With the arrival of 50-degree weather comes the University Avenue barrage of grills boasting greasy burgers and hot dogs. While each has its merits, adding a few new ingredients to your usual routine can be fun and that dreaded word âÄî healthy. A quick stop at any grocery store can reveal multitudes of fruits and vegetables now in season that work just as well on the grill as they do in a smoothie. Here are a couple easy favorites, courtesy our own cookout experiments. IN-SEASON FRUIT: Mangoes MANGO-CHICKEN KABOBS 3 mangoes 6 chicken breasts Marinade sauce: try barbeque sauce, Thai chili sauce or make your own with honey, a little bit of lemon juice and chili powder. Heat the grill to medium-high. Slice your chicken breasts lengthwise and then into cubes. Soak them in marinade; it works best to leave them about 20 minutes. Peel the mangoes and slice large chunks. Remove chicken and skewer it; let it cook until itâÄôs no longer pink, about four minutes per side. Add the mango to the grill for only about two minutes per side, then add it to the chicken skewer. IN-SEASON FRUIT: Pineapple PINEAPPLE TURKEY BURGERS 1 lb ground turkey Pineapple rings Worcestershire sauce Ground pepper Salt Cheese, whichever you like In a bowl, douse ground turkey with Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper and mix with your hands. Make as many patties as you desire. For a âÄúJuicy LucyâÄù-style burger, insert a small piece of cheese within each patty. Grill burgers until cooked; add the pineapple rings to the grill only for about two minutes per side. (If you hate ground turkey, try mixing half beef and half turkey. ItâÄôs far less fatty and greasy and you wonâÄôt taste the difference.) Easy, right? For a side dish, try grilling asparagus. ItâÄôs cheap, itâÄôs in season and even if it makes your pee smell funny, itâÄôs good for you. You can toss it on the grill while youâÄôre busy with another part of the meal. Look at how simple it is: GRILLED ASPARAGUS 1 lb asparagus spears, washed 1 T olive oil Salt Ground pepper Other trimmings: lemon rub, garlic, soy sauce Coat your spears with olive oil (or whatever you prefer) and line them up on the grill. ItâÄôs easiest to spear them through their base. Grill them for about four minutes per side or until theyâÄôre crunchy, but tender. (Other vegetables that work well grilled: zucchini, squash, rhubarb, sweet potatoes)
Cooking with in-season ingredients
Get out that grill and eat fresh, in style.
by Kara Nesvig
Published March 31, 2010
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