Grilling Vegetables

Summertime means grilling season! And what better way to celebrate the season than to make up a delectable batch of Vegan Pesto Grilled Vegetables. Whether you have a little Hitachi grill, a big ol' gas grill, or something in between, your pesto grilled veggies are sure to please.

They're easy and have a yummy taste all their own.

I love pesto. If I could bathe in it, I would. The best part is that it's good for you!

You receive some healthy fats in the form of pine nuts and extra-virgin olive oil. Nutritional yeast provides some Vitamin B12 (be sure to use B-12-fortified nutritional yeast like Red Star). The fresh basil contains vitamin K, iron and calcium. And let's not forget the numerous health benefits which garlic provides.

But perhaps best of all? ZERO CHOLESTEROL. 'Natch.    :)

So now that you're armed with your Vegan Pesto, let's make a fantastic vegan dinner.

Slice your favorite veggies. Most veggies can just be sliced into rounds (eggplant, tomatoes, onions). Some veggies may require you to slice them "the long way" such as zucchini which you can see pictured. You'll come to learn which veggies should be sliced on the thick side and which are best thin.

Slather ONE SIDE with the vegan pesto. Lay the veggies PESTO SIDE DOWN on a hot grill like my beautiful hubby Jeff has done here (Hi Sweetness!).

We have a gas grill, and have discovered it's best to heat the grill on HIGH, and then turn it to the lowest setting when it's time to grill the veggies. Jeff tends to place the more delicate veggies (like tomatoes) on the top rack, and everything else on the bottom.

If you don't have more than one grill rack, then simply place the tomatoes and other delicate veggies over the coolest part of the grill.

At some point after you've placed the veggies on the grill, baste the tops with the pesto.

When the veggies are browned to your liking, carefully flip them. We've discovered 5 minutes on the first side is about right, depending on the thickness of your slices. The 2nd side should take anywhere from 3-5 minutes, once again depending on the thickness of your slices.