Almost any type of vegetable or fruit can be grilled. Be creative and take advantage of all the vitamins, minerals, fibre, and phytochemicals that vegetables and fruit provide.

Grilling vegetables and fruit is a great way to eat more nutrient-dense foods, especially during the warmer months. Grilling also helps to bring out a variety of rich flavours in the food.

Vegetables

Fast-grilling vegetables (broccoli, eggplant, and peppers) take about 5 to 7 minutes on the barbeque. For hard-textured vegetables (carrots, parsnips, and sweet potatoes), sprinkle with water and cover before microwaving on high for 5 to 8 minutes. Next, grill for 20 to 45 minutes, or until browned and tender. Grilled vegetables can be served as is, as part of a salad, or in sandwiches.

Get inspired with these ideas:

• Cut-up an assortment of vegetables into ½-inch slices. Brush with oil or broth. Place on a skewer or in a grilling basket and grill until tender.
• Soak ears of corn in water for 30 minutes. Remove the silk, and grill in the husk for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Cut tomatoes in half, brush with oil, and add seasonings. Wrap in foil and grill sliced side up.
• Marinate a large portobello mushroom for a few hours in lower-fat, non-creamy salad dressing and grill like a burger. Serve on a whole wheat bun or as a side dish.

Fruit

Choose just-ripe fruit to avoid grilled mush! Fruit burns easily because of its high sugar content, so watch it closely. Also, softer fruits (nectarines, plums, and peaches) require more attention to prevent over-cooking. In general, fruit takes 3 to 5 minutes to grill. Allow fruit to cool slightly before eating.

Here are some suggestions to get you started:

• Slice unpeeled bananas lengthwise and brush the cut side with oil. Place cut-side down on the grill and cook until lightly browned. Turn and grill until the bananas begin to pull away from the peel.
• Sprinkle brown sugar onto ½-inch-thick pineapple slices. Grill until browned.
• Brush pear wedges with lemon juice and grill until browned. Add to a mixed green salad.
• Cut a papaya in half, scoop out the seeds, and brush with honey. Grill cut-side down.

Why not grill fruit for dessert?

Grilled fruit not only has an intense flavour, but also provides fewer calories and more vitamins, minerals, fibre, and phytochemicals than most desserts. For example, 1/2 cup of grilled peaches provides 58 calories in comparison to 484 calories from a piece of carrot cake with icing.

The Healthy Grill

Here are some healthy grilling tips for vegetables and fruit:

1. Always wash hands thoroughly with soap and hot water before and after handling fresh produce. Also, wash all fresh vegetables and fruit with cold water immediately before grilling.
2. Clean grill racks before each use. Lightly coat with oil to prevent food from sticking and to reduce charring. Applying oil to the grill rather than brushing directly on the food also helps to lower your intake of fat.
3. Do not place cooked vegetables and fruit on surfaces used to prepare raw meats.
4. Wash all utensils, containers, cutting boards, and work surfaces with hot, soapy water and rinse thoroughly after they come in contact with uncooked food.
5. When necessary, sparingly brush on healthier oils (e.g. olive, canola, safflower or peanut) to your vegetables and fruit.
6. Use medium heat to prevent sticking and charring. Apply sauces containing honey, sugar, or tomato during the last five minutes of grilling.