We discovered these nifty grill combs from Fusion Brands at Sur La Table. What better way to get everyone to eat more veggies than to skewer and grill them?

Americans are woefully behind when it comes to eating the recommended 3-5 servings of vegetables a day; and no, spaghetti sauce and ketchup don’t count.

So make it fun by grilling skewers of veggies while you’re cooking your proteins. Aim to build skewers of 70% veggies, 30% protein; or make all-veggie skewers.

BEST VEGETABLES FOR GRILLING

Many different types of vegetables can be grilled, but start with a selection from these:

A fun way to cook and eat veggies. Photo courtesy Sur La Table.

 
GENERAL GRILLING

Karen Schultz and Maren Jahnke note in their book, Vegetarian Grilling, that vegetables contain far less fat than proteins. They thus require added fat so that they don’t dry out.

This is done both by marinating and by brushing often with olive oil or other oil. “Be heavy on the brush,” they recommend.

For more on how to grill vegetables, John Kennedy, in an article on SteakBytes, the blog of Omaha Steaks, offers these tips:

How to keep small veggies from slipping
through the grill: Use a grilling basket. Photo
courtesy Mr. Bar-B-Q.

VEGGIE GRILLING TIPS

1. USE skewers. Skewers are the best way to keep vegetables from rolling around on the grill, and to easily flip to ensure that each side is getting equal contact with the heat. If you don’t want to invest in skewers, you can wrap the vegetables in a sheet of foil, then place the packet on the grill. Use nonstick cooking spray on the foil before adding the vegetables to help prevent sticking.

2. BRUSH the vegetables with olive oil or canola oil to prevent them from sticking to the grill. Avoid the temptation of butter, to keep the cholesterol/saturated fat levels low.

3. SEASON with dried or fresh herbs instead of salt. You’ll add great flavor without increasing sodium levels.

4. SLICE the vegetables thickly since they will cook fast (unless you want thin, crisp slices). However, denser vegetables take longer to cook: Potato slices require a lot more time than zucchini slices, for example.

Even if you don’t need an air purifier for your home, you may need one for your fridge.

BerryBreeze is a 21st-century improvement on the open box of baking soda, left in the refrigerator or freezer to filter migrating aromas from raw and cooked foods.

But BerryBreeze does more.

The same process that neutralizes odors also preserves produce, by destroying harmful bacteria and mold that cause fruit and vegetables to decay. The manufacturer claims it will keep produce fresher for up to 10 days, or two to three times longer. The benefit: less waste of food and money, less to toss into the landfill.

BerryBreeze is a rebranding of a machine called the Ozonator, which you may have seen on TV.

It runs on four D batteries. The device converts the oxygen in the fridge to ozone (activated oxygen), a powerful oxidizing agent that destroys surface molecules of bacteria and mold. It also defuses ethylene, a gas emitted by numerous fruits (including apples and melons) which speeds up the ripening and rotting of foods.

BerryBreeze is available at retailers nationwide, including Bed, Bath & Beyond and Whole Foods Markets. You can also buy it online at BerryBreeze.com.

The retail price is $49.95; you supply the batteries.
  

[2] Melt chocolate chips to drizzle over the strawberries (photo © King Arthur Baking).

Here’s another no-bake recipe from Driscoll’s berries. Strawberries filled with a simple cheesecake filling are a bite-sized treat and a better-for-you option than, say, a slice of strawberry cheesecake.

For ease of preparation, make the filling and prep the strawberries ahead of time; then assemble just before serving.

> The history of cheesecake.

> National Strawberry Cheesecake Day is June 8th.
 
 
RECIPE: NO BAKE CHEESECAKE STUFFED STRAWBERRIES

Prep time: 20 minutes, cook time is 5 minutes.

Ingredients For 20 Pieces

 
Preparation

1. LINE a baking sheet with waxed paper. Cut the top off of each strawberry and core out the center with a melon baller. Place on the baking sheet and set aside.

2. BEAT the cream cheese, yogurt, sugar, vanilla, and salt with an electric mixer until creamy and evenly blended. Place the cream cheese mixture in a pastry bag or a self-sealing plastic bag with a corner cut off. Pipe the cream cheese mixture into the strawberries.

4. TOP with cookie crumbs and serve on a plate or tray.
 
 

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