by Cherie Semple - ezmeals4u.com 

Grilling fresh vegetables is easy, once you get the hang of it. As with any cooking technique, you must first learn the basics.

Once you know what you're doing, you can grill almost any fresh vegetable. I love to grill, indoors or out and all year round. Here are a few tips that I've found to be very useful when grilling fresh vegetables.

Always grill vegetables over medium heat. Vegetables contain water and sugar. If the heat is too high, the veggies will burn quickly. If your grill isn't hot enough, the vegetables will become soggy and their nutrients will cook away.

Make sure you oil the grill. I use a vegetable oil like corn or canola. The sugars in vegetables will caramelize and stick if the grill isn't oiled. Certain veggies, such as asparagus, carrots, potatoes and whole onions, can also be brushed with oil before grilling. This makes the veggies get crispy and creates those really cool grill marks. Use olive oil for the vegetables, it gives more flavor.

Now we get to the actual grilling. Never over-cook fresh vegetables. They should have almost the same consistency when grilled as when steamed. Most people call perfectly cooked vegetables tender-crisp. This means they still have some of the original crunch. The only difference will be the char marks. You don't want to under-cook either. If you want to serve raw veggies, keep them away from the grill.

Flavor is the key when grilling anything: meat, vegetables or fruit. Season the veggies. You can simply use salt and pepper or go with spice mixtures, rubs or marinades. Seasonings that contain butter or sugar tend to burn more quickly so be careful when using them. I like to grill the vegetables with only salt and pepper then serve them with sauces for dipping or drizzled over-top.

Finally, experiment with different fresh vegetables. Almost any veggie can be grilled. I've done a variety including, but not limited to, mushrooms, tomatoes and romaine lettuce. Try your hand at whatever vegetable you like. Also try different seasonings and spices. I like to use garlic powder and grill seasoning while grilling and a favorite dipping sauce is garlic butter or hollandaise. Use what you and your family like.

Grilling fresh vegetables is easy and will quickly become one of your favorites once you know how to do it. Follow the simple tips I've provided and you'll be grilling great vegetables in no time. Have fun.