Sweeten Up the Grill This Summer

If you love grilled veggies, wait until you toss some fruit on the barbecue.    Grilling fruit caramelizes the natural sugar, enhancing the sweetness in appetizers, salads, main dishes, and of course, desserts.  Fruit is also a sweet way to add fiber, potassium, and numerous vitamins, to your menu.  While pineapples, peaches, and nectarines are ringers for the grill, you can also grill watermelon, figs, and mangos.

When grilling fruit, follow these tips from the Fruits and Veggies, More Matters website:

• Choose fruits and veggies that are ripe, but not too soft so they will hold up well on the grill.
• Avoid direct heat or flames.
• Cut fruits into large equal pieces to keep them from falling through the grates and to ensure even cooking.
• Grill fruits and vegetables with the skin on to help maintain the shape.

Here are some easy recipes to incorporate grilled fruits throughout your meal:

Appetizer: 

Serve this Grilled Pineapple-Avocado Salsa with whole grain tortilla chips.

Salad:
This grilled Watermelon, Mint, and Feta Salad marries sweet with salty.  Serve it on a bed of greens to get some more greens and fiber in your salad.

Entrée:
If you can’t find fresh apricots for this Grilled Pork Tenderloin and Apricot Salad, substitute peaches or nectarines. These Grilled Fruit Kabobs are a perfect side if you are grilling chicken or salmon.

Dessert:
This Grilled Peaches with Honey Cream recipe uses Greek yogurt as a creamy sauce.  You can reduce the saturated fat in this Caramelized Fresh Figs with Sweet Cream recipe by also using Greek yogurt , rather than the crème fraiche, as the topping.

Fire up the grill!

Be well, Joan

Follow Joan on Twitter: @JoanSalgeBlake