Grilling Up Summer's Abundance

What to Do with Extra Corn on the Cob and Ripe Tomatoes?

The abundance of ripe tomatoes and bushels of sweet corn is upon us at the end of the summer. Don't say no to that co-worker or friend who offers up a pile of vegetables- say YES and grill them!

Meathead's Grilled Marinara Sauce!
Meathead of Amazingribs.com grills his way to the best Marinara sauce possible!  This recipe delivers wood-fired flavor and is a great way to cook up that pile of ripe tomatoes and other fresh vegetables into the best sauce you've ever made!  Read the full article and recipe here.

GrillGrate CORN on the COB!

Grilling corn on the cob is easy with GrillGrates, just shuck it and grill it.

• 8-10 minutes at 400-450F lid down
• Lay shucked corn lengthwise along the rails
• Rotate regularly for 8-10 minutes.
• Brush with melted butter at the end or at the table.

Grilled Corn Cakes with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce from Nibble Me This Food Blog:

This recipe is perfect for extra or left-over grilled corn.  It's a two-part grill too. First grill the corn on the cob then grill Chris's Great Corn Cakes!  I particularly appreciate Chris as he wrote me the most amazing letter!  (An Open Letter to Brad Barrett)

 Nibble Me This is a blog worth subscribing to.  Chris's recipes and photography is mouthwatering!

Linda Orrison- aka Mama Shed from The Shed BBQ & Blues Joint shared her great recipe for grilling corn.  

• Keep the husk on
• Remove the silk fibers
• Coat corn with mayonnaise and spices- we choose Cavender's Greek Seasoning
• Wrap corn back with husk....grill on GrillGrate 

Now that was some sweet, juicy corn with a perfect bite courtesy of Cavender's!  Thanks Linda!


Stuffed Zucchini
Courtesy of Bob & Deb from Delevan Wisconsin, Stuffed Grilled Zucchini . This is my kind of veggie recipe!  Add a little meat and rice to the equation to get  me to eat more green and yellow.

Bob & Deb were Instant winners in our Grate Moments in Grilling Contest!

Yes you can grill more and eat less... At least I'm trying!
That's my promise to myself- call it the grillers diet!  I'm often firing up two grills because one is filled with Vegetables!  Vegetables are at their most delicious and most healthy with GrillGrates and a little olive oil and seasoning.  The GrillGrate website gives you a complete run-down of grilling vegetables.

This 2 minute video on grilling vegetables with GrillGrate is the latest addition to the GrillGrate video library.

What a way to celebrate the end of summer by grilling up the best of summer's abundance!  GrillGrate, Eat Well!  and Eat Your Veggies!

Healthier Grilling = Grill More, Eat Less!

I feel compelled to weigh in on the healthier grilling subject since we get bombarded with the grilling = cancer message every year about this time. Here is the latest summary from Washington that was published yesterday (June 8 2009 reprinted below)

“Summer is just around the corner, and Americans are already firing up their grills. As a dietitian, I'm concerned by how many consumers are unaware that grilled meat can increase their risk of cancer.”

"Meat cooked at high temperatures has already been linked to colorectal cancer, and it also seems to increase the risk of pancreatic cancer, according to a new study presented at the American Association for Cancer Research annual meeting. In this nine-year study, researchers analyzed the meat consumption levels and preferred cooking methods of more than 62,000 people. Study participants who cooked meat at high temperatures and consumed more well-done meat had about a 60 percent higher risk of pancreatic cancer, compared with other people”.

There are easy ways to reduce our cancer risk without giving up grilling. For a healthy backyard barbecue, try throwing veggie burgers, veggie hot dogs or portabella mushroom "steaks" on the grill -- and make sure to fill up on plenty of fruits and vegetables.

Krista Haynes, staff dietitian
The Cancer Project
Washington, D.C.

This study better illustrates the dangers of over-consuming meat in general, particularly lots of well done, charred meat, and should not be a condemnation on grilling meat. Grilling is best way to cook anything healthier and that especially includes meat. Fats are extracted and flarvorized but are not in the final product. Seasonings, marinades and sugars caramelize meats and vegetables to be their best with a grilled taste that cannot be duplicated indoors. So keep grilling meat, just don’t burn it and lets work on proportion control. Grill less meat and more vegetables is the formula for healthier living and healthier grilling. The cancer project has that part right, but they really should be putting out the message of Grill More, Eat Less!Gathering around the grill leads to healthy meals and healthy conversation. For 30 years I was a main meal guy at the grill-- lots of meat and little else, now appetizers and vegetables extend our grilling time and we are grilling less meat, and I am eating my vegetables for the first time in my life- even beets!

Too much meat in general is the problem and grilling should be a big part of the solution! Grill More, Eat Less!