health South Florida. She holds a bachelor’s degree in food science and human nutrition from University of Florida and a master of science in nutrition and wellness from Benedictine University. With additional experience as a clinical dietitian, Ms. Talamas enjoys providing practical nutrition information to promote healthy lifestyles that can help prevent and manage chronic diseases. Her expert tips and advice have appeared in print and broadcast media, including The Miami Herald, South Florida PBS, CBS Miami, Telemundo and Univision. Active in professional nutrition organizations, Ms. Talamas received the 2018 Recognized Young Dietitian of the Year Award from the Florida Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.