<p>You know me, always up for another food thread. :)</p>
<p>I rely on the grill at least a couple times a week in the summer for our main dinner entree. Since we are all trying to eat a little healthier in our household, I sometimes get tired of coming up with “sides” to go with the protein. My kids still want a carb of some sort - potato, rice, pasta - but want to “summer up” our choices. </p>
<p>Can you share some of your Favorite grilling sides? (Could be something you actually grill along with the meat) Or a favorite salad/easy carb side for summer???</p>
<p>Went to a neighborhood potluck last night and was introduced to a delicious Kentucky Derby Salad - OMG, so good! The red wine vinegar/white sugar dressing made the salad! </p>
<p>Our standard grilling sides are zucchini, summer squash, peppers, onions lightly seasoned. In fact, just about any veggie grilled is great. Asparagus, corn and even green beans are good on the grill. It’s about the only time we forget carbs exist.
At Sam’s Club (think they still have it) is a Vidalia Onion dressing that they put on pasta salad–man, was that good!</p>
<p>We grill a lot of mushrooms. Sometimes we put them on skewers, sometimes we marinate them and grill them in foil. Sometimes we brush them with a little olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper and grill, sometimes we do portabello caps. We usually use criminis but we’ve been known to change it up. W all like them and never get tired of them. We also do asparagus and onions/peppers a lot.</p>
<p>I have microwaved a potato then sliced it into thick slices and put those on the grill along with the other grilled veggies. I agree with the other posters -grilled vegetables are the best!</p>
<p>You could also do corn on the cob on the grill</p>
<p>One of the few things I look forward to with an empty nest - I think I will lose weight! My kids are the same way -they love carbs.</p>
<p>That Derby Pasta Salad looks delicious. Did you notice that the recipe makes 1 cup of marinade, but you only need 2T? Kind of odd! I suppose you could use it as a meat marinade, but it’s only sugar and red wine vinegar.</p>
<p>Here is one of my favorite recipes from last summer. It’s called California Grilled Veggie Sandwich.</p>
<p>We grill: onions, peppers, zucchini, yellow squash, basil, salt, and olive oil on a vegetable grill accessory (with smaller slats than the grill). You can also add potatoes for more carbs.</p>
<p>Also, grilled sweet potato slices; Pineapple rings; bell peppers. If they really need a carb, grill a piece of bread, brushed with butter and some garlic…</p>
<p>dice up 4 large baking potatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon papricka
3/4 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 taspoon ground red pepper
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
tin foil
cooking spray</p>
<p>mix all spices in a bowl including olive oil</p>
<p>lay out large sheet of tin foil
coat with cookng spray so it doens’t stick.<br>
place cut potatoes on tin foil
pour mixture evenly over potatoes.<br>
fold up the ends of your tin foil so that your potatoes are encased inside it</p>
<p>Grill till cooked (i’m awful at this part - tend to burn them!! otherwise i’d tell you for how long!)</p>
<p>They will be a bit spicy - but are oh so good!</p>
<p>We also grill asparagus and zucchini the same way in olive oil, salt, pepper and rosemary. If you top it with romano chease shavings on the plate it’s even better.</p>
<p>Also grill lots of summer veggies. Usually eggplant (skinny asian variety since I grow them in the garden), zucchini, summer squash, bell peppers, chile peppers, asparagus and mushrooms. If you do add potatoes to the mix, they will cook quicker if you parboil or lightly microwave them to jump start their cooking. Using small fingerling or new potatoes helps too.</p>
<p>Sometimes I just do asparagus, let it cool to room temperature and serve with an orange-mustard vinegrette. This also works for green beans (leave whole when cooking–you don’t even need to snap off the ends).</p>
<p>I use a grill basket for veggies.</p>
<p>I also like grilled corn (whole on cob) brushed with butter and sprinkled with chipotle pepper.</p>
<p>Lately I’ve been grilling peeled sweet potatoes rounds. So yummy! Peel and slice into 1/2 thick rounds. In bowl toss with a small amount of olive oil garlic salt, smoked paprika and thyme. Lay flat on the grill and turn once. They cook quickly. Faster than the teriyaki chicken I serve them with.</p>
<p>Also good on the grill–homemade flat bread. Make dough (no knead recipe w/ 30 minutes rising/resting time, white or whole wheat), break off egg-size lumps, pat into 5-6 inch rounds, brushly lightly w/ olive oil and cook directly on the grill. Sprinkle with sea salt or/and fresh herbs.</p>
<p>I’ve been taking thinly sliced red potatoes, then tossing them with some melted butter, salt/pepper, chives, salt/pepper, dry ranch dressing, and some bacon bits. Make a foil packet with some of that non-stick Reynolds wrap (my new favorite thing) and grill for about 20 minutes, next to your meat. Turn it once or twice so they don’t burn.</p>
<p>I’ve been using Tastefully Simple Bacon Bacon, it’s delicious.</p>
<p>Also, Zucchini/Summer Squash with some butter, salt/pepper, chives, onion in a foil packet…yummy.</p>
<p>We like to grill peaches. Cut in half, remove the pit, and brush the cut side with oil (I use light olive oil, but you can use whatever kind you want). Grill them cut side down – I watch them carefully and turn them side to side a few times to get a nice cross-hatch pattern on them. They grill really fast (maybe 3 minutes total). Then I turn them over (cut side up) just to sort of warm them through. After grilling, fill the “pit” opening with blue cheese crumbles and drizzle some honey over them. I heat the honey for 10-15 seconds in the microwave to make it runny. The recipe I got this from calls for a sprinkle of black pepper at the end, but that is optional (my kids don’t like the pepper, so I don’t do it when they are around).</p>
<p>We LOVE these… our favorite side when grilling.</p>
<p>We also really like this red potato salad recipe. It makes a TON, so we halve it most of the time (and it still makes a ton!). </p>
<p>Knew I could count on you guys! The sweet potatoes on the grill sound delicious! Do you precook them at all or slice them completely uncooked??</p>
<p>So many good suggestions- like the spices on those potatoes Fendergirl.</p>
<p>Toledo, yes I did notice that about the red wine vinegar marinade - guess they like to have stock in he refrig! I figured I’d just made only 1/2 or so till I figure out if I use it in any other way.</p>
<p>I put sweet potatoes on completely uncooked, sliced into rounds about 1/2 inch thick. They actually cook fairly fast, certainly much faster than regular potatoes.</p>
<p>If you grill regular potatoes, try grilled potato salad. It kind of reminds me of the german potato salad my mom used to make when I was a kid. (Only better…)</p>
<p>Par boil quartered potatoes or microwave in cover dish with 1 tbsp of water until partially cooked. Place potatoes on an oiled grill or in a grill basket and char lightly. Remove potatoes from grill (gently–they want to break!) and drizzle with a bacon-green onion vinaigrette while potatoes are still warm.</p>
<p>Bacon-Green Onion Vinaigrette:
1 slice bacon, finely sliced
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 green onions, chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper</p>
<p>In a small saute pan, cook the bacon until crisp. Then set aside to cool. Once cooled, pour the bacon and fat into a small bowl along with the olive oil.</p>
<p>In another small bowl, whisk together the vinegar and mustard. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil-bacon mixture, whisking to emulsify. Add the parsley, green onions and salt and pepper to taste, and whisk to blend.</p>
<p>I sometimes add grilled green onions to the potato salad in addition to the green onions in the dressing. (I love grilled green onion with just about everything…)</p>
<p>I also really, really like grilled portabello mushrooms. You don’t have to do anything beyond a little olive oil and maybe garlic.</p>
<p>I frequently grill zucchini and then drizzle a little olive oil (that I nuke with one garlic clove) and sprinkle with whatever fresh herbs in the garden look like they need a trim.</p>
<p>We like brussel sprouts on the grill. Cut them in half (if they are medium to big in size) and steam them for about 10 minutes. Throw them in a zip lock bag and pour in some olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper. Empty the contents into a grilling basket and grill them on the barbie for about 10 more minutes at 350-375 degrees surface temp.</p>
<p>Grilled today and I put mushrooms on the grill - which I have done oodles of times before. But tried something new based on your suggestions!! Grilled peaches! Halved them and brushed with olive oil - grilled about 5 mins or so. Filled some with ricotta, some with feta. Sprinkled both with almond slivers and warm honey - truly, truly good!!</p>